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Order of Malta Australia

News

New diplomatic member of the Sovereign Order of Malta’s Embassy to Cambodia

21/10/2019 


Pictured: Frank Zipfinger (left) distributing items to the homeless in Sydney

On the 9 October 2019, H.M.E.H the Prince and Grand Master Fra Giacomo Dalla Torre del Tempio di Sanguinetto and the Sovereign Council accepted the nomination of Frank Zipfinger as the new Counsellor of the Embassy of the Sovereign Council of the Order of Malta to the Kingdom of Cambodia.

Frank was invested into the Australian Association of the Order of Malta in 2011 and has been actively involved in its charitable works as a regular volunteer for the Sydney Community Care Van and the BBQS for patients at St Vincent’s Hospital. He is now one of four Australian members to take up an overseas diplomatic role for the Order of Malta.

“Congratulations are due to Confrère Frank Zipfinger for taking on this interesting and challenging responsibility. It is encouraging that we have so many Australian members willing to take on such diplomatic roles.” The Hon Justice James Douglas KHD, President Australian Association.

The position of Counsellor will involve assisting Ambassador Michael Mann (another member of the Australian Association) in representing the Order of Malta in Cambodia and liaising with the Royal Cambodian Government, its Ministries and agencies to advance bilateral relations and agreements.

“I am so pleased that Confrere Frank Zipfinger has made himself available to further the Order’s work in Cambodia” said Ambassador Mann. “Cambodia has had a terrible history and despite positive economic development in recent years it still has significant problems to address.”

As Counsellor, Frank will also assist the numerous Order of Malta projects in Cambodia through liaison with the Government and seeking funding and support. This will include assisting CIOMAL, an Order of Malta entity administered by the Swiss Association of the Order, which for over 20 years has been focusing on the fight against leprosy in Cambodia. Each year CIOMAL finds hundreds of new cases of leprosy in very remote villages and supplies the medical care to cure and assist those afflicted. For long term sufferers the Order’s hospital in Phnom Penh provides corrective surgery and therapy.

Learn more about our Diplomatic Relations.

Fighting against Leprosy – Detecting New Cases Early to Curb the Disease

The Australian Association

The Australian Association, formed in 1974, currently has in excess of 300 members and aspirant members across every State and Territory of Australia. We also have ongoing and strong links with the Order’s National Associations throughout the Asia Pacific Region including in Singapore and the Philippines and with members of the Order in New Zealand, Hong Kong SAR, Thailand and Korea. The Order of Malta is committed to serving Our Lords the Poor and Sick worldwide and has done so for over 900 years. This website shares with you the history, mission and current activities of the Order of Malta in Australia, and provides links to the work of the Order world-wide.