Bela Palanka – The Embassy of the Sovereign Order of Malta in Belgrade, within the framework of its humanitarian mission, has been “listening” to the needs of young and elderly people facing difficult living conditions for years. Through the project “Make a WISH to the Order of Malta,” we’ve always aimed to fulfill as many of these WISHes as possible.

This time was no different, as a request came in from Bela Palanka, the poorest municipality in Serbia. Bela Palanka is a town with a history dating back 2300 years, tracing its roots back to the time of the Roman Empire.

From Bela Palanka, the WISH was for a complete dental chair equipped with all the necessary instruments, two sterilizers, and a device for dental hemostasis that are already set up in the Medical Centar of Bela Palanka.

Working in conjunction with our partner LDS Charities Serbia – with special thanks to Brother Chad Griffits and Sister Jennifer Griffits – and with the support of Aleksandar Hangimana, the President of the Make a Wish Donations Association, we fulfilled this WISH by providing the requested dental chair.

The official handover took place in the presence of the Mayor of Bela Palanka, Mr. Goran Miljković, who expressed sincere gratitude on behalf of the municipality during a reception he hosted. During the handover of the dental chair and its related equipment, the Director of the Medical Center in Bela Palanka, Dr. Vencislav Rangelov, was also present. He stated that “the equipment, in addition to its importance for the Medical Center in Bela Palanka, holds an even greater significance in ensuring high-quality dental services for individuals who might otherwise not have access to dental care, simultaneously facilitating the work of medical staff.”

This marks the second WISH granted by the Embassy of the Order of Malta. The first, carried out two years ago, involved a donation of books to the school library in Bela Palanka.