After months of preparations and close contacts between the Embassy of the Order of Malta to the Holy See and the European Parlament, on June the 8th the Grand Master Fra’ John Dunlap received some 100 European members of the European People’s Party at the Magistral Villa on the Aventine in Rome for a debate on the role of Christian values in European integration process.
Led by the EPP President Manfred Weber, the members of the Parliament listened to speeches by Cardinal Leonardo Sandri, Vice Dean of the College of Cardinals, Monsignor Mariano Crociata, President of the Commission of the Bishops’ Conferences of the European Union, Monsignor Miroslaw Wachowski, Under-Secretary for the Holy See’s Relations with States, and Riccardo Paternò di Montecupo, Grand Chancellor of the Order of Malta. Also the Italian Foreign Minister, Antonio Tajani, joined the EPP event later in the evening addressing the audience a speech on the importance of the protection of European’s values.
The meeting deepened the themes of the challenges posed by the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the management of migration flows, the European effort to creating an atmosphere of genuine solidarity and brotherhood in the EU context. Core-issues for the Order of Malta, constantly committed in support to the displaced persons in Ukraine and its neighbouring and in spreading the Christian message of peace, dialogue, tolerance and respect for human dignity.
The day after, the Delegation met at the Auditorium della Conciliazione with Cardinal Ravasi, who gave a very inspiring speech, and some prominent representatives of the Vatican and of the Italian Universities.
