Originally signed at the meeting of the iEARN Management Team, Puerto Madryn, Argentina, July 12, 1994
Amended: February 2003, July 2004, July 2006
Preamble
Chapter I: Goals and Principles
Chapter II: Membership
Chapter III: Organs
Chapter IV: The iEARN Assembly
Chapter V: The Executive Council
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
An iEARN Centre, Representative or Country Contact
which/who has violated the Principles contained in this Constitution may be
removed from iEARN by the Assembly upon the recommendation of the Executive
Council. Any iEARN Center or Representative which/who has not met the
obligations decided by the Assembly as listed in the Operational Decisions of
the iEARN Assembly, may lose the rights associated with Centre or
Representative status upon recommendation of the EC.
Any Centre, Representative or Country Contact which/who has been recommended for removal 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 removal and vote by Assembly.
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.
The iEARN Assembly shall consist of all the Member
Centres of iEARN, the Copen Family Foundation (CFF) and the Youth Representative.
Functions and Powers
The iEARN Assembly, subject to this constitution, sets
policy and determines organization matters. The Assembly will be the supreme
decision making body of iEARN
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.
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.
The iEARN Assembly shall receive and consider reports
from other organs of iEARN.
The Assembly shall, if it considers it in the interest
of iEARN internationally, register as an NGO in any country it decides.
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.
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.
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.
The iEARN Assembly shall adopt its own rules of
procedure. It shall elect its Facilitator for each meeting.
The iEARN Assembly may establish such subsidiary
organs as it deems necessary for the performance of its functions.
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.
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.
The Executive Council shall submit an annual report to
the Assembly and any special reports requested by it.
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
The Executive Council shall be so organized as to be
able to function continuously.
The Executive Council may establish such subsidiary
organs as it deems necessary for the performance of its functions.
The Executive Council shall adopt its own rules of
procedure and operation, including the method of selecting its Officers and
hiring staff.
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.
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, July 2004, July 2006