Over 300 Knights and Dames of Malta from the Federal Association gathered to hear about the activities of the Sovereign Order of Malta in the Middle East.
On September 11th, on the occasion of the annual investiture of new members of the Sovereign Order of Malta, over 300 members of the Federal Association of the Order gathered in Washington D.C. to hear the Representative and the Minister Counsellor of the Sovereign Order of Malta in Ramallah discuss the current situation in the Middle East, and the many places and ways in which the Sovereign Order of Malta is serving those in need in the face of this unprecedented crisis.
Ambassador Justin Sterling Simpson and Minister Counsellor Mrs Michele Burke Bowe described to the audience the range of activities currently being undertaken in service to those in need in Palestine, Syria, Iraq, Lebanon and Turkey in particular, ranging from provision of primary health care and shelter to clean water, specialist medical treatments and psycho-social care for those traumatised by their experiences.
“In Syria, 4 years of conflict now mean that a family is forced to leave home every 60 seconds, and the Order of Malta is working on the front line.” said Ambassador Simpson. “The Order is working in the neighbouring countries of Iraq, Turkey and Lebanon. In Lebanon, for example, the Lebanese Association, in partnership with Malteser International, provides free medical consultations and humanitarian kits for the 1.5 million refugees sheltering in the country”.