On the 15th of July 2026, the Embassy of the Sovereign Order of Malta to the Philippines was honored to speak at the event titled “Dialogue in Diplomacy: Ambassadors in Action” hosted by the European Studies Association – ESA DLSU, where Her Excellency Ambassador Maria Lourdes Bernadette Z. Banson delivered a keynote address about the culture of the Order’s humanitarian diplomacy before students from De La Salle University and partner universities. Permanent Representative of the Philippines to ASEAN Ambassador Hjayceelyn Quintana also spoke about rebuilding multilateral diplomatic cooperation among states and institutions.

In her speech, Ambassador Banson drew from Pope Paul VI’s teachings, emphasizing that diplomacy is a vocation rooted in dialogue, human dignity, and service, encouraging students to view dialogue not as a means to win arguments, but as a way to build understanding, foster peace, and uphold the dignity of every person.

Concluding her remarks, Ambassador Banson left participants with the message to “BEE Cx3” — to practice Communication, Consensus-building, and Cooperative problem-solving — using the bee as an example of selfless service, collaboration, and peace. She encouraged the next generation of diplomats and leaders to build a world where dialogue is guided by truth, charity, and a shared commitment to the common good.