The Economic and Social Council of the United Nations Organization, in the General Session of July 2011 in Geneva, adopted the recommendation of the Committee for Non-Governmental Organizations based in New York to grant the Sacred Military Constantinian Order of Saint George, Consultative Status starting on 1 August 2011.
This move followed the United Nations committee’s appreciation of the many humanitarian activities undertaken by the Order throughout the world in favour of those less fortunate in society. These include the assistance given by the Order to hospitals and care institutions such as the Hospital “Bambin Gesù” in Rome, the Civil Hospital in Nice, Princess Grace Hospital in Monaco, and projects now being finalised for the construction of a molecular biology laboratory in the American Hospital of Paris and a pioneering initiative at the Agostino Gemelli University Polyclinic in Rome.
In addition, particular appreciation was given to the construction of the Hospital of the Catholic Diocese of Hoima in Uganda, thanks to the important contributions of the Constantinian Delegations of Sicily and Switzerland. Apart from the Sovereign Military Order of Malta, which has a special international status, the Sacred Military Constantinian Order of Saint George is the only Italian based Order of Chivalry to be awarded this special recognition by the United Nations which authorises it to entertain relations with the Secretary General of the United Nations, the General Assembly and all other U.N. Agencies and Institutions in the world and the 193 UN Member States.
The special status granted by the United Nations authorises the Constantinian Order to appoint official representatives to the UN institutions in New York, Geneva and Vienna, and to grant them the power of access to project developments with written and oral interventions, acquisition and distribution of documents and the use of any conference or meeting rooms. The Constantinian Order will have to draw up its own report on the activities undertaken, which must be presented no later than 1 January 2015, which is the end of the renewable four year term, 2011-2014.
HRH Prince Charles of Bourbon Two Sicilies, Duke of Castro and Grand Master of the Sacred Military Constantinian Order has appointed John Leopold Fiorilla di Santa Croce, as Head of the Constantinian Delegation in New York with the new Delegation Office being situated at 555 Park Avenue New York.
Moreover, thanks to the fruitful commitment and the hard work carried out in South-East Asia by the Delegate, H.E. Antonio Benedetto Spada, and by the Vice Delegate, Mrs. Paola Benaglia, the Constantinian Order has obtained the status of Observer at the Economic Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific of the United Nations (UN-ESCAP – Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific). It is a very important entity which represents 53 member States and 9 Associated States in Asia and the Pacific macro-region, as well as several private stakeholders of the area, acting as a United Nations’ regional hub. It aims to promote cooperation between countries to achieve inclusive and sustainable development by promoting regional integration in order to propose responses to shared vulnerabilities, connectivity, financial cooperation and market integration.
The Order was invited to collaborate with this important organization to move forward the 2030 Agenda for sustainable development in the macro-region and for the numerous existing activities.
Mrs. Benaglia was identified as Designated Representative at the meetings also on the basis of her important experience in the field, gained as a contact person for the various institutional and social activities carried out in the Delegation’s territory.
For further information, please read the following statement (page 452).