Overview of Legal Recognition and International Standing

The Sovereign Imperial and Royal House of Ghassan operates today as a Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) in Special Consultative Status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) and is officially recognized by the Republic of Lebanon under Presidential Decree No. 5800/2019.

Its legal foundation as a legitimate dynastic and humanitarian institution is grounded in four key frameworks:

  1. Lebanese National Law

  2. International Treaty Law (via arbitration and the New York Convention)

  3. Ottoman-Era Civil Authority

  4. Ecclesiastical and Customary Recognition

Republic of Lebanon — Presidential Decree No. 5800/2019

In 2019, the President of the Lebanese Republic signed Decree No. 5800/2019, formally recognizing the House of Ghassan and its historical leadership through the El Chemor family, descendants of the last ruling Ghassanid princes.

Key Elements:

  • Recognition of Lineage: The Decree affirms the hereditary nobility of the El Chemor family as historical rulers of Akoura and Kfarhata.

  • Public Law Status: It acknowledges the family’s contribution to Lebanon’s Christian and tribal identity and affirms the House’s role as a legal and cultural institution.

  • Preservation of Nobiliary Dignity: Although Lebanon is a republic, it continues to recognize traditional titles when they are historically and legally supported.

A full scanned copy of Decree No. 5800/2019 is available in the Library section.

International Legal Recognition — Arbitration & the New York Convention (1958)

The Royal House of Ghassan’s status as a legitimate dynastic institution was confirmed through two international arbitral rulings in 2012 and 2016, adjudicated under binding arbitration mechanisms.

Legal Process:

  • Cases were decided by a panel of qualified international jurists under UNCITRAL rules.

  • Awards affirmed:

    • The lawful use of the dynastic and noble titles by the El Chemor family.

    • The historic and uninterrupted transmission of rights within the family.

    • The House’s entitlement to act as a sovereign non-territorial institution in cultural and symbolic capacities.

Enforceability:

These rulings are enforceable under the New York Convention on the Recognition and Enforcement of Foreign Arbitral Awards (1958), to which over 160 countries are parties.

Legal Title: “Arbitration Award on the Historical Legitimacy and Legal Personality of the Royal House of Ghassan”
Copies of awards and legal briefs are available in the Library section.

Historical Recognition — Ottoman Empire (1747–1920)

During the Ottoman period, the El Chemor Sheikhs retained de facto authority over several regions in Mount Lebanon and Northern Lebanon. Their hereditary leadership was:

  • Registered in the tax and administrative records of the Ottoman Empire.

  • Formally titled as “Sheikhs of Akoura and Kfarhata”, exercising judicial, social, and land governance.

  • Respected by both Ottoman authorities and the Maronite Patriarchate, forming a rare example of Arab Christian autonomy under Islamic imperial rule.

Historical Milestones:

  • 1747: Formal acknowledgment of El Chemor family’s leadership by Ottoman provincial authorities.

  • 1841–1860: Active governance and mediation roles during inter-communal conflict in Mount Lebanon.

  • 1900s: Gradual integration into the modern Lebanese Republic under the French Mandate, but continuation of titles and land rights.

Ecclesiastical Recognition — Maronite & Melkite Churches

The Ghassanid legacy, especially through the El Chemor family, has been recognized and preserved by the Maronite Church, including:

  • Maronite Patriarchs: Oral and written affirmations of the family’s noble status and Ghassanid lineage.

  • Archbishop Paul (Boulos) Matar, Archbishop Edgard Madi, and Archbishop Moussa El-Hage have all acknowledged the El Chemor family as descendants of Ghassanid rulers.

  • Church records and baptismal registries in Bcharre, Zgharta, and Koura contain generational titles of Arab nobility and royal descent.

The Ghassanids are also celebrated in liturgical memory as defenders of the Christian faith during the Byzantine and early Islamic periods.

United Nations — ECOSOC Special Consultative Status

Since 2016, the Royal House of Ghassan has been:

  • Accredited as an NGO in Special Consultative Status with the United Nations ECOSOC

  • Listed by the UN NGO Branch, eligible to submit policy papers, attend international sessions, and contribute to UN forums

  • Engaged in human rights, cultural diplomacy, refugee support, and peacebuilding initiatives in alignment with UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

Active participation includes:

  • 34th Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice (CCPCJ)

  • Geneva Dialogues on Religious Freedom

  • UN High-Level Political Forum on SDGs

Legal Notices

The Royal House of Ghassan:

Does not claim territorial sovereignty

Does not act as a governing body over any population

Functions within its legal and moral mandate as a recognized NGO and historical nobiliary institution

Operates in accordance with international NGO protocols, the UN ECOSOC framework, International Law, and the laws of the countries in which the House has associations or diplomatic representation.