Peace Games UISP

Article 1
Name, headquarter, duration

The social promoting association Peace Games, once U.C.S.I. (Uisp International Sports Cooperation), was set up, in pursuit of Law n. 383 of 7th December 2000.
The association was promoted by Uisp, Italian Union Sport for All, to support international solidarity and cooperation, and the relationships with the developing countries.
The association has its headquarter in Bologna, via Riva Reno 75/3.
This is a non-profit association. Any form of dividend stripping amongst its members is prohibited.

Article 2
Aim

Relating to Uisp's value and experience in international solidarity and cooperation, the association's objective is to promote the activities of development cooperation, humanitarian aid and involving people in Italy more in this development, by working under the values of the association and of voluntary service, and being inspired by the principles of the Italian Constitution and the European Legislation.
Peace Games will be open to intervene in all traditional and new branches of sport, cultural, recreational, educational, pacifist, voluntary and civil defence associations, which all have a connection with the creation of new relations between the World Northern and Southern regions, particularly active in:

promoting the social, civil, cultural and economic development of third Countries, when sustainable;
safeguarding and respecting human rights;
respecting and defending the environment
promoting an understanding between different cultures;
asserting the values of solidarity and co-existence and supporting a pacific solution of conflicts.

Article 3
Activity

Peace Games will therefore promote and pursue the following activities:

programmes of mutual knowledge, exchange and cooperation between people and cultures in Italy and across borders;
analysis and implementation of cooperation programmes, to be carried out with the local partners, aimed at sustainable development in the cooperating Countries;
activities that stress the view of sport as a means of education and cultural exchange. Projects to encourage socialization and co-existence through sports and cultural activities;
carrying out emergency assistance and humanitarian aid for people in need in the case of conflict and natural disaster;
analysis and implementation of programmes aimed at a prevention and a pacific solution of conflicts;
analysis and implementation of programmes to promote human, social and civil rights against all kinds of social exclusion; to promote children's rights; to promote women's rights and equal opportunities; to promote elderly rights;
analysis and implementation of programmes for the assertion of civil, social, political and cultural rights for the overseas workers and students in Italy, particularly from poor Countries. Initiatives to help the realization of associations promoting foreign culture and sport contribution in Italy;
initiatives aimed at strengthening a coordination among NGOs dealing with development, and their relations with Regions, local authorities and the civil society in Italy and Europe, so that in cooperation they can plan an analysis and implementation of multidisciplinary programmes;
initiatives aimed at creating and strengthening a coordination network between European associations and non-member countries;
training of local operators, by means of courses both in non-member countries and in Italy and Europe;
training of volunteers and co-operators to be involved, according to the law in force, in both theirs and others' programmes. Initiatives aimed at optimizing the experience of the returning volunteers and co-operators;
research, analysis, workshops and publications concerning cultural exchange, cooperation, development and international relations;
bringing the public opinion closer to the issues of peace, development and coexistence;
promotion of national and local fund raising campaigns, in support of the projects and activities of the association;
15. planning, supplies and building of infrastructures and sport facilities;

and any other activity to help the implementation of the projects.
In the pursuit of the institutional goals, Peace Games will plan aid financed by local authorities, the State, the European Union, international or private organizations, consenting periodic inspections, after presenting the required documentation.

Article 4
Membership

Membership will be open to individual people, institutions and associations intending to cooperate in reaching the institutional goals, and subscribing to the regulations and the statute. The collective members will be non-profit-making and represented in the association by their President or a delegate.
Membership of the association may be first approved by the Board of Directors, with a written application accompanied by a curriculum vitae.
Personal data acquired on enrolment are handled in order to allow a more efficient establishment and management of associative bonds. Personal data cannot be shared with third parties without first receiving the individual's prior written approval or unless in accordance with the law or when taking out an insurance policy.
On admittance, the member commits himself to pay the annual fee fixed by the Board of Directors and approved by the Assembly when striking the financial balance according to the Statute and the rules issued. Provisional membership is not granted. The membership fee is non-transferable and revaluable.

Article 5
Rights and duties

All major members have the right to vote and to eligibility.
All members have rights to information and to control, as fixed by the laws and by the present Statute. In particular they have access to documents, resolutions, balances, statements, and registers of the Association.
Voluntary member won't be rewarded in any way, but will have the right to be refunded of all money spent.
If there is a specific need, the Association could hire employees or make use of self-employment, even through its associates.
The member's behaviour towards the other members and outside the Association will be proper, of good faith, honest, and morally correct, in observance of the current Statute.

Article 6
Dismissal and expulsion of a member

A member can withdraw from the association by giving written notice to the Board of Directors. The dismissal of a member can be decided for the following motives:

non-payment of membership fees exceeding three months;
serious moral or material injuries to the association.

In the case of 2, the dismissal is decided by the Board of Directors and communicated to the party concerned by means of simple letter. The member concerned can ask for an examination of the expulsion act by the Board of Arbitrators. The excluded members cannot be refunded the contribution paid, and have no rights regarding the assets of the association.

Article 7
The bodies of the Association

The bodies of the Association are:

the General Assembly;
the Board of Directors
the President;
the Board of Auditors;
the Board of Arbitrators.

Each office has a four-year term.

Article 8
The Assembly

The General Assembly is the main body of the association. It is called to meeting by the president at least once a year by means of:

a notice sent by simple letter/fax/e-mail/ telex 20 days before the appointed meeting date;
a notice put up in the association headquarter 30 days before.

The General Assembly is convened and presided over by the President or a delegate selected from the members of the board.
They must convene when the Board thinks it necessary or when requested by at least ten members. The notices must to report date and place of the meeting.
The General Assembly can be ordinary or extraordinary. It's extraordinary when convened to modify the Statute or to dissolve the association. It is ordinary in all other cases.
The ordinary assembly is valid at the first meeting if the majority of members with voting rights are present; at the second meeting whatever the number of members present may be.

It is the Assembly's duty to decide on the following matters:

election of the President;
election of the Board of Directors;
proposal of initiatives;
approval of the annual financial statement, both preventive and final;
ratification of the expulsion acts decided by the Board of Directors;
approval of the annual programme of the association;
location of possible alternative headquarters.

Decisions in an ordinary assembly are made by the majority of members present and expressed by means of open vote.
Each member is entitled to one vote, unless given the right to act for another member by written authorization.
Discussions and resolutions of the ordinary or extraordinary assembly are summed up in minutes taken by the secretary, undersigned by the President and by the compiler, recorded in a book, and kept by the secretary in the association.
Each member has the right to consult the minutes and ask for a copy of them.
It is the extraordinary Assembly's duty to decide on the following matters:

approval of possible alterations to the articles of the Statute in presence of 2/3 of the members and with a majority of votes;
dissolution of the association and devolution of the assets, with 3/4 majority voting "yes"

All the members have the right to take part in the Assembly, to vote and to be voted for, provided that they are up-to-date with their payments.

Article 9
The Board of Directors

The Association is conducted by a Board of Directors elected by the assembly, and made up of seven to twenty-one members.
The President decides on the convocation of the Board of Directors, or they may convene if requested by 1/3 of members.
Decisions will be made when the absolute majority of the members present voting "yes".

The Board of Directors:

fulfils all the acts of ordinary and extraordinary administration;
draws up and proposes to the assembly the yearly report on the activities of the association;
draws up and proposes to the assembly the receipts and payments financial account;
decides on the admission of new members;
issues expulsion orders for the members.

The meetings of the Board of Directors are legally constituted when the majority of members is present.
Within the Board of Directors the following figures are present:

the President ( directly elected by the general assembly);
the Vice-President (elected by the Board of Directors);
the executive Director (elected by the Board of Directors);
the Administrator.

In case of resignation or forfeiture of the majority of the Board of Directors members, the President will call the general assembly to convene within 30 days to set up the new Board of Directors.

Article 10
The President

The President, elected by the general assembly, enjoys the legal and judicial delegation of the Association, calls upon and presides over the Board of Directors, and can veto decisions concerning formal commitments for the association.
The President has full powers of ordinary administration, so he can contract obligations on behalf of the Association, within the ordinary needs, and he can open bank and post accounts and act on them. All these affairs can be delegated to another designed person.

Article 11
The Vice-President

The Vice-President takes the place of the President in case of absence or legitimate impediment.

Article 12
The executive Director

The executive Director takes the meeting minutes, keeps the corporate and accounting books, executes the decisions of the Board of Directors, performs the tasks delegated by the President.

Article 13
The Administrator

The Administrator, appointed by the Board of Directors on the President's advice, has the task of periodically verifying the state of the budget and particularly of checking the balance sheet items during the course of a project.
The Director has the responsibility of the accounting and administrative management of the association, and carries out the decisions of the Board of Directors.

Article 14
The Board of Auditors

The Board of Auditors, elected by the general Assembly, is made up of three active members and two substitutes. It has the task of checking the administrative state of the Association, of regularly keeping the books and ensuring their correspondence with the budget. During the course of its first meeting, their President is elected.

Article 15
The Board of Arbitrators

The Board of Arbitrators, elected by the general Assembly, is a body that guarantees the statute and is made up of three active members and two substitutes. It has the task of interpreting the rules of the statute and of discussing and deciding on the eventual petitions filed by the members, in case of non- acceptance of applications or expulsion. During the course of its first meeting, their President is elected.

Article 16
The economic resources

The Association gains economic resources for the execution of its activities from:

membership fees, whose amount the Board of Directors each year decides;
inheritances, donations and legacies;
contributions of the State, Regions, local authorities, public institutions, also aimed at supporting specific projects set up for the statute;
contributions of the European Union and international organizations;
income from the rendering of arranged services;
income from the assignment of properties or services to members or third parties, also by means of business activities, provided they are subsidiary and auxiliary to the attainment of institutional aims;
financial aid from member and third parties;
income from promotional campaigns aimed at self financing, such as parties and prize subscriptions;
other incomes compatible with the social aims of non-profit associations.

The Association has the duty of keeping for a three year period all the documentation about income from inheritances, donations and legacies, contributions of the State, regions, local authorities, public institutions, also aimed at supporting specific projects created for the statute, contributions of the European Union and international organizations, income from the rendering of arranged services, specifying the donors, and the documentation about free financial aid of members and third parties if aimed at deductions of income tax and deductions at taxable incomes.

Article 17
The financial economic statement

The social period begins on 1st January and ends on 31st December every year.
The financial economic statement is predisposed by the Board of Directors, registered in the Association headquarter at least 20 days before the general Assembly, and every member can consult it.
The meeting approving the final financial economic statement must take place within four months of the end of the social period ends, except in extraordinary cases when it can take place within six months. The eventual surplus will be aimed at planned institutional activities.

Article 18
Dissolution

The favourable vote of at least 3/4 majority of the members convened in extraordinary General Assembly is required to deliberate the dissolution of the Association. The Assembly will appoint one or more liquidators and decide on the appropriation of the Association's properties.
Properties will be assigned to Associations recognised as having the same or similar aims of social assistance as the Association, according to article 3, paragraph 190, Law of the 23/12/1996, n. 662.

Statute approved by unanimous vote
of the Extraordinary General Assembly
(Boulogne, 26/02/2005)