Organizational Structure

“Structured for service, rooted in law, and guided by dynastic responsibility.”

Overview

The Sovereign Imperial and Royal House of Ghassan is structured as a dynastic, non-governmental institution that operates under a formal Charter and Convention, combining elements of historical royal tradition with contemporary international governance standards.

Its structure reflects:

  • Its identity as a United Nations-accredited NGO in Special Consultative Status with ECOSOC

  • Its legal recognition by the Republic of Lebanon (Presidential Decree No. 5800/2019)

  • It’s a non-political, non-territorial, and humanitarian mission

The Royal Council or The Council

The Council is the Executive Board and shall consist of the Head of House as President/CEO, the Crown Prince as Regent/Vice President, the Grand Chancellor/Chief Administrative Officer, the Grand Secretary/Corporate Secretary, the Grand Treasurer/Corporate Treasurer, and the Grand Marshal/Compliance Officer.

Council of Advisors

The Council of Advisors under the Royal Council is a consultative body composed of:

  • The non-governing royal Sheiks El Chemor

  • Senior clergy

  • Diplomats

  • Legal scholars

  • Academics

  • Representatives of humanitarian and nobiliary institutions

The Council advises the Royal Council on:

  • Governance, ethics, and policy

  • Ceremonial affairs and recognitions

  • Long-term strategic planning

The General Assembly

The General Assembly is the international advisory and deliberative body of the organization under the Convention. The General Assembly shall consist of members appointed by the council and by delegates of Member States. One advisory delegate from the Associate Members and Affiliate Members may also attend. Each State Member can designate a delegate to the General Assembly. Regular General Assembly sessions shall occur once every three years.

Head of the House

The Head of the House is the Chief of Name and Arms, the symbolic and moral authority of the House.
Current Head: HIRH Prince Gharios El Chemor of Ghassan

Responsibilities:

  • Acts as the guardian of dynastic heritage and mission

  • Presides over the Grand Chancellery and Court of Chivalry

  • Approves diplomatic appointments and investitures

  • Represents the House in its most formal and sovereign expressions

The Grand Chancellery

The Grand Chancellery is the chief executive body of the House and its NGO structure.

Grand Chancellor and Chief Administrative Officer

Responsible for:

  • Daily operations and management of the House’s global affairs

  • NGO legal and administrative compliance

  • Intergovernmental and ecclesiastical relations

  • Oversight of the UN ECOSOC-accredited activities

Court of Chivalry and the Deputy Grand Chancellor

The Deputy Grand Chancellor Oversees:

  • Internal governance and ceremonial matters

  • Administration of the Ghassanid Court of Chivalry

  • Policy coordination between branches and commissions

The Ghassanid Court of Chivalry functions as the ceremonial and advisory tribunal for:

  • The conferral and governance of dynastic honors and titles

  • Protocol on ranks, insignia, and orders of precedence

  • Review of heraldic claims and investitures

All honors are bestowed according to strict non-commercial, merit-based criteria in alignment with nobiliary and international norms.

The Diplomatic Corps & Special Envoys

Designated Special Envoys and Ambassadors-at-Large represent the House before:

  • Governments

  • International Organizations

  • Religious Institutions

  • Partner NGOs and humanitarian alliances

Envoys are appointed by the Head of House, with advisory input from the Grand Chancellery.

Regional Branches

While the Head of House holds global jurisdiction, regional or national branches may operate under his authority, including:

The Lebanese Branch

Led by the Honorary International Head of House and Name, HIRH Crown Prince Sheikh Selim El Chemor of Ghassan

The Lebanese Branch:

  • Represents the House’s ancestral and cultural heritage in Lebanon

  • Upholds its role as custodian of the Ghassanid tradition in its historic homeland

  • Engages in local cultural diplomacy and charitable coordination

Governing Instruments

The House operates under:

  • Articles of Incorporation and USA Tax-Exemption for the Sovereign Imperial and Royal House of Ghassan.

  • The Convention on the Sovereign Imperial and Royal House of Ghassan (2025)

  • International arbitration rulings under the New York Convention (1958)

  • The legal documents regarding the Republic of Lebanon (Decree No. 5800/2019)