Statute of the International Association of Peace Messenger Cities

Preamble 

In recognition of their real contribution to the programmes and aims of the International Year for Peace 1986, 62 cities of the entire world were cho­sen from among thousands to be designated "MESSENGERS OF PEACE" by the Secretary General of the United nations. 

On the initiative of the Mayor of Verdun, representatives of these 62 cities met on 7 and 8 September 1988 at Verdun, in plenary session and in the presence of Mr Javier Perez de Cuellar, Secretary General of the United Nations, with the aim of participating, in the words of the Secretary General:

"in the building of a world less violent and more humane, a world of toler­ance and of mutual. respect to enable the requirements of peace based on justice and human rights to be better understood". 

These Cities, by making use of the various means at their disposal, under-take to contribute to the effective building of Peace in the whole planet, in close collaboration with the United Nations Organization. 

Article 1 

Members subscribing to these Articles of Association agree to create an Association denominated: 

International Association of "Messengers Of Peace" Cities.

Article 2 

The Association will strive to make its contribution to the realization of the aims and principles of the United Nations Organization for the strengthening of peace and co-operation between peoples. 

This Association has for its aim: 

• to promote understanding between peoples
• to enable the promotion of solidarity between them
• to spread the spirit of peace, tolerance and mutual respect
• to combat war, hunger and natural disasters in the service of mankind in dignity and respect
• to make our governments understand that nuclear disarmament is of pri­mary necessity, as also human rights, liberty and the free circulation of individuals. 

This Association engages in its activities in particular in the following fields: 

1. Education
2. Youth
3. Culture
4. Sports and leisure activities
5. Environmental protection
6. Quality of life 

Article 3 

The registered office of the Association is fixed at Verdun (France). By deci­sion of the General Assembly with a two-thirds majority of its members, it may be transferred to any other member city. 

Article 4 

Those cities designated "MESSENGERS OF PEACE" by the United Nations Organization are members of the Association with the right of vote and of election at the General Assembly. 

Article 5 

The Association is open to all cities designated "MESSENGERS OF PEACE" by the United Nations Organization and who request membership. 

Each member undertakes to pay its subscription, fixed by the General Assembly, save in such special cases, as the Executive Office shall decide. 

Article 6 

Members of the Association may form, as may be necessary, associations of a national, regional or continental nature, pursuing the same aims as the Association.

These Associations may create social, cultural and information centres for the promotion of the general aims of the Association. 

Article 7

The status of membership is lost: 

1. by resignation
2. by default in the payment of the subscription for two consecutive years
3. by expulsion decided upon by the General Assembly for a serious reason contrary to the aims of the Association, the member concerned having been given not less than 60 days notice in advance by registered letter, requesting him for his explanations. 

Article 8

The resources of the Association comprise: 

1. Membership subscriptions
2. Subsidies
3. Gifts and bequests 

Article 9 - operative bodies

The operative bodies of the Association are: 

1. The General Assembly
2. The Executive Office. 

Article 10 - The General Assembly 

The General Assembly is the supreme body of the Association. It compris­es the Mayors of all the city members or their official representatives. It meets in Ordinary Session every year on being convened by the Executive Office not less than 6 months in advance.

It may be convened in Extraordinary Session either by decision of the Executive Office or at the request of two thirds of its members. 

Article 11 

The General Assembly defines the general direction of the Association as also the major principles of its actions.

1. It elects the President, the Vice-President, the Secretary General and the members of the Executive Office
2. It ratifies the admission or expulsion of members on the motion of the Executive Office
3. It approves the operations and the programmes of the Association pre pared by the Executive Office
4. It fixes the amount of the membership subscriptions
5. It approves the budget and the accounts presented by the Treasurer
6. It may amend the statutes
7. It may decide upon the dissolution of the Association
8. It ratifies any agreement entered into between the Association and other international organizations, and in particular all relations with Associations and organizations pursuing similar aims
9. It decides upon the acceptance or refusal of gifts and bequests
10. It may recommend to the Secretariat General of the United Nations Organization other Cities as "MESSENGERS OF PEACE"
11. It assumes all other functions incumbent upon it in accordance with agreements adopted by the General Assembly. 

Article 12 

All decisions of the General Assembly shall be taken by simple majority of the members present; in the event of equality of votes, the vote of the President prevails.

Article 13 

Special commissions may be constituted within the General Assembly.

Article 14 

The General Assembly may nominate to honorary membership individuals or legal entities in recognition of their outstanding activities in the cause of Peace. 

Article 15 - Executive Office 

The Association is managed by the Executive Office, elected by the General Assembly from among its members. It comprises 15 members with not less than two members per continent.

It nominates from among its members 

1. The Treasurer
2. The Deputy Treasurer 

Article 16 

The term of office of the members of the Executive Office is three years and its members are re-eligible. 

Article 17

The functions of the Executive Office are: 

1. To direct the operations of the Association in accordance with the directives and within the limits determined by the General Assembly
2. To adopt internal working regulations
3. To work out the programmes, which will be put to the General Assembly with a view to their development
4. To present the budget to the General Assembly and to audit the accounts presented by the Treasurer
5. To draw up the agenda of the General Assembly
6. To submit to the General Assembly the date and place of the next meeting
7. To examine the admission of new members and submit them to the General Assembly
8. To present the President's Report and the Financial Report of the Association 

In such manner, the Office is authorized to take all measures necessary for the realization of the aims of the Association. 

Article 18 

The Executive Office shall meet twice per annum in Ordinary Session, one of which shall precede the General Assembly, and in Extraordinary Session either at the request of half of its members plus one, or at the justified request of the President. 

The deliberations of the Office shall be valid when one half of its members are present. 

In the event of a vote and of an equality of votes, the vote of the President prevails. 

If one of the members of the Office is unable to be present at the meeting, he may give an authorization to another member of the Office to represent him, or he may have himself represented by another member of his Municipality, or he may express his opinion in writing. 

The President may consult members of the Office by correspondence.

Article 19 

The convening of the Executive Office shall be sent by the President sixty days before the date fixed f or the meeting, All notices of convening must be accompanied by the agenda of the meeting, with note of the time and of the chronological order of the work, and must be accompanied by the vari­ous documents necessary.

Article 20 

Decisions of the Office shall be taken by simple majority of the members present and represented, and shall be recorded in a document which is to be transcribed in the official Minute book deposited at the administrative office of the Association. A copy of the Minutes of the meeting, signed by the President and the Secretary General, shall be sent to all members of the Association within two months of the date of the meeting. 

Article 21

All appointments within the Executive Office shall be engaged in voluntarily.

Article 22 - the powers of the president 

He is the legal representative of the Association in all acts of civil life and, at all meetings and on all occasions, he is authorized to sign for the Association. He may delegate his powers to the Vice-President or to anoth­er member of the Office, he may also in the event of impediment or of vacancy be replaced, if necessary, by the Vice-President or by another member of the Office. 

He convenes and presides over meetings of the Executive Office and of the General Assembly. 

He ensures compliance with the Statutes in force.

Article 23 - revision of the statutes 

The Statutes of the Association may be subject to revision by the General Assembly in Ordinary or Extraordinary Session. Decisions as to modifica­tion of the Statutes must be adopted by a majority of two thirds of the mem­bers present or represented. 

Article 24 - dissolution 

The duration of the International Association of "Messengers of Peace" Cities is indeterminate. The General Assembly may decide to dissolve it, but this decision must be approved by a majority of two thirds of the entire­ty of its members. 

In the event of dissolution, and once all obligations shall have been met, the funds and properties of the Association shall be bequeathed to the UNO or to whatever other international organization chosen by the Assembly. 

Article 25 

The mode of application of the present Statutes shall be determined by internal regulations proposed by the Executive Office and adopted by the General Assembly. 

(Statutes discussed at New Haven at the Conference of 1990 and approved at the Yokohama Conference in August 1991.)