Today it was officially announced that HRH Prince Gharios El Chemor of Ghassan Al-Nu’man VIII was appointed as the SecretaryGeneral of the FIMO (International Monarchical Forum) Since last year, the prince was already representing the forum as the head to the United States and Lebanon delegations. The Forum’s initiative was founded by the Monarchical Union of Spainpresided by Don Joaquin Corominas. The Forum aims to bring together all the world’s monarchists and all the monarchist movements, related Associations and non-governmental and governmental institutions of all countries. Promoting the Monarchy, its History and culture, through International Conferences, Forums and Summits. Currently, FIMO has delegations from over 30 countries. The events first edition to be held in São Paulo, Brazil in 2021.
In my name and in the name of theSovereign Imperial and Royal House of Ghassan, I’d like to extend my warmest congratulations to Joseph R. Biden on being sworn-in as the 46th President of the United States and to Mm. Kamala Harris as the first woman Vice-President in the history of the United States. May God Bless them and give them wisdom to conduct this great nation and people.
“E pluribus unum” from the Latin “Out of many, one“. That’s the motto written on the United States seal and on the wall of the US Congress. That’s the synthesis of the American republic and of democracy.
Yesterday, the whole world watched perplexed the riots at the United States capital. Scenes seen in many “banana republics” all over the world but never in the mighty America.
But I believe it was a wake up call to everyone that a democracy is extremely fragile no matter where you are and everything can change in a heartbeat. It shall be protected and nurtured with meticulous attention and care.
Another lesson learned, I hope, is that a true leader should unify, not divide.
In my name and in the name of the Royal House of Ghassan, I sincerely wish that yesterday’s events, even shocking, will end up strengthening the American democracy since the United States of America is a great nation in which I’ve the privilege of residing. I renew my best wishes to president elect Joe Biden and Vice President elect Kamala Harris that they shall be able to conduct this great nation through this crisis assuring the greatness that this country and people deserve.
“E pluribus unum”, from many, one. Unity respecting the differences, that’s the pathway to a successful democracy and that’s the fabric that this great nation is made of.
God Bless America and God Bless the American people!
Even 2020 being an extremely challenging year for all of us due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the Royal House of Ghassan, in its 1,800th anniversary, had numerous achievements.
In April, as part of the One Voice for Christians’ initiative, the Royal House has released a series of videos raising awareness about the situation of Christians in the middle east in association with Tyche-Fortuna Entertainment and co-sponsored by the IIRF – International Institute for Religious Freedom and the GH – Gebende Hände (Giving Hands International Charity of Germany). Also, a small documentary about IDC – In Defense of Christians, one of the most important organizations in the world for the cause.
The prince also has given several interviews and lectures. One of the most noteworthy being the one about “Monarchy and Religion” to Rotary Club in Brazil (in Portuguese)
Dr. Thomas Schirrmacher the new Secretary General of the World Evangelical Alliance, the second most powerful Christian leader in the world, being just second to the Pope
In November, The Sovereign Imperial Royal House of Ghassan, in Special Consultative Status with the United Nations ECOSOC and officially recognized by the Government of the Lebanese Republic by Presidential decree number 5,800/2019, has opened an office in Geneva, Switzerland, in order to participate in the UN’s Human Rights meetings and discussions taking place around the Palais des Nations. Due to COVID-19 regulations, no special event was held to celebrate this important landmark, however the representation of the Royal House has been actively participating in the UN meetings since September. More details https://royalblog.org/2020/11/16/the-royal-house-of-ghassan-opens-office-in-geneva-switzerland/
The Italian Heraldic Council was founded on 18 November 1948. The functions of the College of Heralds of the Kingdom of Italy having been abolished following the fourteenth transitory and final disposition of the Constitution of the Republic of Italy (“The law declares the suppression of the College of Heralds”), the Italian Heraldic Council set itself the following principal aims: checking the historic legitimacy of concession titles; establishing the validity of geological trees; carrying out research of a historic and genealogical nature; collecting coats of arms, in order to safeguard the historic heritage of the Italian nobility.
In 1966, the head office was moved to Milan and, in 1993, Don Francesco Maria Mariano Duke of Otranto became the Grand Master, notifying the Ministry for Education and the Ministry for the Interior that the Institute “aims to operate as a cultural body in the training and promoting sphragistics, genealogy and diplomatic studies in the widest sense linked to heraldry, as subjects which require a fundamental revitalisation”.
In 1994, the Marquises Arardo Maria and Renato Maria Spreti – sons of the Marquis Vittorio Spreti, promoter and director of the Italian Historic and Noble Encyclopaedia – granted the Italian Heraldic Council the exclusive right to transpose the text of the Italian Historic and Noble Encyclopaedia into a data bank operating on any type of magnetic support.
On 19 April 1995, the Association, in agreement with the aforesaid sole heirs of the Marquis Vittorio Spreti, assumed the name Italian Heraldic Council – Marquis Vittorio Spreti Institute; on the same occasion, the Duke of Otranto became the President of the association and the head office was moved to its final home in Padua.
After the death, in 2000, of the Marquis Arardo Maria, the position of Vice-President of the Council was taken over by the Marquis Renato Maria Spreti, second son of Vittorio, whose experience, coordination and spiritual as well as material guidance, provides us with particular, invincible stimuli.
Ever since its foundation, the Institute has pursued the aim of scientifically encouraging studies in heraldry and genealogy, as well as providing advice for the granting or recognition of titles, coats of arms and predicates of nobility, even in the realm of jurisdiction and the law, in Italy and abroad; this is done in order to safeguard the history of the homeland and to seek and preserve heraldic, noble, genealogical, bourgeois and chivalrous values.
Among other things, the Council deals with:
* the illustration of noble and bourgeois coats of arms and the realisation of family coats of arms ex novo, with respective registration by notary, filing and possible publication in the Official Gazette (as well as recording in the Italian Grand Armorial Register); * etymological studies, with particular reference to the etymological origin of surnames; * carrying out formalities for the admission to orders of chivalry; * the publication of editorial works of particular historic and heraldic interest, including the Iconographic Archive of Orders of Chivalry and the Italian Grand Armorial Register, etc. * the issue of opinions pro veritate, of a technical heraldic nature, and, for services provided by the Higher Institute of Noble Law, of a chivalrous and noble nature; * all types of investigations in the national, municipal and parish registers, and wherever may be considered necessary for the greater accuracy of research.
The Italian Heraldic Council can count on the interest and loyalty of over 16,000 clients or appreciators, and has delegations in many countries, including the United States of America, Spain, the Principality of Monaco, France, Austria, Japan, Slovakia, Poland, Russia, the Ukraine, Armenia, China, the United Arab Emirates, etc.
