For the first time, the Prince and Grand Master of the Order of Malta, Fra’ Matthew Festing, visited Albania on January 19-21, 2015.
Besides meetings Fra’ Festing had with the highest representatives of the Albanian state, a very important activity was the visit at the Headquarter of the Albanian Organization of the Order of Malta, where he was introduced to some of the activities the Organization holds, as the “Malteser” Kindergarten.
During his visit, Fra’ Matthew Festing was accompanied by his delegation, the Grand Chancellor of the Order of Malta, Mr. Albrecht Freiherr von Boeselager; the Grand Hospitalier of the Order of Malta, Prince Dominique de La Rochefoucault-Montbel; the Ambassador of the Order of Malta in Albania, Mr. Stefano Palumbo with his wife Mrs. Valeri Palumbo; the Diplomatic Counsellor to the Grand Chancellor, H.E. Alberto Leoncini Bartoli; Chief of the Protocol Office, Mr. Leonardo Marra; Director of the Communications Office, Mr. Baron Eugenio Ajroldi di Robbiate; the representative of “Malteser Hilfsdienst” in Germany, Mr. Matthias Heiden and the former Spiritual Director of the Albanian Organization of the Order of Malta, Father Stefan Schwarz, as well as representatives of the Albanian Organization of the Order of Malta.
They were warmly welcomed at the premises of the kindergarten by the children, the teachers and the manager of the kindergarten project. During the visit they were introduced with the children of each group, their educational and entertaining activities, and the different works children themselves make during the educational classes.
At the end of the visit, some children recited and after they gifted the Prince and the Grand Master and the other members of the delegation works made by themselves.
This Kindergarten started in 2010 and it continues to be financially supported by Malteser Hospitaldienst Austria, and the former Ambassador of the Order of Malta in Albania, Prof. Dr. Günther Granser, actually Head of the Permanent Observer Mission to the United Nations at Vienna.
