Photo Caption: Left to right: Mrs. Hilda Ellul Mercer (Vice Dean of the HCC and Honorary Consul of the Bahamas); Mr Nicholas Vella (recipient of the 2023-2024 Honorary Consular Corps Award); H.E. Dr Myriam Spiteri Debono; Prof. Inġ. Joseph Buhagiar (Dean of the HCC and Honorary Consul of Colombia); and Prof. Stephen Calleya (MEDAC Director).
The Honorary Consular Corps (HCC) held an event on Tuesday 11 March 2025 at the Casino Maltese, Valletta in celebration of the 30th Anniversary of its founding.
The President of Malta H.E. Dr Myriam Spiteri Debono, her spouse Anthony Spiteri Debono, Dr Bernard Grech, Leader of the Opposition, Ambassadors, Chargé d'affaires and Prof. Alfred J Vella, Rector of the University of Malta were among the distinguished guests present at this event. Also present were Honorary Consuls General and Honorary Consuls who are members of the Honorary Consular Corps of Malta.
The Honorary Consular Corps is an association that was established in 1995, and consists of Honorary Consuls General, Honorary Consuls, and Honorary Vice-Consuls accredited to Malta and representing fifty-one different countries.
During the reception, the invitees were greeted with two speeches delivered by H.E. Dr Myriam Spiteri Debono and Prof. Inġ. Joseph Buhagiar, Dean of the Honorary Consular Corps. In a few words on the occasion, H.E Dr Myriam Spiteri Debono took the opportunity to commend the Honorary Consular Corps for their valuable service in enhancing Malta’s international relations, promoting trade, culture, and supporting the economy. She acknowledged their crucial contributions and emphasised the importance of their continued dedication.
After the speeches, on behalf of the Council of the Honorary Consular Corps, H.E. Dr Myriam Spiteri Debono presented the 2023-2024 Honorary Consular Corps Award to Mr Nicholas Vella, a University of Malta student of the Mediterranean Academy of Diplomatic Studies (MEDAC) for obtaining the highest grade in the thesis component of the M.A. in Diplomatic Studies course.
His dissertation was titled, An Analysis of Poland's Foreign Policy towards EU-Ukraine Relations 2014-2023. The Honorary Consular Corps Award is bestowed annually to the top student at the Academy and is viewed as the contribution of the association towards the development of professional diplomats.
