News

German President makes first diplomatic visit to the Sovereign Order

Rome, 25 October 2021

The President of the Federal Republic of Germany Frank-Walter Steinmeier was received at the Magistral Villa in Rome, the Order of Malta’s seat of government, on 25 October, by the Lieutenant of the Order, Fra’ Marco Luzzago.

The visit was the first since diplomatic relations were established between the Order and Germany in 2017. Numerous humanitarian projects are carried out by the Order in cooperation with Germany – from Lebanon to Iraq to Haiti.

In Germany, the Order of Malta is highly committed to the reception and integration of migrants. With 30 years’ experience, a model for assisting more than 1.5 million migrants from 75 different countries has been developed. Today, the Order of Malta’s care organisation, Malteser Werke, runs more than 50 care centres throughout Germany, offering not only a safe place but also social and legal assistance and integration paths.

In Iraq, the German Federal Government supports the Order of Malta’s projects for the protection of minorities, while in Haiti it contributes to the post-earthquake reconstruction work of the Order’s relief agency, Malteser International.