On June 26, the Ambassador of the Sovereign Order of Malta to the Republic of Albania, H.E Stefano Palumbo, and his wife Valérie hosted the annual reception on the occasion of the Solemnity of St. John the Baptist, Patron Saint of the Sovereign Order of Malta.

The reception was held in the park of the Palace of Brigade in front of the Palatine Chapel recently restored with funds raised by the Embassy. In the presence of the Apostolic Nuncio Monsignor Luigi Bonazzi, His Royal Highness Prince Leka; the ambassadors of Germany, Switzerland, Croatia, Ukraine, Poland, Kosov, Brazil and Palestine attended. The Head of the EU Delegation, the UN Resident Coordinator and the Head of the OSCE Presence joined as well.

The Albanian authorities included several members of parliament, the Chairman of the Electronic and Postal Communications Authority, the President of the Durres Port Authority, the former Mayor of Shkodra and the Deputy Mayor of Tirana.

The religious authorities included the Director of the National Caritas, the chancellor of the Tiranë-Durrës Archdiocese, together with various priests and nuns close to the Order. Also attending were the national representative of the Muslim community His Eminence Chief Mufti, Bujar Spahiu, the Archbishop of Tirana of the Orthodox Church His Grace Asti and H.H. Baba Mondi Supreme Head of the Bektashi Community.