On 17 February at the Community of Sant'Egidio's "House of Peace and Dialogue" in the centre of Havana (Cuba), a dream came true, with the inauguration of the "Friends of the Street" out-patient clinic to treat, support and accompany people experiencing difficulties, the homeless and the elderly.

After initial discussions in Rome, the Hospitaller Order and the Community of Sant'Egidio, which share the same values and charism, have now completed a joint project in response to Pope Francis' invitation to Church institutions to work together for the benefit of people in need.

Attending the inauguration ceremony were the Auxiliary Bishop, Eloy Ricardo Domínguez, the Chancellor of the Archdiocese of Havana, Mgr Mos Ramon Suarez, Roberto Noa Frómeta, an official of the Office of Religious Affairs of the Central Committee of the PCC, the architect Perla Rosales, the assistant director of the History of Havana, and Alessandro Totaro of the AKTIS centre.

Representing the Hospitaller Order were Brother Jesús Etayo Arrondo, Superior of the Hospitaller Order of Saint John of God, with Brother Erik Castillo, Provincial of Latin America and the Caribbean, Brother Jose Merced Ulloa, Provincial Councillor for Latin America and Head of the centres in Mexico, Cuba and Honduras, the Community of Brothers in Havana, and the Director General of the Province of Latin America and the Caribbean, Eng. Julian Medina, the director of the Order's centres in Havana, Dr. Francisco Bouza, and other leading figures with connections to the Order.

The ribbon was cut in front of the internal door of the clinic, following which Mgr Eloy blessed the premises after a short act of worship.