CONSTITUTION
OF
THE
INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION AND RESOURCE NETWORK.
(hereafter
iEARN)
Originally signed at the meeting of the
iEARN Management Team, Puerto Madryn, Argentina, July 12, 1994
Amended: February 2003
Preamble
Chapter I: Goals
and Principles
Chapter II: Membership
Chapter III: Organs
Chapter IV: The
iEARN Assembly
Chapter V: The
Executive Council
PREAMBLE
The vision and purpose of iEARN is to
enable young people to undertake projects designed to make a meaningful
contribution to the health and welfare of the planet and its people.
CHAPTER I
GOALS AND PRINCIPLES
The Goals of iEARN are:
1. To develop friendly relations among
youth of all nations based on respect for the principle of equal rights and
self-determination of peoples;
2. To encourage youth from all countries to
learn and work co-operatively and collaboratively using telecommunications and
other technology, to strengthen universal peace, to identify and take active
part in resolving global problems facing the world;
3. To promote and encourage respect for
human rights and for fundamental freedoms for all without distinction as to
race, sex, language, culture, or religion;
4. To facilitate identification and sharing
the different but complementary experiences of educational, academic and other
national organizations with enduring educational infrastructures, and
traditions throughout the world;
5. To share high-quality educational and
other resources available in individual Member centres;
6. To provide a global infrastructure for a
conceptual and action-based educational network that is open to all;
7. To share and transfer telecommunications
technology, teaching methods and other resources with youth organizations,
schools or individuals wishing to achieve the iEARN purpose and goals;
8. To assist in establishing training and
support programs in each Centre;
9. To expand the network of financially and
operationally sustainable iEARN Centres throughout the globe;
10. To work with umbrella organizations,
academic bodies, universities, non-government organizations, and governments to
establish a global community of concerned organizations and citizens with the
express purpose of supporting the youth of the world in developing and
implementing educational and humanitarian projects, especially projects of
change and healing for the health and welfare of the planet;
11. To develop and maintain high-quality
educational innovation;
12. To raise funds through local and global
funding agreements to support these programs and goals.
Article 2
iEARN and its Members, in pursuit of the
Goals stated in Article 1, shall act in accordance with the following
Principles.
1. iEARN is based on the principle of the
global solidarity and equality of all its Members.
2. In order to ensure to all Members the
rights and benefits resulting from Membership, each Member shall fulfill in
good faith the obligations stated in the present Constitution.
3. All Members shall settle any disputes in
the spirit of mutual respect in such a manner that the basic purpose and goals
of iEARN are not endangered.
4. In accordance with the goals stated in
Article 1, no infrastructure or facilities of iEARN can be used for hate or
bias or to disseminate or encourage racial, national, cultural, or religious
prejudice.
5. iEARN will
only intervene in matters within domestic jurisdiction when invited by
individuals or sites within that centre or country.
CHAPTER II
MEMBERSHIP
Article 3
The founding Members of iEARN are the Copen
Family Fund and the iEARN Centres which existed at the time of the iEARN
Meeting at Puerto Madryn, Argentina in July 1994 and signed this Constitution.
iEARN recognizes
iEARN Centres as described in article 4.1 and iEARN Representatives as
described in article 4.5.
Article 4
1. An iEARN Centre is a consortium of sites
or affinity of special interest groups, and can include individuals, with a management infrastructure to support
training, development, and research; which shares the vision and purpose, and
supports goals and principles of iEARN as stated in the Preamble and the
Constitution, and meets other requirements that will be instituted by a
decision of the iEARN Assembly.
2. There would
generally be one Centre in a country unless there is a legitimate and sensible
reason for more than one. The other Centre(s) must have a specific aim and
agenda that does not conflict or contradict the operations of the existing
Centre. All Centres cooperate in the vision of iEARN.
3. New applicants for Centre Membership
should conform to Article 4.1, and, in the judgment of iEARN be able and
willing to carry out these obligations. An admission to Centre Membership will
be effected by a decision of the iEARN Assembly upon the recommendation of the
Executive Council.
4. If an existing iEARN centre has concerns
that an applicant for Centre Membership is unable to execute the
responsibilities as stated in the Constitution or may endanger its essential
interests, a review process will be automatically implemented which will
require the institution of a review panel consisting of the Executive Council
and the conflicting parties. The decision of the
review panel to accept the applicant must be unanimous.
5. A consortium of sites or special
interest groups which have not applied for Centre Membership and are based in
the country where there is no iEARN centre can be accredited by the Assembly as
an iEARN Representative provided the Assembly is satisfied that the
Representative is able and willing to promote iEARN activities and
meets the goals and purposes of iEARN.
6. The
procedure of Article 4.1 will also apply in the case of adoption of new sites
into existing centres.
Article 5
An iEARN Centre or Representative which/who
has violated the Principles contained in this Constitution may be expelled from
iEARN by the Assembly upon the recommendation of the Executive Council. Any
Centre or Representative which/who has been recommended for expulsion by the
Executive Council will be accorded principles of fairness and natural justice,
including the ability to put their case before the Assembly and answer any
allegations. At least one month must elapse between recommendation of expulsion
and vote by Assembly on the expulsion.
CHAPTER III
ORGANS
Article 6
1.The principal organs of iEARN are the
iEARN Assembly and the Executive Council.
2.Such subsidiary organs as may be found
necessary may be established in accordance with the Constitution.
CHAPTER IV
THE iEARN ASSEMBLY
Composition
Article 7
The iEARN Assembly shall
consist of all Member Centres of iEARN and the Youth Representative.
Functions and Powers
Article 8
The iEARN Assembly, subject to this
constitution, sets policy and determines organization matters. The Assembly
will be the supreme decision making body of
iEARN
Article 9
1. The iEARN Assembly may call the
attention of the Executive Council to situations which are likely to endanger
mutual trust and cooperation.
2. The powers of the iEARN Assembly set
forth in this Article shall not limit the general scope of Article 8.
Article 10
1. The iEARN Assembly makes decisions for
iEARN.
2. The decisions of the iEARN Assembly are
taken during its annual face-to-face meetings either by physical or virtual
presence and online at any time.
3. Between face-to-face meetings, the Assembly
gives the Executive Council power to make recommendations for decisions. Such
recommendations will be placed online and via e-mail before Assembly members.
If, after twenty days, no member has posted a request for an Assembly vote on
the recommendation, that recommendation will become an Assembly decision.
4. If at least one member requests an
Assembly vote on the Executive Council recommendation, discussion and vote will
proceed.
5. Any member of the Assembly may place a
proposal before the Assembly for discussion and vote during and between annual
meetings.
Article 11
The iEARN
Assembly shall receive and consider reports from other organs of iEARN.
Article 12
The Assembly
shall, if it considers it in the interest of iEARN internationally, register as
an NGO in any country it decides.
Article 13
1. The iEARN Assembly shall consider and
approve the iEARN budget proposed by the Executive Council.
2. iEARN expenses shall be borne equitably
by the Members as apportioned by the iEARN Assembly.
Voting
Article 14
1. Each Member of the iEARN Assembly shall
have one vote.
2. The iEARN Assembly shall convene
annually.
3. A face-to-face meeting of the iEARN
Assembly requires a quorum of two-thirds of all Members. Members not able to
attend in person may state their availability to participate online and be
included as present when determining a quorum. Any Member not present but
willing to cast its vote online can do so.
4. Any decision changing or amending the
Constitution shall be made at the annual iEARN Assembly meeting. Such decisions
will require a two-thirds majority of all Members. If for reasons beyond the
control of iEARN no face-to-face annual meeting is held within 18 months of the
last meeting, an on-line decision-making process will be invoked. Such
decisions will require a two-thirds majority of all Members. If the amendment
suggested affects Articles 4.4, 4.6, and/or 14.4, a decision in order to take
effect must be a unanimous one by all Members.
5. Decisions of
the Assembly will be made by a simple majority of votes cast, including such
important questions like the acceptance of new Members, expulsion of Members,
budgetary questions, and entering into agreements with other organizations.
Procedure
Article 15
The iEARN Assembly and/or the Executive
Council shall meet in such special sessions as circumstances may require.
Special sessions shall be convoked at the request of the Executive Council or
of a majority of the Members. The iEARN Assembly will function continuously.
Article 16
The iEARN Assembly shall adopt its own
rules of procedure. It shall elect its Facilitator for each meeting.
Article 17
The iEARN Assembly may establish such
subsidiary organs as it deems necessary for the performance of its functions.
CHAPTER V
THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL
Composition
Article 18
1. The Executive
Council shall consist of three persons from three different iEARN Centres, with
due regard being specially paid to global solidarity and equity.
2 The Members of the Executive Council shall
be elected for a term of two years. One or two Members will be elected each
year. No one can be elected to the Executive Council for more than two
consecutive terms.
Functions and Powers
Article 19
1. In order to ensure prompt and effective
action by iEARN, its Members confer on the Executive Council primary
responsibility for the day-to-day decisions on behalf of the Assembly, subject
to article 8 and 10.
2. In discharging these duties the
Executive Council shall act in accordance with the Preamble and Constitution of
iEARN and whatever other decisions are made under the present Constitution by
the iEARN Assembly.
Article 20
The Executive
Council shall submit an annual report to the Assembly and any special reports
requested by it.
Voting
Article 21
1. Each Member of the Executive Council
shall have one vote.
2. Decisions of the Executive Council shall
be made by an affirmative vote of two Members
Procedure
Article 22
The Executive Council shall be so organized
as to be able to function continuously.
Article 23
The Executive Council may establish such
subsidiary organs as it deems necessary for the performance of its functions.
Article 24
The Executive Council shall adopt its own
rules of procedure and operation, including the method of selecting its
Officers and hiring staff.
Article 25
Any Member of iEARN who is not a Member of
the Executive Council may participate, without vote, in the discussion of any
question brought before the Executive Council whenever the Member considers that
its interests are specially affected or that she/he has something to
contribute.
Article 26
A non-Member of iEARN, if it is a party to
a dispute under consideration by the Executive Council, shall be invited to
participate, without vote, in the discussion relating to the dispute. The
Executive Council shall lay down such conditions as it deems just for the
participation of a non-Member of iEARN.
Done at the city of Puerto Madryn,
Argentina, the twelfth day of July, one thousand nine hundred and ninety four.
Amended:
February 2003
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