(ANSA) - BELGRADE - Some days ahead of the Feast (June 24) of the Patron Saint of Sovereign Order of Malta, this year's National Day was celebrated in Belgrade. Music combined with the ideals of the Order's humanitarian mission was the protagonist on June 20 at the Opera House in the Serbian capital, where the ''Traviata'' by Giuseppe Verdi was performed. In the presence of institutional, religious, diplomatic and cultural authorities, Ambassador Alberto di Luca greeted everybody, on behalf of the Grand Master Fra' Giacomo Dalla Torre del Tempio di Sanguinetto, underlining the excellent relations between the Order of Malta and Serbia. The commitment to ''Make a WISH 2016'' was highlighted, an initiative which was successfully carried out to help orphaned children accommodated in the Sremcica centre, and disabled girls hosted at the Orthodox Church near the Santa Petka Monastery in Izvor. Amb. Di Luca then took stock of the ongoing work on ''Make a WISH 2017'' this year - with the support of the summits of both the Sovereign Order of Malta and Serbia - for girls and boys with illnesses which cannot be cured in the country's public facilities due to long waiting lists. The purpose of the 2017 project is therefore to be able to deal with these cases in private facilities, relying on financial support from the Embassy of the Sovereign Order of Malta. Some of these children may be visited by foreign doctors who will come to Belgrade or, for even more complex cases, they may be transported abroad.

(ANSA).