The Honorary Consular Corps (HCC) held its biannual reception on October 19 at the Casino Maltese, Valletta. 

President George Vella, his wife Miriam Vella, Cultulre Minister Owen Bonnici, and leader of the opposition Bernard Grech were among the many guests present at the reception.

Also present were ambassadors, chargé d’affaires and honorary consuls with jurisdiction in Malta.

The Honorary Consular Corps was established in 1995, and consists of honorary consuls general, honorary consuls and honorary vice consuls accredited to Malta and representing 60 different countries.

In 2021, Joseph Buhagiar, honorary consul of Colombia, was elected dean of the corps. The council of this association also includes Annabelle Bonello (vice dean), Kevin Dingli (honorary secretary), Matthew Sullivan (treasurer) and Hilda Ellul Mercer.  

During the reception, the invitees were greeted with two speeches delivered by President Vella and Buhagiar, dean of the Honorary Consular Corps. Vella took the opportunity to thank the honorary consuls for their work in assisting, among others, foreign workers, and tourists in Malta; this while assuring the progress and prosperity of the bilateral trade relations between Malta and the country they represent.

After the speeches, on behalf of the Council of the Honorary Consular Corps, the president presented the 2021-2022 Honorary Consular Corps Award to Joanna Camilleri, a UM student of the Mediterranean Academy of Diplomatic Studies (MEDAC) for obtaining the highest grade in the thesis component of the MA in Diplomatic Studies course.

The Honorary Consular Corps Award is bestowed annually to the top student at the academy and is viewed as the contribution of the HCC towards the development of professional diplomats.

On behalf of the council, President Vella also presented Honorary Consul General Godwin Bencini with an appreciation gift for his valuable work, where he served as dean of the Honorary Consular Corps for 10 years between 2011 and 2021.