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Pacem in terris, Peace on Earth, Lourdes 2018
Celebrating six decades of reconciliation and peace between the nations of the world, and commemorating the 160thanniversary of the Apparitions of Our Lady to St Bernadette, almost 15.000 servicemen and women from 50 different nations and from all continents participated in this year Military Pilgrimage to Lourdes.
Of course AMI representatives travelled to Lourdes. The last year elected AMI President, vice admiral Matthieu Borsboom, both Vice-Presidents, Capt RNLN (ret) Frank Marcus and WOII Ferry Tannhauser were present. New Secretary General Colonel Domenico D’Ortenzi flew in on Sunday to attend the meeting with the Croatian Army Bisshop H.E. Jure Bogdan. The new executive committee was invited by bishop Bogdan to share, over dinner, ideas and thoughts about the upcoming AMI Conference and General Assembly in Croatia. The conference will take place in Split from October 14 till October 19, 2018. We also met the new Army bishop of France, H.E. Antoine de Romanet.
Also this year the AMI flag was present in Lourdes. The Dutch delegation proudly showed the national colors of the Netherlands, Curaçao and Aruba (a former autonomous Caribbean country within the Kingdom of the Netherlands) and our AMI flag.
Friday evening AMI friends gathered as every year in the hotel “La Solitude” to have a drink together and strengthening their friendship. Saturday afternoon our President was invited to the annual concert of the British and the Irish and to meet the Chief of Defense Staff of Great Britain, Air Chief Marshall Sir Stuart Peach. Together with our delegate of England Chaplain Neil Galloway they scanned the possibilities of the 2020 AMI Conference in England. Air Chief Marshall Sir Stuart Peach assured the AMI delegation of his cooperation.
As every year it was again an inspiring time in the small town lying in the foothills of the Pyrenees.