Press release December 13th
Ventimiglia 13 December 2024 Fifth National Sabourg Celebration
The news was announced by His Most Reverend Highness Mgr Giovanni Luca, Prince-Abbot Archbishop of Sabourg, (born Mgr Gianluca de Lucia) at the public conference held on Friday 13 December in Ventimiglia on the occasion of Sabourg’s National Day, entitled: ‘The Principality of Sabourg in 2024, a sovereignty recognised the world over’.
Here are the main statements made by the Prince-Abbot: ‘2024 is proving to be a decisive year for the destiny of this former abbey state. Guinea Bissau, Liberia, the Kingdom of Eswatini (Swaziland) and the Central African Republic have made official contact with the Sabourg government, with a view to signing an international cooperation contract. As a result of relentless diplomatic efforts over the last few months, I have been received as head of state by these high institutional figures: the head of government of Guinea Bissau, the minister of state of Liberia, the monarch of Swaziland. Diplomats from Sabourg were received by the Head of State of the Central African Republic. The first cooperation contract was signed in Bissau on 13 September 2024 to set up a series of serious development projects crucial to the future of this developing country. Negotiations are currently underway to formalise other international cooperation contracts; as soon as they are concluded, we will inform you. Sabourg, which recently began a general census, is not only an existing reality in the Priories located in Seborga and Ventimiglia, but is also becoming active in diplomatic activities with other nations to support developing countries with concrete projects.
As a Franco-Italian religious state, it wishes to strengthen cross-border cooperation relations between Italy and France, since the territory of the commune of Sospel (France) was an integral part of the former principality of Sabourg. I believe the time has come to make our diplomatic and governmental activities public. Italian, French and European citizens need to know that there is a Principality of Sabourg, humanity’s first abbey state, legitimately reconstituted five years ago by a Benedictine-inspired religious congregation called the ‘Monastic Order of Seborga’ incardinated into a Monegasque religious organisation.
Our governmental reality, snubbed by the media, is often confused with a local tourist promotion association called ‘Principality of Seborga’, run by a German citizen, assisted by a group of Italian citizens. We would like to make it clear that this Seborga-based association has nothing to do with the Principality of Sabourg.
The founder of this laudable initiative for tourist purposes is recognised by a commemorative plaque as the creator of past realities, paraphrasing myths and legends that have nothing to do with the origins of the Principality of Sabourg, which was founded in 1261 by papal, not imperial, will.
The Prince-Abbot of Sabourg once again referred to the international nature of the State: the Principality today wants to become a vast spiritual community, attentive to inter-religious integration, in order to extend its action of creating spiritual communities outside its territorial borders, as a model of tertiary life with the greatest respect for natural resources, the protection of mankind and attention to technological and digital development.
In conclusion, the Prince-Abbot was keen to reassure the audience of his desire to establish good relations with the Italian Republic: ‘Our idea from 2019 is to obtain autonomy for the territories that have been the subject of a protectorate established by the Roman Pontiff in Savoy for over three centuries, which we understand has never been revoked. We do not wish to enter into conflict with the Italian Government over the reasons for our existence, but rather to expose the potential of the Pronci du Sabourg and promote a cooperation agreement whereby the principality is granted special autonomy over the territories subject to the protectorate, which has been exercised by the Italian Republic since 1946. The Principality of Sabourg wishes to share its autonomy with the Italian people in order to create advantages for both parties. I would like to make it clear to everyone that I am talking about autonomy and not independence, because independence is a concept that has been superseded by the establishment of multi-state institutions such as the European Community.
I’d like to extend an invitation to anyone who hasn’t yet heard of Sabourg: ‘It’s important to stress that we’re not a tourist invention, nor do we want to involve people in improbable geopolitical projects.
The days of utopias and village festivals are over.
We have proved that Sabourg exists in 2024 as it did in 1261. Follow our governance actions by regularly visiting our website: seborga.org.
The Prince-Abate guest of honour at the International Economic Development Forum in the presence of all high government officials
GUINEA BISSAU
9-13 Settembre 2024
Official reception by Government Delegate H.E. Aristides Ocante Da Silva, Minister of Territorial Administration
Official reception and decoration
of Prime Minister H.E. Rui Duarte Barros
Reception and decoration by the Minister of Tourism, H.E. Alberto Demba Turé
Official meeting with the President of the Republic, H.E. Umaro Sissoco Embalò
LIBERIA
15 September 2024
Official reception at Monrovia airport by the Minister of State of Liberia H.E. Mrs. Mamaka Bility and the Special Adviser delegated by the President of the Republic, H.E. Sheikh A. Kouyateh. in the presence of the Director of the Sabourg Economic Development Agency, H.E. Claudio Genovese and the Diplomatic Adviser Boubacar Oumar Ba.
MBABANE
26 September 2024
Reception of credentials of H.E. Lucien Kouassi Kouadio Ambassador Plenipotentiary to the Crown on 26 September in Mbabane, Kingdom of Swaziland with His Majesty Maswati III
ROME
15 October 2024
