November 4, 2015
No. 246
His Most Eminent Highness Fra’ Matthew Festing, Prince and Grand Master of the Sovereign Military Hospitaller Order of Saint John of Jerusalem of Rhodes and of Malta, is leading a seven-member delegation, including H.E. Dominique Prince De La Rochefoucauld-Montbel, Grand Hospitaller of the Sovereign Order of Malta, to the Republic of China (Taiwan) between November 4 and 8 at the invitation of the ROC government. HMEH Fra’ Matthew Festing’s visit will not only enhance the friendship and interactions between the two sides, but also furnish the delegation members with a better understanding of the efforts and achievements that the ROC government and local nonprofit medical organizations have made in the field of humanitarian aid. This will in turn help promote bilateral cooperation on international humanitarian aid in the future.
During his trip, His Most Eminent Highness will meet with President Ma Ying-jeou at the Office of the President, where the two leaders will confer medals on each other. President Ma will then host a banquet in his honor. Minister of Foreign Affairs David Y. L. Lin, meanwhile, will host a luncheon in his honor as well. In addition, Fra’ Festing will receive an honorary Doctor of Philosophy degree and deliver a speech at Fu Jen Catholic University, call at the International Cooperation and Development Fund (TaiwanICDF), attend the Special Exhibit Commemorating the 70th Anniversary of the ROC Victory in the War of Resistance Against Japan, as well as visit the National Palace Museum, Taipei 101, and Yangmingshan National Park. Fra’ Festing will also host a reception to express appreciation for the gracious hospitality accorded to the delegation.
His Most Eminent Highness Fra' Matthew Festing was elected the 79th Prince and Grand Master of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta (an office held for life) in March 2008. Under his leadership, the Order of Malta actively promotes a variety of medical and poverty aid programs in many places in Asia, Africa, and the Americas, the aim being to achieve sustainable development around the world. It has made great contributions to improving people’s lives and spreading the word of God.
Prince and Grand Master Fra’ Festing supports the promotion of various humanitarian aid and medical cooperation projects between the Order of Malta and the ROC. Grand Chancellor and Foreign Minister Jean Pierre Mazery led a delegation to Taiwan in 2012, and this year the two sides have cooperated on medical humanitarian aid at the Dermato-Venereology Hospital in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.
The Order of Malta, a sovereign subject of international law devoted to Catholicism, as well as humanitarian and charitable activities, was founded in Jerusalem in 1048 and had its sovereignty recognized by Pope Paschal II in 1113. It has long been dedicated to the provision of medical care to the sick and the poor in the world, as well as humanitarian aid and social work, for which it has received broad recognition in the international community. The Order of Malta and the ROC share the same core values with respect to humanitarian concern, charitable medical care, and sustainable development. Both are committed to their international duties and obligations, and have similar foreign aid objectives.
The Order of Malta has approximately 80,000 well-trained volunteers and medical personnel in more than 120 countries, and 60 national associations worldwide. It also runs numerous hospitals, clinics, and organizations that provide charitable, medical, health, social, and humanitarian services in over 120 countries. Malteser International, the Order of Malta’s worldwide relief agency with NGO status, is headquartered in Cologne, Germany, and has 26 national associations as members. Over the course of its 50-plus years, the agency has promoted some 100 medical and poverty relief projects in 27 nations in Asia, Africa, and the Americas, regardless of religion, race or political beliefs. It has succeeded in fulfilling its aims, covering emergency medical aid, sustainable development, community building, and poverty relief. (E)