This article is published as part of Fridays With MUNPlanet, and its special series dedicated to world politics. The aim of this series is to bring you the analysis of global affairs by the established and upcoming scholars, decision-makers and policy analysts from various world regions. This week, Dr Nagy, Grand Cross Knight of the Sovereign Order of Saint John of Jerusalem Knights of Malta Federation of the Autonomous Priories and the Minister of Foreign Affairs in the Government, clarifies the Order, its history and purpose, as well as discusses current issues of global importance.
MUNPlanet: Please be so kind to give us some information about KMFAP, its history and purpose?
- It’s not an easy task to introduce the Sovereign Order of Saint John of Jerusalem Knights of Malta Federation of the Autonomous Priories. As you can see, even our name is the longest among the sovereign states of the World. We are a direct descendant of the old historical Order of Saint John of Jerusalem - also known as the Hospitaller Knights, or the Knights of Malta, created as an entity in Jerusalem around the year 1040. Let me also remind you that Saint John of Jerusalem is not Saint John the Baptist, as so many confuse it on a regular basis. Based on our research, the core of our Order was established in the 7th century. The existence in different historical periods in different places in the Mediterranean was terminated in 1798 when Napoleon occupied Malta. The Knights immigrated to several countries and continued their activity in autonomous priories.
After the several Autonomous Priories of the Order of Saint John have decided to unite and to federate, more than 100 years ago between 1909 and 1911 in New York, a new name was decided by adding federation of the Autonomous Priories. The Head Offices of the Federation is in the State of New York of the United States of America and its executive offices are in Hungary / Budapest.
The whole article can be found here, by clicking on the following link:
