GOVERNING STATUTE

Article I: Establishment

Noting decree no. 2002/4366 dated 10 June 2002 of the Turkish Council of Ministers approving cooperation between the Luxemburg-based The Club of Rome and the Ankara-based İhsan Doğramacı Foundation, and noting Article 3 of the Statute of the International Cultures Foundation, a “Parliament of Cultures” (PoC) has been established as a not-for-profit non-governmental organization.
The headquarters of the PoC shall be in Ankara , Turkey .

Article II: The Objectives

The objectives of the Parliament of Cultures are to promote understanding among cultures of the world and to enhance dialogue among their thinkers and intellectuals. The PoC strives to contribute towards the resolution of international and intercultural conflicts by means of peaceful dialogue.

Article III: Bodies and Definitions

Bodies of the PoC

• The Assembly

• The Standing Committee

• The Membership Committee

• The Executive Committee

Definitions

The Parliament of Cultures (PoC) is the name of this non-governmental organization.
The Assembly is the body composed of individuals and of member delegates from non-governmental and inter-governmental organisations to the PoC.

The President, who is elected by the Assembly, presides at the Assembly meetings.

The Standing Committee is the principal committee of the PoC. It is set up by the Assembly to perform the tasks outlined in this Statute.

The Membership Committee is the body authorized to process membership applications to the PoC, and to propose candidates for membership.

The Executive Committee is the body set up, in accordance with the provisions of this Statute, to carry out day-to-day work of the PoC.

The Secretary General is the chief executive officer of the PoC.

The Secretariat is the body in charge of office administration and record-keeping.

Article IV: The Assembly

a) As the highest body of the PoC, the Assembly approves the rules and regulations proposed by the Standing Committee or the Executive Committee regarding the activities of the PoC.

b) The Assembly is composed of :

• the founders of the International Cultures Foundation

• individuals, serving in a personal capacity

• international non-governmental organizations and inter-governmental organizations

who are recognized as having made significant cultural and intellectual contributions and who accept the aims and objectives of the PoC, and who are elected observing cultural, geographic and gender equity, as far as feasible. The candidates that have a governmental position (ambassadors, senior executives etc.) may be proposed for associate membership with a right to speak but not to vote. On termination of their official duties associate members may apply for full membership of the PoC.

c) The Assembly is entitled to speak on behalf of the PoC and has the highest authority to issue manifestoes, bills of rights, declarations and statements. The Assembly debates, and approves or rejects, proposals submitted by the bodies of the PoC.

d) The members of the Assembly are proposed by the Membership Committee. The term of membership for the Assembly is four years as of the date of appointment. That term
may be extended for periods of four years at a time, in accordance with the provisions of this Statute.

e) Any member who will not attend three consecutive Assembly meetings without an excuse acceptable to the Standing Committee is considered resigned.

f) The members of the Assembly elect the President of the Assembly and two Vice-Presidents for a period of two years and their terms may be renewed.

g) The Assembly ordinarily meets once a year. It may also convene in extraordinary sessions upon the proposal of the Standing Committee or by the invitation of the Secretary General.

h) The Assembly appoints four of its members to form the Standing Committee. The Assembly also appoints the members for the Membership Committee.

i) Meetings of the Assembly and the Committees will be held with the members attending and decisions shall be taken by the votes of at least half of the members present and voting, plus one.

Article V: The Standing Committee

a) The Standing Committee is the principal operating body of the PoC. It approves the budget and drafts policies to be submitted for approval to the Assembly. It also makes work plans for the Executive Committee and oversees their implementation. 
b) The Standing Committee comprises sixteen members as follows:

i) The founders of the International Cultures Foundation or their representatives

ii) The President and two Vice - Presidents of the Assembly

iii) Two persons appointed by the President of The Club of Rome

iv) Two persons appointed by the President of the Ihsan Dogramaci Foundation

v) Four persons appointed by the Assembly according to the provisions under Article IV- g

vi) Three persons co-opted by the thirteen members referred to in paragraphs i, ii, iii, iv and v above.

c) Members of the Standing Committee serve for a period of five years. They may be eligible for re-appointment.

d) The Standing Committee elects a Chairperson for a term of five years. The chairperson will be eligible for re-appointment. The Chairperson shall appoint two Vice-Chairpersons from among the members of the Committee to serve during his/her term and to chair the Standing Committee in his/her absence.

e) The Standing Committee sets up its own schedule of meetings.

f) The Standing Committee establishes regulations to govern collection and management of fees.

g) Standing Committee decisions are taken by the votes of at least half of the members present and voting, plus one.

Article VI: The Membership Committee

a) The Membership Committee may nominate candidates for Assembly membership on its own initiative and it reviews candidatures proposed by individuals, non-governmental organizations and other organizations and institutions, and submits them to the Assembly for approval. Extension of terms of membership is likewise considered by this Committee and submitted for approval to the Assembly.

b) The Membership Committee drafts the terms and guidelines for membership of the Assembly and submits them to the Assembly for approval. The Committee also proposes to the Assembly revisions to those terms and guidelines as required.

c) The Membership Committee is composed of:

i) The founders of the International Cultures Foundation or their representatives

ii) The Chairperson, or in his/her absence the Vice Chairperson, of the Standing Committee

iii) Three persons appointed by the Assembly from among its members

iv) Three persons appointed by the Standing Committee from among its members.

d) The length of a term in the Membership Committee is four years and members shall be eligible for re-appointment..

e) The Chairperson of the Standing Committee, or in his/her absence one of the Vice- Chairpersons of that Committee, presides at Membership Committee meetings.

f) Membership Committee decisions are taken by the votes of at least half of the members present and voting, plus one.

Article VII: The Executive Committee

a) The Executive Committee carries out the functions delegated to it by the Standing Committee, conducts PoC's day-to-day work and drafts the PoC budget.

b) The Executive Committee appoints an Executive Secretary as well as the other staff members of the Secretariat of the PoC.

c) The Executive Committee comprises five members appointed by the Standing Committee from among its members. At least three members of the Executive Committee must be Turkish nationals.

d) The Executive Committee elects from among its members for a four-year term a Chairman who presides at the Executive Committee meetings and oversees the work of the Secretariat.

e) The Executive Committee sets up its own schedule of meetings.

f) Executive Committee decisions are taken by the votes of at least three members.

Article VIII: The Secretary General

a) The Chairman of the Executive Committee, in his/her capacity as the chief executive officer of the PoC, shall serve as the Secretary General of the PoC and, in this capacity represents the Parliament of Cultures.

b) In consultation with the President of the Assembly, the Secretary General may issue statements and call extra-ordinary meetings of the Assembly or the Committees.

Article IX: The Secretariat

a) The Secretariat is the body in charge of office administration and record-keeping. 
b) The Secretariat employs an adequate number of staff, to be determined by the Executive Committee, to carry out the workload of the PoC.

c) The Secretariat will be located in the headquarters in Ankara .

Article X: Financial Matters

The revenues of the PoC consist of the following:

a) Any contributions by the members,

b) Donations and bequests (stocks, bonds, movable goods, real estate and property), to which no conditions or strings may be attached which might interfere with or influence the policies of the PoC,

c) Dividends and interest.

The auditing shall be carried out by certified public auditors.

Article XI: Other

a) Amendments to the Governing Statute or addition of any new articles shall be adopted by two thirds of the membership of the Assembly present at the meeting.

b) Issues that are not addressed in this Statute may be set down by regulations approved by the Assembly, provided they are not contradictory to or inconsistent with the provisions of this Statute.