At the Embassy of the Sovereign Order of Malta, the spectre of millions of refugees fleeing the war in Ukraine is palpable. The Order, founded in Jerusalem during the 11th century, has a long history of assisting the vulnerable and the sick, and it is during a crisis like this one that its structure — ramified into 11 priorates, 48 national associations, 133 diplomatic missions, 1 international relief agency, 33 humanitarian relief agencies, numerous hospitals, medical centers, and dedicated foundations — offers its crucial assistance.
We met with Ambassador Paul Beresford-Hill, who recounted to us in concrete terms the direction in which the Order is moving in order to assist the men, women and children that in these days are seeking safe haven in the West from the horrors of combat.
Ambassador, recently at the UN, different terms are being used to define this situation. From your point of view, are we speaking of an invasion or a special military operation?
“Whatever terminology we use, the fact of the matter is that millions of citizens have been affected by this situation. There are 2 million people that are moving across the border and that probably will be followed by another 2-3 million if the situation worsens. This is a real conflict, or if we wish, an invasion. Yes, we can call it as such. It seems to be the word that best describes this situation.”
What is the greatest concern at the moment for the Order of Malta?
“Our mission, as a sovereign entity, is to be conscious of the needs of those that are sick, poor and suffering. When the United Nations asks me who my citizens are, I respond that they are all those that have been left behind, the needy. My role as Ambassador is to do all that I can to attract public attention to those that cannot defend themselves and of whom no one speaks.”
How are you organizing yourselves to manage the millions of refugees fleeing Ukraine?
“We are very fortunate to have a very strong presence on the Ukrainian borders: in Slovakia, Hungary and Poland we have strong groups belonging to the Order. Currently, we have about 5,000 people mobilized to cope with this tragedy, and who are coordinating with other agencies such as Save The Children and UNICEF. We provide them with food, homes, medicine, and we assist them in traveling to other States to reunite with friends or relatives. Then there are the volunteers: we count approximately 20,000. It is essential, in a crisis such as this one, that organizations collaborate and coordinate together their activities. It wouldn’t be useful, for example, if we all provided food and no one took care of providing blankets or medicine.”
Does the Order of Malta believe that this conflict can be resolved with diplomacy?
“The hope is there. We have always thought that diplomacy was the right instrument with which to proceed, even if it is not our role to tell any government what they should or should not do. We are proud to be independent and judgement free. Last week, I was in Syria, and I had the opportunity to visit the refugee camp, which is absolutely horrible. The structures and organizations are not up to the task because they really have so few resources. Over 10,000 people live there, in that squalid camp. We spoke to a few of them, many of the older ones were in Aleppo when it was bombarded and destroyed. Now they went to that camp, and they have no future. They have children and grandchildren who ran towards us enthusiastically when they saw us, they wanted to know who the strangers were that came to visit them. When I saw them, I felt great sadness, because I asked myself, what kind of future will they have if they remain in such an environment? I am fearful that the same things may now repeat themselves in Ukraine, if Russia takes control of the nation and shuts down its borders.”
How important is the UN and its organizations in managing this crisis?
“The UNHCR is absolutely indispensable; they coordinate the refugees and they make sure that all of the actors involved work together and do their best to offer support to these people.”
What are your diplomatic activities at this moment? I know that you recently returned from a trip to Turkey.
“In Turkey, I took care of two things: I spoke of education and instruction at a few conferences, talking about the United Nations and the work that is carried out–in particular on the subject of sustainability and development–together with high school and university students. I then spoke about the UN’s agenda, addressing the question of technological development. The Internet is currently becoming fragmented. Russia and China have established their own internet systems. These are topics that are crucial for the United Nations.”
Is this a war that could have been prevented?
“It is possible to prevent every war: the World Wars, Hitler. We have been close to the explosion of conflict so many times; for example, with Cuba in 1962. The point at which we are now is another discussion and I cannot make any prediction.”
Is there an appeal that the Order of Malta would like to make to the United Nations and the world?
“Last week we spoke at the United Nations, highlighting the fact that Ukrainian refugees are not the only refugees in the world. Refugees are part of the fabric of humanity, and what we can do as an organization is to remain on high alert without succumbing to fear. There is indeed fear, and Angela Merkel should be mentioned in this regard, as she was able to overcome it by welcoming refugees. Ms. Merkel has welcomed millions and has faced difficulties, but her gesture was the best thing for humanity, and she has been an example to the entire world.”
Do you believe that the media, by giving constant attention to the conflict and disseminating the images across the world, can assist the refugees?
“I don’t believe that the people in Russia and in China see what is going on outside of their borders. I would make a distinction: the media, for those countries that have free information, is fundamental, because people are touched by the humanity of the images that arrive from the war. When, however, the channels of information are controlled by governments, then it becomes an instrument to reinforce their power.”
