SI Statutes (historical 1972 version)

From SI Exco News

• Some variation from original text due to Optical Character Reader translation.

As adopted in 1972 and revised by Servas International Conferences in 1978, 1980, 1983 and 1986.

At a conference in Wetzlar Germany, on July 8th 1972, delegates of Servas from the following countries:  Austria, Denmark, France, the Federal Republic- of Germany, Italy, Jamaica,  Japan,  Kenya, the Netherlands, Switzerland, Tanzania, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and  Northem Ireland, and the United States of America requested Mrs Denise Vollenweider and two other members of Servas domiciled in Switzerland  (Mr Ruedi Vollenweider and Miss Doris Bucher) to incorporate in Switzerland a new  international non-governmental organization to bt known as Servas International,  the statues of which shall be as follows:
(Signatures of the founding members' delegates followed: Kurt Schmid, Birgitte Damsgaard.
Joseph Girard, Kurt Wagner, Mana Soresina, Arthur Sietsma, Denise Vollenweider, 
Barbara Acquah, ritus Mugavana, Himatlal D. Shah, Florette Case, Reva King and Masuo Amano.)

1- A non profit organization under the name of Servas International is herewith constituted according to articles 60 and 77 of the Swiss Civil Code.

2- The seat of the association shall be: C/O Denise Waech, Ceresstrasse 23, CH-8008, Zurich, Switzerland.

3- Servas International is an international non-governmental federation of national Servas groups, establishing a system of hosts and travelIers to help build world peace, good will, and understanding, by providing opportunities for deeper, more personal contacts with people of other cultures and backgrounds. Upon application from a national Servas group of ten or more hosts and day hosts, or upon recommendation from the Area Co-ordinator of the area involved, or upon invitation from a general assembly, any country's Servas group may be admitted to the association as a member group by a majority vote of a general assembly.

The groups of the countries mentioned above are the founding members of the association. They will be represented, at the first general assembly accepting the statutes, by Mrs Denise Vollenweider and two other persons domiciled in Switzerland. 4- Delegates of the member groups, and members of the Executive Committee, shall meet in General Assembly every three years, to draw up the programme of activities, to adopt the reports of the association's officers, and to elect the Executive Committee. An individual attending in more than one capacity shall have onlyone vote.

5- The Executive Committee shall consist of a minimum of five and a maximum of fifteen members, each elected at a general assembly ofmembers or appointed, as hereinafter specified, plus any others coopted by vote of the elected and appointed members of the Executive Committee.

The officers and members of the Executive Committee shall be: The President, the Vice-President,the General Secretary, the Assistant General Secretary, the Treasurer, the Assistant Treasurer if one is elected, the Area Co-ordinators, the PeaceSecretary, the Editor of Servas International News and ordinary members of the Executive Committee.

if the position of Area Co-ordinator, Peace Secretary or Treasurer (when there is no elected Assistant Treasurer) becomes vacant more than sIx months before a General Assembly, the vacancy may be filled by appointment by the President in consultation with the General Secretary.

The Executive Committee shall meet as often as necessary . it can also take decisions by correspondence, provided that all members of the Executive Committee are given the opportunity to participate in the decisions. The President shall preside over meetings of Servas International, or arrange for a suitable chairperson; represent Servas, where necessary, to other international bodies; advise the General Secretary if difficulties arise; and keep broadly informed about the work of the General Secretary and others on the Executive Committee.

The General Secretary, with responsibility to the President, shall deal with correspondence; collect information from national groups; arrange for the circulation of Secretaries' addresses and host lists;and record, or arrange for the recording of, minutes of conferences.

The Treasurer shall take care of the funds of Servas International, coHectingcontributions from national groups and making necessary payments in consultation with the Executive Committee. The Treasurer and Assistant Treasurer are authorised to withdraw funds from the association for its activities upon individual signature of either.

For making an immediate decision, a working committee of Executive Committee members should be formed, consisting ofPresident, Vice-President, General Secretary, Treasurer, and one Area Co-ordinator appointed by the President.

A person appointed by the General Assembly or, in intervening years, by the President, shall verify once a year the accounts of the association, and submit his or her report to the General Assembly or, in intervening years, to the Executive Committee through the General Secretary, for adoption.

6- For decisions by correspondence, answers or views shall be received within three months from the date the proposition is sent out, or they will become void. All decisions of assemblies of members and the Executive Committee shall be taken by majority vote of the persons voting. In case of a tie, the vote of the President shall be decisive. One exception to this role shall be the decisions on the dissolution of the association as hereinafter provided for.

7- Upon the request and consent of two-thirds of the members of the association, it can be dissolved, and after paying debts a possible surplus shall be transferred to another non profit association interested in building world peace.

• Wetzlar, Germany, July 9th 1972.