The Grand Master Fra’ John Dunlap today held the traditional New Year audience with the Diplomatic Corps accredited to the Sovereign Military Order of Malta. The audience took place at the Villa Magistrale in Rome.

Following the address by the Dean of the Diplomatic Corps, H.E. Ambassador Antoine Zanga of Cameroon, the Grand Master delivered his speech, recalling the breadth of the Order of Malta’s diplomatic and humanitarian engagement worldwide.

The Embassy to the Holy See was represented by Ambassador Zanardi Landi, together with all the Counsellors and the First Secretary.

Below is the full address by H.E. the Grand Master:

Monsieur le Doyen du Corps diplomatique,
Excellencies,
Ladies and Gentlemen,

It is for me a great honour and a profound pleasure to welcome you on this memorable occasion. I wish to express my sincere gratitude to the Dean for the address of exemplary courtesy that he delivered on behalf of the Diplomatic Corps.

I would like to begin by expressing my deep appreciation for the kind sentiments and high regard shown toward the diplomatic action of the Sovereign Order of Malta over the course of 2025. In this same spirit, I also wish to express our most sincere gratitude to Italy, our host country, with which the Sovereign Order of Malta has long maintained a relationship of close friendship, mutual trust, and exemplary cooperation.

The year just concluded has indeed been one of extraordinary intensity, marked both by the spiritual significance of the Holy Year and by an epoch-making transition in the life of the Holy See: the passing of His Holiness Pope Francis and the subsequent election of His Holiness Pope Leo XIV. These events have profoundly affected both the life of the universal Church and the broader international community.

His Excellency the Dean has rightly recalled the numerous missions that I carried out over the past year together with the senior officers of the Order. These activities spanned several continents, and we firmly intend to maintain this diplomatic momentum in 2026 as well. In this regard, I am pleased to announce the convening, next autumn, of a Regional Conference for the Americas, to be held in Buenos Aires. Building on the experience of Panama two years ago, this meeting will allow for essential coordination between the Grand Magistry and our regional entities. Following this conference, I look forward to undertaking a series of official visits to countries of the Southern Hemisphere.

Latin America continues to hold primary importance in the history of the Order. Our long-standing commitment in the region, initiated in the post-war period, is rooted in the enduring social contribution of the national associations. Although high-level exchanges have been infrequent since the private visit of Grand Master Fra’ Andrew Bertie in 1990, we intend to revitalize these relations. We therefore envisage a sustained programme of official visits in the coming years, extending also beyond the Southern Hemisphere, alongside the negotiation of several cooperation agreements aimed at enhancing the effectiveness of our regional humanitarian initiatives.

Africa remains a fundamental priority and benefits from significant investments through the specialized programmes of Ordre de Malte France and Malteser International. This commitment was recently reaffirmed by the mission of the Grand Hospitaller to Cameroon and by the private visits of the Grand Commander to Mauritius and Madagascar. It was also a great honour for me to welcome to the Magistral Palace the Presidents of Gabon and South Africa. I express my profound gratitude to the respective Ambassadors for making these meetings possible; in particular, I wish to thank Her Excellency Ms. Nosipho Jezile. The visit of President Ramaphosa, despite the absence of formal diplomatic relations, represents a significant milestone in our bilateral relations. Similarly, the recently established relations with The Gambia and Burundi have progressed rapidly, further confirmed by the recent and fruitful meeting between the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Burundi and the Grand Chancellor.

Our ties with the Middle East remain central to the mission of the Order. We have maintained a consistent and focused engagement with Lebanon, as demonstrated by the visit of the Grand Chancellor and participation in high-level forums such as the Munich Security Conference and those held at the Magistral Villa.

In the context of the current conflict, the Lebanese Association of the Order has shown exemplary courage in its humanitarian response, receiving widespread recognition across all sectors of society. This vital work was particularly acknowledged by the Holy Father during his recent historic visit.

With regard to the devastating crisis in the Holy Land, the position of the Order remains firm: we have unequivocally condemned the terrorist acts of 7 October 2023, called for the immediate release of Israeli hostages, and reiterated the need for full respect for International Humanitarian Law, for the protection of civilians and humanitarian workers. In cooperation with the Latin Patriarchate, we have provided food assistance to the population of Gaza City and remain ready to deploy medical clinics as soon as operational conditions permit. Looking ahead, the Order is committed to participating in international reconstruction efforts, particularly those promoted by Egypt, the Palestinian Authority, and other partners, with a specific focus on the healthcare and educational needs of orphaned and malnourished children.

Our concerns extend beyond Gaza. The situation in the West Bank remains a source of deep apprehension. Restrictions on freedom of movement, recurring violence, and persistent shortages of essential services continue to weigh heavily on the civilian population. Our mobile clinics are not yet able to operate in Bedouin villages, while the population of Bethlehem is suffering severely from the collapse of tourism. The Holy Family Hospital, run by the Order of Malta, is a vital facility for maternal and neonatal care, providing high-quality healthcare to women and newborns without distinction. It is currently facing significant operational challenges; nevertheless, the Order remains steadfast in its commitment to ensuring the continuity of its mission.

Ukraine has also represented a major area of humanitarian intervention for the Order of Malta. Our position is clear and consistent: hostilities must cease, and civilians, as well as civilian infrastructure, must be fully protected. The destruction of homes, hospitals, schools, and energy infrastructure is unacceptable. Ensuring humanitarian access, supporting reconstruction, and achieving a durable cessation of hostilities must be immediate priorities, alongside diplomatic efforts to navigate the complex path toward a just and lasting peace. In this context, the Order stands ready, should it be deemed useful, to make its resources available in support of initiatives aimed at dialogue, in a spirit of humanity and in full respect of its principles of neutrality and impartiality.

I have provided this overview for two main reasons. First, to underscore that the diplomatic action of the Order of Malta extends well beyond Europe. While my travels last year were predominantly focused on Europe, other members of the Sovereign Council carried out missions in various regions, and I welcomed numerous interlocutors from around the world. Europe will naturally remain central to our diplomatic engagement, and several significant visits are planned for the first half of the year.

Second, the diplomatic action of the Order must always be considered in close connection with its humanitarian presence on the ground—an engagement carefully tailored to the specific needs of each context, both in advanced economies and in regions affected by severe humanitarian crises.

In conclusion, the breadth of our diplomatic engagement, the courageous humanitarian action undertaken by the Order in some of the most serious crises of our time—particularly in Palestine, Lebanon, and Ukraine—and the steady expansion of our diplomatic relations all converge toward a single conclusion: the Order of Malta is assuming an increasingly global role.

Despite limited resources, we face this challenge with determination. The establishment in 2025 of the Advisory Council of the Grand Chancellor, bringing together leading figures from the business and scientific worlds, has already produced concrete operational results, particularly in the field of emergency response.

We are firmly convinced that the growing international role of the Order deserves fuller recognition by the international community. To this end, we are actively pursuing the expansion of our diplomatic network, without historical, cultural, or religious preconditions. At the same time, we are making steady progress in Asia and the Pacific and look to the future with confidence.

In all international fora, we will continue to contribute constructively to discussions on major global challenges, including human trafficking, the protection of refugees, religious freedom, interreligious dialogue, and respect for international humanitarian law. In this context, I wish to recall the Memorandum of Understanding recently signed with Kazakhstan, aimed at promoting social cohesion and dialogue through joint initiatives.

Finally, we aspire to attain a status within the United Nations that more accurately reflects the nature and scope of the Order’s activities worldwide. In this effort, we rely on your continued and invaluable support.

In closing, I extend to all of you, to your families, and to the staff of your Embassies my warmest wishes for a peaceful and prosperous year.