Sana’a – March 2004. The Duke of Calabria and accompanying delegation visited the Presidential Palace, and held talks with the President of the Republic, His Excellency Ali Abdullah
Saleh. The Prime Minister, Minister of Foreign Affairs and the Special Counsellor of the President of the Republic attended.
His Royal Highness The Duke of Calabria personally delivered a personal letter from His Eminence Cardinal Mario Francesco Pompedda to The President.
Through translators His Royal Highness The Duke of Calabria and Mr Anthony Bailey outlined during the thirty-minute meeting the Order’s desire to adopt charitable initiatives in Yemen and to launch specific exchange programmes of European and Yemeni religious figures. The President supported our proposals and offered his governments support for such activities.
The President of the Republic was invested with the dignity of the Knight Grand Cross of the Royal Order of Francesco I and also received the Benemerenti Medal of the Constantinian Order in recognition of Yemen’s contribution to Muslim-Christian dialogue. His Royal Highness The Duke of Calabria received the First Class grade with Collar of the Order of Unification – 22 May in recognition of the Order’s contribution to inter-dialogue and understanding. Cardinal Mario Francesco Pompedda was also decreed with the same award, and Mr Anthony Bailey received the same decoration for furthering British-Yemeni relations.
The Prime Minister, Foreign Minister and Yemeni Ambassador to the Court of St James’s were also invested into the Royal Order of Francesco I in a separate ceremony in the Presidential Palace.