The Grand Master of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta Received the Order of the Three Stars

In Latvia, on June 9, the official visit of Prince and Grand Master Fra John T. Dunlap of the Sovereign Military Hospitaller Order of Saint John of Jerusalem, of Rhodes and of Malta began.

The trip was part of an official tour of the Baltic countries. In Riga, the head of one of the oldest humanitarian orders in the world held a series of high-level meetings, including negotiations with the President of Latvia, Edgars Rinkēvičs, at the Riga Castle.

The discussions at the meeting in the Riga Castle focused on humanitarian cooperation between Latvia and the Order of Malta, the work of the order's aid services in the country, and international crises.

The activities of the Order of Malta in conflict zones were discussed separately. The President of Latvia emphasized that the order's staff often work in high-risk conditions, providing assistance where access for international organizations is limited.

The Latvian side expressed high appreciation for the role of the order in promoting and protecting the principles of international humanitarian law.

The Order of Malta is not only a religious structure but also an international humanitarian organization that has been engaged in medical and social assistance for over 900 years.

In Latvia, the order actively works with the most vulnerable groups of the population - low-income families, the elderly, people with disabilities, orphans, and families in crisis situations.

Diplomatic relations between Latvia and the order were established in 1995 and have since remained a stable direction of humanitarian cooperation.

The Latvian chapter of the order decided to award the Grand Master with the country's highest state award - the Order of the Three Stars. According to an official announcement published in Latvijas Vēstnesis, Fra John T. Dunlap was honored with the title of Commander of the Grand Cross of the Order of the Three Stars and awarded the order's chain, reports the LETA agency.

Along with the Grand Master, other representatives of the order involved in diplomatic and humanitarian work also received state awards.

In Latvia, it is emphasized that the visit of the Grand Master was an important diplomatic event reflecting the long-term relations between Latvia and the Order of Malta.