Centre for Education and Diplomacy Achieves Permanent Legal Status in Major Institutional Milestone

The Centre for Education and Diplomacy in Avignon has transitioned from foundation to formal legal establishment, creating a permanent institution dedicated to advancing education, diplomacy, and humanitarian service. This legal structuring represents a significant milestone in ensuring the Centre's long-term sustainability and independence from political influence, reflecting the enduring mission of the Republic of Aquitaine.

Working with specialized legal counsel in trusts and estate law, Count Jonathan David Nelson is guiding the Centre toward a governance model that is self-funded, sustainable, and independent of political pressure. This approach maintains compliance with international legal standards while ensuring the Centre's work remains free from partisan influence. The legal structuring establishes the Centre as a non-governmental body with a distinct legal identity designed for generational continuity, providing transparency and stability that reinforce its credibility in global academic and diplomatic circles.

The legal proceedings are being conducted under Count Jonathan David Nelson's legal name, reflecting the lawful authority conferred by HRH Thomas II, Grand Duke of Aquitaine. This authority has been authenticated through Letters Patent under the Hague Apostille Convention of 1961, demonstrating adherence to international law recognized by over 120 countries. The legal foundation ensures the Centre operates with proper sovereign authority rather than symbolic representation.

The Republic of Aquitaine, reconstituted in 2006 as a government-in-exile rooted in the historic Duchy once ruled by Eleanor of Aquitaine and King Henry II, functions as a sovereign non-state entity under the leadership of HRH Thomas II. The Republic affirms sovereignty under the declaratory theory of statehood, which holds that statehood is established by objective criteria including territory, government, population, and capacity for international relations rather than external recognition.

The Centre's mission rests on three core pillars: education through advancing research on global higher education and accreditation; diplomacy through fostering intercultural dialogue and building channels of non-state diplomacy; and humanitarian service through promoting peace and cultural preservation. Early initiatives being prepared include academic colloquia, policy forums, and publications that will position the Centre as a European institution with international reach. Additional information about the Centre's work can be found at https://www.countjonathan.org and https://www.republicofaquitaine.com.

The formal legal structuring provides multiple benefits including institutional stability across generations, transparency through compliance with international legal standards, independence from political volatility, and authority grounded in lawful sovereignty. Count Jonathan emphasized that "Our legal foundation secures our continuity, while our mission keeps us outward-looking and engaged with the world. We act not for the hour, but for the century."

With legal structuring now underway, the Centre is preparing to enter its programmatic phase with initiatives including forums on international law and diplomacy, colloquia on intercultural education and exchange, and roundtables on humanitarian service and cultural preservation. These efforts will be launched in dialogue with international partners, situating the Centre as a living institution aligned with global frameworks such as the United Nations and the European Cultural Convention.