Amb Wang shake hands with the Grand Master Fra’ Matthew Festing
Ambassador Larry Yu-yuan Wang attended on January 13 the annual audience hosted by the Prince and Grand Master of the Order of Malta, Fra’ Matthew Festing, in honour of the Diplomatic Corps accredited to the Sovereign Order of Malta, which took place at the Magistral Villa on the Aventine Hill of Rome.
Although there are no official diplomatic relations between Taiwan and the Order of Malta, Ambassador Larry Wang was a special guest at the ceremony together with the Ambassadors of Great Britain, France and Belgium to the Holy See.
In his address, the Grand Master mentioned the great variety of humanitarian and medical projects carried out by the Order all over the world in the previous year with the double intent of defending human dignity and showing extreme flexibility in adapting to existing circumstances as to be close to those in need.
The Sovereign Order of Malta was founded in Jerusalem in 1048 and has played a significant role in the history of Europe in the last ten centuries. Its sovereignty was recognized by Pope Paschal II in 1113. Today it enjoys diplomatic relations with 105 countries and the European Commission, and has permanent observer missions at the United Nations, and with principal international organisations. It conducts its medical, social and humanitarian activities in 120 countries.
Sir Francis Wogan Festing, father of the current Grand Master of the Order of Malta, was conferred on the prestigious Order of the Cloud and Banner by the Government of the Republic of China for his valuable contributions. In fact, he fought shoulder to shoulder with the ROC soldiers and distinguished himself during the Burma Campaign, particularly for the services provided in Northern Burma.
