From SI Exco News

Official Minutes

[[1]]

Minutes of the Servas International General Assembly held at Latina, Italy, April 2006.

Rough Notes

[2]

These are the unedited continuous notes taken by David Asher at Latina GA. Please note that they do also contain Workshop recommendations and also a consolidation of Distant Vote Motions. They are posted here as a help, not as a formal record, which will follow. Gary Sealey May 29, 2006

Rough notes Distant Vote Motions [3]

These rough notes show the evolution of thinking and adjustments which resulted in decisions on the statutes and policies for the Distant Vote Mechanism. They are not a formal record, which will follow. Gary Sealey 29 May, 2006

This is just a condensed draft version of the minutes. An official version by General Secretary is at the top of this page.This version might have errors and incomplete reporting.

• download PDF of the Decisions taken during eGA in Latina (draft by pakkio),

Condensed Report from Latina Servas eGA (April 2006).

Monday 3rd April 2006:

• Approve the amended agenda with corrections
• Approve the Minute Takers
• Use the rules of order as printed
• Approval of the minutes of the last meeting at Spain (with some minimal adjustments). Germany and USA against
• Vote reception of reports one at a time
• Received President's report
• Received Vice President's report
• Received General Secretary's report
• Received Peace Secretary's report
• Moved that all remaining reports (Hostlist Coordinator, Treasure report, Youth project and Membership approvals working group) from officers and others are received in one vote without presentation.
• Egypt, Ghana, Ukraine become a member of Servas international (on suggestion from membership group). Removal of Bolivia, Greece as a Servas International member (on suggestion from membership group).
• Bibendra Pradhananga not be nominated for, nor be permitted to hold any office in Servas international effective immediately until he resolves the outstanding accounts identified by the Audit Committee & the GA approves the resolution.
• Marco Kappenberger not be nominated for, nor be permitted to hold any office in Servas international effective immediately until he resolves the outstanding accounts identified by the Audit Committee & the GA approves the resolution.

Tuesday 4th:

• GA makes a “decision in principle” that a statute amendment be drafted to establish a board for SI made up of Exco officers, Convenors of Committees and Representatives of National Groups.

Youth proposals to be defined better in workshop

Wednesday 5th:

• candidates for each Exco and SI officer position should meet job requirements. These job requirements shall be worked out by the relevant committee.
• Must be on the website of the International Servas about all persons in charge who are the Exco and the president with their names and pictures and brief biography of him/her, so that to give the International Servas website more official and credential way for any interested person who is looking to join.
• Amended Article III of the Statutes of SI (“Officers”) by inserting the following sentence: SI Officers are individuals who are elected or appointed as the members of Exco and Convenors of Committees.
• amended Article VII of the Statutes of SI (“Duties and Responsibilities of Officers)

7. Convenors shall

b) be responsible for the teamwork of their committee

c) implement the decisions of the General Assembly relevant to their field of responsibility

• If any SI Officer violates her or his duties or brings SI into disrepute as determined by the majority of the member groups, then Exco is authorised to replace or otherwise initiate action against such an officer. Exco shall develop appropriate procedures for this including a procedure for a sanctioned officer to appeal, and submit the procedures to the Member Groups for review and approval.
• SI officers are defined as the members of Exco, Convenors of Committees, and the SI News Editor.
• amend Article VII of the Statutes of SI (“Duties and Responsibilities of Officers) by inserting the following at the beginning before item 1. All SI officers must as a minimum submit an annual activity and financial report to the president of SI or the General Secretary to be forwarded to all National Secretaries.
• Candidates for SI officers and committee members must first be recommended in writing either by their National Group or at least five individual Servas persons. No candidate can nominate herself or himself. This requirement should be attached to all nomination forms.
• Approved Version 2.0 of the Financial Operating Procedures.
• people nominated for the position of Servas International Treasurer must have financial management or accounting experience.
• If the Servas International Treasurer or Exco believe that the Treasurer cannot meet his/her commitment, a member of the Audit Committee will take over the role and step down from the Audit Committee for that year.
• If at any time there is no qualified Servas International Treasurer, then EXCO may hire and pay a temporary accountant.
• the General Assembly asked the SI Treasurer in conjunction with the Audit Committee, to research closing the Swiss bank account and opening accounts in a Euro country, and proceed accordingly.
• the GA asked the SI Treasurer in conjunction with the Audit Committee to research Ethical Banks, identify those to which the SI accounts could be moved, and proceed accordingly.
• the address (legal seat) of SI in the Statutes be recorded only as “Zurich Switzerland”.
• the GA give Exco the authority to give annual grant up to 500 CHF (approximately 300 USD) to countries which apply for them. Such countries should provide an activity report.
• the GA asked Exco to research ways to restructure SI income to assure the system is fair and sustainable for all National Groups.

Thursday 6th April 2006

Morning:

• Distant Voting principle accepted (see detailed attachments)
• accept the Nomination Committee Report as printed.
• Singapore: formal protest during nominations for Peace Secretary, interference by outside delegates encouraging some to withdraw.
• GA delegates allow Exco to make appointments to any positions that are vacant at the end of GA.

Results of elections:

• President: Gary Sealey (Canada): 35 votes, Vladimir Prachar (Czech Republic): 7 votes.
• General Secretary: Devendra Pal Singh (Kyrgyzstan): 8 votes, Pramod Kumar (India): 33 votes, 1 blank vote
• Treasurer: Omar Ozkan (Turkey): 23 votes, Alex Dali (France): 19 votes
• Vice President: John Kinene (Uganda): 1 vote, Abhay Shaha (India): 15, Mary Jane Mikuriya (USA): 26
• Peace Secretary: John Kinene (Uganda): 1, Nandasena Amarasinghe (Sri Lanka): 27, Abhay Shaha (India): 11, 3 blank
• Hostlist Coordinator: John Kinene (Uganda): 0, Anna Flamini (Italy): 42
• Archivist: Honora Clemens (USA): 17, Grant Barnes (USA): 24.
• SI Newsletter: Jane Giffould(UK): elected since Michael Johnson withdrew.
• the General Assembly authorised the Executive Committee to appoint a Distant Vote Administrator to be responsible for organising the Distant Voting process during the transition period until the next General Assembly.
• rejected nomination of Frank Berauer.
• Appeals committee (3): SC Sundararaj (Malaysia): 2, Luigi Uslenghi (Italy): 37, Julie Dotsch (Canada): 36, Gurdev Singh Pannu (India) 7, Agnes Olabisi Ibidunni (Gambia): 0, Chris Slader (UK): 24, Danielle Lavollee (France): 0, Abhay Shaha (India): 10,
• Development Fund Committee (5): Laura Ragucci (Argentina): 33, Judy Shotten (Israel): 36, Dhruba Pradhan (Nepal): 2, Sheldon Weeks (Botswana): 34, Harald Seiffert (Germany): 25, Michael Johnson (Canada): 29, Shekeen Aderonmu Awe (Gambia): 0, Sercan Duygan (Turkey): 26, Danielle Lavollee (France): 13.
• Audit Committee (4): Miroslav Wasilevski (Poland); Rita Torsvik (Norway); Florentio Gomez (Venezuela); L.V.Subramanian (India)
• ICT (1): Uwe Federer (Italy)
• Job Descriptions and Statutes Committee: Eda Guzeldemir (Turkey), Chris Jones (Canada), Diana Sweet (Suriname)
• Nomination Committee: Michael Johnson (Canada), Evren Ozkan (Turkey).

Friday 7th April 2006

• Youth Coordinator: Pablo Chufeni (Argentina) 36, Swagata Sanyal (India) 4
• Mentor of International Youth Coordinator (2): Laura Ragucci (Argentina), Danielle Lavollee (France)
• Youth Project Coordinator (1): Ann Greenhough (Britain) 35, Shekeen Aderonmu Awe (Gambia) 5, 2 blank ballots.
• Form a committee (HLG) with a mandate to work on running pilot project on distributing host lists to travellers and to establish guidelines for ensuring that host lists are accurate, current and verifiable
• Servas should have ONE worldwide host list system. Each country completely controls its own host data, privacy, security and how data is distributed. The data will be accessible by key people.
• This system should be owned and controlled by Servas International and SI will be responsible for financing the system.
• The system should be administered by ICT and/or appropriately skilled people
• Each country must have the possibility to use the same structure of data, using an online or offline database (federative system).
• GA directed EXCO to prepare and publish a printable "Servas Travellers' Directory" containing Servas contact details for all countries, in particular where Host Lists can be obtained by travellers when they are visiting each country.

The directory:

• • shall be available to all Servas travellers who want it, on a loan basis like a host list;
  • shall be available for down loading from the host list area of the Servas web site;
  • must be suitable for printing in sections, one per continent or region, so local Servas officers may make printed copies for travellers as required. shall not be sent electronically to travellers.

• NGs are made responsible for updating or confirming their host lists, at least annually. They may be helped by regional coordinators. Each host may update his/her listing, according to the policies of his/her country.
• Each host entry should show when the data was last updated or confirmed.
• Each host may decide what information, if any, they want published electronically.
• Key persons should use the central system and if they are unable to do so, host data should be stored and distributed safely (avoiding unsafe modes)
• Some people need PRINTED lists. Each country is responsible for producing and distributing printed copies of their own national host lists when requested, or get help to do that from Exco or a Buddy.
• In addition to the NGs own printed list, they should make their host list available electronically, preferably on the worldwide system, so that other countries may access their host list.
• When requesting host lists, National Groups should be encouraged to print the copies they need of other countries small host lists (fewer than 50 hosts).
• That the Servas Regulations for Distant Voting as revised and circulated be adopted.
• the General Assembly authorise the Executive Committee to appoint a Distant Vote Administrator to be responsible for organising the Distant Voting process during the transition period until the next General Assembly.
• GA directs Exco to set up a procedures and operations committee made up of at least 3 members within six months to develop “Mandatory Operating Procedures Manual” to include all procedures for the running of SI such as:

d) Financial Operating Procedures

e) Job descriptions for all SI officers

f) Nomination, election and voting

g) Distant voting

h) Criteria for General Assemblies

To be ratified by the next GA

• the Appeals Committee renamed to be the Conflict Resolution Committee, reporting directly to the GA, with a primary objective to mediate and a secondary objective to arbitrate.
• the Information and Communications Team should be appointed by Exco and not elected by the GA.
• amend the Statutes of SI, section II par. 1 to add the phrase “and three defined contact persons”

The new statutes will read:

“Any National Servas group containing 10 or more hosts (including day hosts) and three defined contact persons, may become, or be reinstated as, a member group of SI by a majority vote of the GA”.

• abstentions count as a vote.
• Draw up recommendations with regard to travellers who join Servas during their travels and not in their home country, particularly if they come from a different cultural background.

Suggestions:

• • check with the National Secretary in the home country if there is any reason for the traveller to be denied membership
  • experienced interviewer preferred
  • take time to set up the interview
  • fully interview the applicants like your national travellers
  • send a copy of LOI to the National Secretary of the home country
• To encourage, where appropriate and practical, democratic processes in member groups, and for this purpose make available shared resources (e.g. a collection of existing statutes/ constitutions on the Servas website).
• To actively encourage cooperation between national groups.
• Exco to appoint a working group to continue the work of the Exco and Governance workshop and to fulfill the intent of the decision in principle made by this GA and to empower them to use the distant voting process.
• Areas will be defined by Exco in consultation with National Groups of the proposed area.
• AC are needed and should be elected by NG & confirmed by EXCO. If NGs of area do not elect AC EXCO may appoint a person to be AC.
• Definition of the WORK OF AREA

COORDINATORS:

development of Servas in the area link national group with Exco link national groups within the area and other areas to organise regional area meetings.

• Adopt the “Youth Action Plan” points 1 to 10 (as outlined), as a framework for principles, guidelines, and pilot projects for the next three years of Servas

Youth Team activities.

Servas Youth Network

Links with other organisations.

Support to Area Coordinators and National Groups.

International Youth Events.

Youth observers and volunteers at the international conference.

Youth Support for SI and National Groups.

Servas Youth Language Experience (SYLE).

Servas Youth Work-related experience

Servas Youth Editors.

Youth Travel Award. (see amendment below)

• definition of Youth in Servas to be between 18 and 30.

Adopt the structure for the next 3 year term, as set out below.

To ensure efficient interaction between SYT, EXCO and the rest of the Servas community we propose the following structure: A) - International Youth Coordinator - To be elected by GA

Take overall responsibility for promoting interest in youth activities and implementing the Youth Action Plan. Develop a Servas Youth Network for young people and those interested in youth issues.

B) - Youth Development Officer – To be elected by GA

Develop international projects agreed by the SYT and based on the Youth Action Plan. Advise and support national groups in setting up projects and organising local youth events.

C) - Mentor – To be selected and appointed by the Youth Coordinator, if needed.

Provide advice and support to the Youth Coordinator on wider Servas issues.

D) – Youth working group – To be set up by the International Youth Coordinator and Youth Development Officer.

Share and develop ideas and provide feedback on youth activities. It should be a representative of the cultural and regional diversity in Servas.

• Approve the need for the Servas Youth Team to have an adequate budget, to carry out its activities. The management of this budget will be directly under the supervision of the SI Treasurer.
• destroy the ballots.
• names and photos of participants of Latina GA on the Web site.

Saturday 8th April 2006

• GA received the un-audited accounts for 2004 as presented by the SI Treasurer with the accounts labelled as interim un-audited statements of accounts and dated.
• GA received the report of the SI Treasurer on the state of the accounts and the auditing of them acknowledging the difficulties encountered and the Action
• GA endorsed the Treasurer’s Action Plan to have the Accounts and Auditors Report for 2004 completed by August 31, 2006.

Treasurer’s Action Plan:

• • Obtain an updated English Language accounting software to replace the Hungarian version
  • Complete the draft financial Statements by May 31 2006
  • send soft copies by June 2nd 2006 for Audit Committee with copies to National Secretaries
  • National Secretaries to indicate confirmation of their having received the reports and to make appropriate comments by June 14th
  • Exco confirm appointment of external auditors by May 15th 2006.
  • begin the external audit by June 15th 2006
  • External Audit to send the results to Exco for a distribution to National Secretaries by August 31, 2006
  • “to have the audited accounts and the auditors reports submitted to the member groups for a vote by the first Distant Vote, which will be specified in the distant vote schedule to be prepared by Exco.”
• that there be no change in the fees of SI
• That the GA empower Exco to appoint and pay for an independent auditor.
• That the GA empower the following members of Exco to sign on behalf of SI: Treasurer; President; Vice President; General Secretary.

[two signatures required as per Statute]

The Treasurer’s signature must be one of the two signatures.

• That the GA empower Exco to implement the decisions of this GA as the program of activities of SI until the next GA.
• That the GA adopt the budget as approved in Barcelona, for 2006 and 2007 and including the budget decisions made by the GA in Italy 2006. The 2008 and 2009 budgets will be approved by Distant Vote.

The GA approve for 2006 a budget of 8000 CHF for handling ICT project for the year 2006 and a budget of 12000 CHF for 2006 and 2007 for Youth Project.

Seconded: Australia

• the GA adopt all the statutes as distributed and amended at this GA as the Statutes of SI replacing all previous versions
• Mullai Pathi: Singapore stated she had made 3 proposals which had not been addressed at this meeting. She had complaints against Omer and Servas India. She wanted it to be recorded on the Servas records. -- refer this to conflict resolution committee

• amend the Statutes of SI, Section II paragraph 1 “Any National Servas group containing 10 or more personally confirmed hosts (including day hosts) and three contact persons, may become, or be reinstated as, a member group of SI by a majority vote of the GA.”
• a Membership Approval committee is to be established to define the detailed procedures and to do annual verification of whether the requirements for membership are met.
• amended the statutes of SI, Section VI to inset a new point 3, and renumber each of the following points:

only delegates from member groups who have met all of their financial obligations to SI within 6 month of the due date are allowed to vote.

• Creation of a Global Servas Volunteer Centre

i) All National Group should be encouraged to establish their development plan, with clear and realistic goals. This information should be transparent and available for key people world wide

j) Involvement commitment of the stronger / more structured Servas group in helping establishing and supporting Servas in countries where it is not established yet (or has dissolved).

k) National groups should be encouraged by DFC to publicise and promote Servas as a peace organization.

l) National Groups should form links and joint projects with like-minded NGO’s

draft by Claudio Pacchiega