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Board of Trustees

 

His Imperial Highness Prince Ermias Sahle - Selassie Haile Selassie

H.R.H. Don Leopold Isu Nisnoni, Raja of Kupang Liurai of Sonbai-Kecil

His Royal Majesty Sultan Muedzul-Lail Tan Kiram, -

The 35th Sultan of Sulu and North Borneo

Mr. Matt Goss 

Dr. John F. Mueller

Mr. Sandro Monetti

Award-Winning Author and Biographer, Sally Bedell Smith,

Ahmed Fathi

Esquire Man of the Year, Chaker Khazaal

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His Imperial Highness Prince Ermias Sahle-Selassie Haile-Selassie

His Imperial Highness Prince Ermias Sahle-Selassie Haile-Selassie is the Grandson of HIM Emperor Haile Selassie I of Ethiopia and is currently President of the Crown Council of Ethiopia, a position he has held from 1993 until now.

 

Prince Ermias has been a strong voice for peace and reconciliation in his homeland and throughout the world. He has sponsored full college scholarships for Ethiopian students studying in the United States of America.

 

He has created the Water Initiative for Africa (WIA), which has helped to develop technologies which can bring pure water to all Africans to eliminate vulnerability to water-borne diseases.

He has met with political, religious, and cultural leaders around the world to advocate for preservation of Ethiopia’s cultural heritage. He has most recently sponsored a fundraiser to help renovate Holy Trinity Cathedral in Addis Ababa.  http://www.ethiopiancrown.org/

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His Imperial Highness Prince Ermias Sahle-Selassie, together with the North American Supporters of the Renovation and Development Committee of Holy Trinity Cathedral, invites you to help him raise funds for the restoration of Holy Trinity Cathedral in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

 

You can donate to the Crown Council’s renovation campaign at https://gofund.me/5553e593

We have currently raised over $35,000 towards our $100,000 total. Donations of any size will make a difference.

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H.R.H. Don Leopold Isu Nisnoni, Raja of Kupang and Liurai of Sonbai-Kecil

H.R.H. Don Leopold Isu Nisnoni, Raja of Kupang and Liurai of Sonbai-Kecil on our board of Directors - Royal House of Kupang The Royal House of Kupang (Kraton Kupang) maintains a Companionship of Honor to include within its system those who have made contributions in the form of acts of merits towards the Royal House and people of Timor. The companionship stems from the historical and current system of cultural and traditional structure of the Royal House and society. The Current Head of the Dynasty is H.R.H. Don Leopold Isu Nisnoni, Raja of Kupang and Liurai of Sonbai-Kecil.

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Existing till present time is a hierarchal and functioning system of cultural, ceremonial and traditional leadership and structure with appropriate cultural titles and ranks to ensure that the Royal House is able to manage its cultural, ceremonial traditional role. Also to include within its ranks those who are deserving. The Kupang Dynasty through its head does at its discretion, consider extending certain customary ranks and traditional designations to those deserving of such. Traditionally, such ranks are Raja Muda, Fettor, and Temukung . The Royal Dynasty of Kupang in order to recognize the meritorious accomplishments of well-deserving individuals in whatever field including foreigners does appoint them as members of the Companion of Honour of Kupang (Ahli- Ahli Kehormatan Kraton Kupang).

 

This is represented by various classes and in rare cases does incorporate the hereditary element. There is also a separate form of appreciation known as Tanda Penghargaan Kupang, as a mark of appreciation from the Royal Dynasty towards deserving individuals and organizations. It is a mark of appreciation and merit. Spanish & Portuguese Delegation of the Royal House of Kupang.

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His Royal Majesty Sultan Muedzul-Lail Tan Kiram, The 35th Sultan of Sulu and North Borneo

His Royal Majesty Paduka Mahasari Al-Maulana Ampun Sultan Hadji Muedzul-Lail Tan Kiram ibni Almarhum Sultan Mohammad Mahakuttah Abdulla Kiram, The 35th Sultan of Sulu and North Borneo is the Head of The Royal House of Sulu and the Grand Sayyid and Hereditary Sovereign of The Royal and Hashemite Order of the Pearl.

 

As the head of the Tausug people of the Sulu Archipelago, his important role is to work with leaders in both local and national government to continuously uplift and reinforce peace and development in Sulu. More importantly, he is tasked to enhance and invigorate the 600-year heritage of his people since its foundation in the 15th century.

 

His Royal Majesty was born on 28 August 1966 in Jolo, Sulu. He is the oldest son of the late Sultan Mohammad Mahakuttah Abdulla Kiram of Sulu (reigned 1974–1986) and his first wife Dayang Dayang Farida Tan-Kiram.

 

Ancestors of His Royal Majesty The 35th Sultan of Sulu and North Borneo, by straight male line are the following: Sultan Moh. Mahakuttah Kiram (father of His Majesty) – Sultan Moh. Esmail E. Kiram (grandfather of His Majesty) – Sultan Mawallil Wasit Kiram – Sultan Jamalul A’Lam – Sultan Moh. Polalun Kiram – Sultan Jamalul Kiram I – Sultan Alimud Din II – Sultan Sharapud Din – Sultan Alimud Din I.

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As a child, on 24 May 1974, His Majesty Muedzul Lail Tan Kiram was crowned as Raja Muda (Crown Prince, heir to the Throne) of the Sultanate of Sulu. It was on the same day, when His Majesty´s father was crowned as the Sultan of Sulu. This acts were supported by H.E. Ferdinand Marcos Sr., former President of Republic of Philippines. In official Memo Order No. 427 issued at that time, it was stated, that “The Government has always recognised the Sultanate of Sulu as the legitimate claimant to the historical territories of the Republic of Philippines”. In that way, Sultan Moh. Mahakuttah A. Kiram and (then) Crown Prince Muedzul Lail Tan Kiram became last bearers of these functions, officially recognized by the Government of Republic of Philippines.

 

After the passing of the late Sultan Moh. Mahakuttah A. Kiram of Sulu and Nort Borneo, His Majesty Muedzul Lail Tan Kiram became Head of The Royal House of Sulu and North Borneo (Kiram Dynasty), on 16 February 1986.

 

His Majesty Muedzul Lail Tan Kiram studied at Universidad de Zamboanga (Zamboanga City, Philippines), becoming Bachelor of Arts. His Majesty continued his higher studies in Islam in Lahore (Pakistan), between 1995 and 1996.

 

His Majesty Muedzul Lail Tan Kiram was crowned as the 35th legitimate Sultan of Sulu and North Borneo, on 16 September 2012. The Coronation took place in Mainbung, Sulu, in presence of dignitaries of the Sultanate, local government representatives, foreign guests, as well as a large number of the Tausug people of Sulu.

 

In 2011, His Majesty used his sovereign rights of legal “Fons Honorum” (Fount of Honour), by founding The Royal and Hashemite Order of the Pearl of Sulu, and becoming Grand Sayyid (Grand Master) of this distinguished Order. Eminent members of this Royal Order include His Royal Highness Duarte Pio, the Duke of Braganza of Portugal; His Royal Highness Prince David Bagrationi Mukhrani of Georgia; His Imperial and Royal Highness Prince Ermias Sahle Selassie of Ethiopia; His Majesty Mwami (king) Yuhi VI of Rwanda, Nobel Peace Prize awardee and former President Lech Walesa of Poland, among many others.

 

In his marriage with Her Royal Majesty Dayang Dayang Mellany S. Kiram, His Royal Majesty Ampun Sultan Hadji Muedzul Lail Tan Kiram has seven children: HRH Raja Muda (Crown Prince) Moh. Ehsan S. Kiram, HRH Datu Nizamuddin S. Kiram, HRH Dayang-Dayang Rahela S. Kiram, HRH Datu Jihad S. Kiram, HRH Datu Mujahid S. Kiram, HRH Dayang-Dayang Redha S. Kiram and HRH Datu Mahakuttah S. Kiram.

 

His Majesty is also member of highest ranks of distinguished foreign Orders of Chivalry, such as: Grand Cross of The Royal Order of the Drum of Rwanda, Grand Cross of The Order of the Eagle of Georgia and the Seamless Tunic of Our Lord Jesus Christ of Georgia, Grand Cordon of The Order of the Ethiopian Lion and Royal Order of the Engabu of The Kingdom of Bunyoro-Kitara.

 

The 35th Sultan of Sulu and North Borneo has also received friendly correspondence from members of reigning royal families such as His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales, His Royal Highness The Duke of Cambridge, His Royal Higness The Grand Duke of Luxembourg, and His Serene Highness The Sovereign Prince of Monaco.

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Mr. Matt Goss 

Matt Goss was the youngest artist to sell out and headline Wembley Stadium to a crowd of 77,000 with his band ‘Bros’. They also played a record 19 consecutive nights at Wembley Stadium, and hold the record for selling out London’s O2 arena in just 7 seconds. Their debut album ‘Push’ went platinum 7 times and earned 13 top 5 hits, remaining in the UK charts for a staggering 84 weeks.


During his career, Matt has had the honor of performing for her majesty the Queen and Princess Diana, as well as recently performing in front of 50,000 people at London’s Hyde Park with the BBC Big Band Orchestra. Matt has been in the music industry for 30 years and has performed in some of the world's most prestigious venues including The Royal Albert Hall, Madison Square Garden, Carnegie Hall, and The London Palladium to name a few.


Currently residing in Las Vegas, where Matt has been a headliner for ten
years, performing to over half a million people in that time at The Palms,
Caesars Palace, and now at his current residency, The Mirage. He’s part of
an exclusive club of British singer/songwriters to headline in Las Vegas for
such a long period of time, amongst the likes of Sir Elton John and Sir Rod
Stewart. 

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Dr. John F. Mueller

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With two highly rated television documentaries to his name, Dr. John F. Mueller is a historian, heraldist, and fundraiser, Director of Studies in History at St Edmund’s College, University of Cambridge, UK, and a member of the Royal Historical Society. London, UK.

 

After writing his Ph.D. on Jewish commercial families in Germany before the Second World War under Professor Sir Richard Evans at the University of Cambridge, John has embarked on a portfolio career in philanthropic fundraising and expanding his research and teaching. However, his passion is heraldry which he pursues in any spare moment.

 

John and his historic research featured in two television documentaries. A highly-rated German public television documentary in April 2019 and a three-part documentary on the TESCO founder Sir Jack Cohen broadcast in June 2021 on Channel 5 in the UK. He is now writing a book on the same subject, The Kaiser, Hitler, and the Jewish Department Store for Bloomsbury Academic, due out in 2022.

 

His heraldic work includes designing new coats of arms, identifying historical ones, and producing heraldic stationery, porcelain, and other everyday items. In addition, he is a supplier of all things heraldic to royalty, aristocracy, clergy, and universities.

 

In his spare time, John is a trustee of the largest independent sheltered housing scheme in London. In addition, he has worked as a professional fundraiser for the University of Cambridge. He has volunteered for several charitable organizations, including the Order of St John, the LM Kendon Settlement, the League of Mercy, and organizations of the Church of England.

 

Of Anglo-German parentage, John’s work and life span the European continent. He is a member of the Academia Melitense and a founding fellow of the Anterior Austrian Institute. Now, he is most humbled to be made an honorary member of the Royal Society of St George, California.

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 Mr. Sandro Monetti

Sandro Monetti, a royal correspondent for CNN, is a multi-award-winning journalist, author, and broadcaster.

 

Dedicated to mentorship, community, and creating opportunities for all, his leadership of New Talent programs for the British Academy of Film and Television Arts has won global acclaim. Sandro has also lectured around the world, helping students in a range of subjects reach their full potential.

 

A friend to the stars who has interviewed all the biggest names in the world, his autobiography Confessions of a Hollywood Insider was a 2022 Book of the Year nominee.

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Also a media consultant to various high profile individuals, this Beverly Hills-based Brit uses his experience and contacts to advise and guide reputation management and media coaching.

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With a string of successful plays and books behind him, Sandro recently directed his first documentary movie, the acclaimed Tech to the Future, showcasing amazing innovations of today which will make the world of tomorrow a better place.

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Award Winning Author and Biographer, Sally Bedell Smith

Sally Bedell Smith is an American historian and author specializing in biographies of American political, cultural, and business leaders, as well as members of the British Royal Family. She has been a contributing editor at Vanity Fair for over 20 years, and is married to Stephen G. Smith, former editor of U.S. News & World Report and current editor in chief of National Journal Daily. Her books have been translated into more than a dozen languages.

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Smith spent her early career working as a reporter for TimeTV Guide, and The New York Times, where she was a lead cultural news reporter specializing in television.

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Esquire Man of the Year, Chaker Khazaal

Chaker Khazaal is a Palestinian-Canadian reporter, speaker, former Huffington Post contributor, author of the Confessions of a War Child trilogy, and Editor in Chief of StepFeed and YallaFeed.

 

Chaker is an advocate for refugees and aspiring young writers. A savvy communicator, he has spoken at a number of platforms including United Nations Headquarters (New York), HuffPost Live, Google (San Francisco), msnbc’s Road Map show, International Youth Conference (Bahrain), Thomson Reuters Foundation (London), the launch of the 8th Arab Youth Survey (Dubai), and Harvard Arab World Conference 2017 (Jordan).

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Chaker manages a for-profit program that offers refugees and migrants contractual remote employment in e-marketing, graphics, social media management and web development. Inc. (magazine) listed him 49th in their list of “50 Powerful Arab Businessmen You Should Know”. He has also cooperated with the Social Enterprise Project in Jordan to design the Chaker Scarf, embroidered by Palestinian refugees in Jordan. In addition, Chaker was the chairperson of the judging panel for the United Arab Emirate’s first Young Arab Awards held in Dubai.

 

In January 2017, Silatech chose him as international ambassador for the organization’s regional programs.

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  Mr. Ahmed Fathi 

Ahmed Fathi, is an Egyptian-American international journalist, a Resident UN Correspondent, Global Affairs Analyst & Managing Editor of American Television News (ATN) focusing on the underserved niche of multilingual news production in the U.N. languages (Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian & Spanish), he reported from several locations around the world in the U.S.A, Europe, South America, North Africa, and Asia, Ahmed is a Multicultural and Multilingual where he is fluent in Arabic, English Dutch, and French and conversational Afrikaans.

 

Ahmed is a veteran of the Tourism & Development industry for 30 years, with experience spanning the Middle East, Europe, and the Americas. He started his second career in mass media in 2009, as a

reporter of Alwafd Daily Egyptian newspaper, and with France 24 TV reporting from the New York Stock Exchange, he also reported to the Egyptian Television, Saudi TV, Oman TV, Tunisia TV, Sharjah TV and AP-Associated Press Television, as well as several international locations.

 

Ahmed is a graduate of Ain-Shams University in Egypt and holds a degree in Business Administration & Economics, and Postgraduate from the University of Bradford – the United Kingdom where he specialized in International Management and Economics. Ahmed's civil society career combines a balanced approach between the political, charitable, and professional levels. he served as the President of the Alliance of Egyptian Americans as well as serving in the National Board of other organizations.

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At the professional level, Ahmed was elected for two terms to the Executive Board of UNCA-United Nations Correspondents Association, New York Press Club. Over the years Ahmed has served in leadership positions with a number of international and grassroots organizations, he is currently serving at the Board of Trustees of the Royal Society of St. George-California Branch. Ahmed Fathi has received awards and honors over the years but the most recent and prestigious honor he received is the “President’s Lifetime Achievement Award” from President Joseph Biden of the United States in July 2021, he also holds the Royal Society of St. George medal.

 

Ahmed is regularly invited to provide commentary and analysis on various issues relating to Global Affairs and Economy with major news organizations and web castings worldwide such as CNN, FOX News, MSNBC, Newsmax, NY1, CBS, PIX 11, Reuters, Alhurra TV, as well as international TV Channels such as Aljazeera-Qatar, BBC News – UK,  CGTN-China, France24, RAI5, Globo TV, NTN24, NHK-Japan, RT- Russia, VOA News, and was featured in a webcast by the US State Dept  IIP-CO.NX as well as interviews for several documentaries.

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