CYPRUS YOUTH COUNCIL

ARTICLES OF ASSOCIATION



CHAPTER 1 Introduction 2

CHAPTER 2 Objectives of the Council 2

CHAPTER 3 Means of Achieving the Objectives of the Council 3

CHAPTER 4 Members of the Council 4

CHAPTER 5 Administration Operation 7

CHAPTER 6 Provisional Provisions 15




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CHAPTER 1 Introduction

Article 1 A society is established under the appellation Cyprus Youth Council. The Cyprus
Youth Council, hereinafter referred to as the Council is a voluntary, non-governmental and
non-profit association, in which the youth organisations in Cyprus may become members,
provided that they accept the objectives of the Council.

Article 2 The Council is established in Nicosia. The principal office of the Council is
registered at 1 Archbishop Makariou C Avenue, Mitsi Building 3, office 216 in Nicosia.

Article 3 The Council acts as a coordinating entity between the Non-Governmental Youth
Organisations in Cyprus and the state and as a representative entity in various European and
other international fora in which the Non-Governmental Organisations are invited to be
represented.

Article 4 The Council does not substitute in any way its member-organisations and does not
interfere in any way with their autonomy and independence.

Article 5 The Council s actions will be guided from the principles enshrined in the Charter of
the United Nations, the European Convention on Human Rights and the European Youth Forum
Statutes.

CHAPTER 2 Objectives of the Council

Article 6 The Council has the following objectives:
a) To advance dialogue and cooperation between the non-governmental youth organisations.

b) To offer a representative framework for its member-organisations for the development of
initiatives, the implementation of action plans, the exchange of information and
experiences and the advancement of dialogue on the subject matters that affect young
people.
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c) To help young people develop a European conscience, based on mutual respect and
understanding through the knowledge of the different traditions of each culture.

d) To empower the participation of young people in the political, social and cultural life and
active citizenship.

e) To assist its member-organisations achieve their goals by providing support,
enhancement and infrastructure.

f) To promote the recognition from the wider community and state of the work of the Non-
Governmental Youth Organisations and Non-Formal Education.

g) To promote the participation of young people in decision making on issues that affect
them and promote policies for youth, based on the resolutions, decisions and
recommendations of the United Nations, the European Union and the Council of Europe.

h) To promote the communication, cooperation and exchange of experiences between its
member-organisations and other associations, especially with other youth organisations in
both a European and an international level.

i) To enhance the effort to promote respect for Human Rights and ensure Fundamental
Freedoms all over Cyprus.

CHAPTER 3 Means of Achieving the Objectives of the Council

Article 7 In order to achieve the aforementioned objectives, the Council:

a) Undertakes and implements projects, in pursuit of further developing the collaboration
within young people in a local, national, European and international level.

b) Gathers, studies and informs its member-organisations in relation to social, educational
and political matters that affect young people.

c) Organizes the exchange of ideas and information within its member-organisations
through conferences, seminars, workshops, research and informative campaigns.

d) Promotes the networking with the equivalent coordinating organs of youth organisations
in a European and an international level.
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e) Coordinates the implementation of projects and action plans in Cyprus which emanate
from its participation in European or other international organisations and fora.

f) Promotes the networking and collaborates with Non-Governmental Organisations,
governmental and semi-governmental organisations and foremost with the Cyprus Youth
Board and promotes the decisions of the organs of the Council to the state and to
European and international institutions and organisations.

g) Promotes the idea of direct and widespread participation of Non-Governmental Youth
Organisations when issues are discussed and decisions are taken that affect young people.

h) Undertakes other activities which promote its objectives.


CHAPTER 4 Members of the Council

Article 8 Youth organisations may become members of the Cyprus Youth Council with the status
of either:

A. Full Members
B. Associate Members

1. (A) Full Members

All youth organisations in Cyprus, with or without a personality, may become Full Members of
the Council, provided that they:

a) Accept the principles and objectives of the Council.

b) Adhere to the principles which are set in the European Convention on Human Rights,
operate based on Democratic Principles, have governing bodies and democratic election
procedures, pursue their purpose and goals through democratic procedures and their
Articles of Association do not contain non-democratic provisions.

c) Act in a pancyprian level, with a minimum number of 150 members at least in three
districts (at least three student centres in relation to student organisations) and their action
is proven, they act independently, they have registered their Articles of Association or
have procedural regulations and a programme and the majority of their members are
young people of 12-30 years of age.
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d) Conduct a Members Meeting at least once every two years and have a proven action
(activities, workshops, conferences, campaigning).

e) Have paid the annual subscription which is required for Full Members.

f) Held the status of an Associate Member for at least one year.

g) Where they operate as a youth team, within larger organisations, they are required to
operate under separate procedural regulations which will establish the autonomy of the
decisions taken by young people and will give young people the capability to choose
democratically their own representatives.


2. (B) Associate Members

Organisations which operate in a pancyprian level may become Associate Members of the
Council, provided that they:

a) Meet the same criteria as Full Members, as outlined in Chapter 4, Article 1, except
paragraphs c), e) and f).

b) Have at least fifty members.

c) Have paid the annual subscription which is required for Associate Members.

d) Associate Members may be present at the Members Meeting, have the right to express
their opinion but they do not have the right to vote. They have the same rights as Full
Members as regards the programmes and activities of the Council.


Article 9 Submission of Applications for Obtaining Membership

a) Each interested organization shall submit its application to the Administrative Board by
filing the specific forms for either a Full or an Associate Member.

b) Each application for obtaining the status of a Full or an Associate Member on behalf of
an organization is examined at the subsequent meeting held by the Administrative Board.
The decision of the Administrative Board is presented at the subsequent Members
Meeting. The particular organization is invited to the Members Meeting in order to
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support its candidacy. The Members Meeting, by an absolute majority of the
organisations present, accepts or rejects the new application. If the application is rejected,
the particular organisation may reapply a year after the date on which the Members
Meeting in which the application was rejected was held.

c) Until the validation of the status as a Full Member, the applicant organisation enjoys the
rights of an Associate Member in accordance with Article 8B.


Article 10 Obligations of Member-Organisations

a) The members of the Council are required to inform the Council of any changes in their
Articles of Association which may affect their participation in the Council and of any
changes about their contact details, so that the Council keeps its registry updated.

b) In case a member-organisation has not paid the subscription for the preceding year, the
right to vote is suspended. This right is given provided the annual subscription is paid up
to prior the commencement of the Members Meeting.

c) The Full Members of the Council pay an annual subscription which is decided by the
Members Meeting, upon suggestion of the Administrative Board. Associate Members
pay half of the annual subscription.


Article 11 Suspension of Membership

a) The membership of member-organisations which omit to fulfil their financial obligations
for two consecutive years is suspended. This means that:

i. The right to participate in representations of the Council is suspended.
ii. The right to vote is suspended.

b) The particular organisation may regain its previous membership status provided it fulfils
its financial obligations at least a week prior to the commencement of the Members
Meeting.





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Article 12 Deprivation of Membership

Membership is deprived following the dissolution of the organisation or if the criteria for
obtaining full membership are not met or if its actions demonstrate that it contradicts the
objectives of the Council or following a statement of withdrawal which is communicated to the
Administrative Board of the Council by the relevant organ of the organisation.


CHAPTER 5 Administration Operation

Article 13 The organs of the Council are the Members Meeting of Member-Organisations, the
Administrative Board and the Financial Control Commission.

Article 14 Members Meeting
Convocation and Tasks of the Members Meeting of Member-Organisations

a) The Members Meeting is proclaimed two months prior to its convocation and is
convoked following a decision of the Administrative Board in September of each year or
for election purposes every two years. It is regarded as the supreme organ of the Council.

b) Each organisation which is a Full Member and has fulfilled its financial obligations
(payment of the the annual subscription) to the Council has the right to be represented
with up to five conveners and has one vote. The organisations which are Associate
Members have the right to be represented with up to three conveners without having the
right to vote.

c) A quorum is formed if the 2/3 of the Full Member organisations are present. In case a
quorum is not formed, within an hour, provided that half plus one of the Full Member
organisations are present, a quorum is regarded as having been formed. In any other case
a new Members Meeting is convoked within 15 days.

d) The decisions are taken by absolute majority of half plus one of the Full Member
organisations present.

e) An Extraordinary Members Meeting may be convoked upon a written request of half
plus one of the Full Member organisations or upon a decision of the Administrative
Board by absolute majority of its members. In the former case, those members are
required to promulgate their proposal upon a written requisition which shall be
communicated to the Councils office and shall be signed by each and every signatory
organisation.
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Article 15 Responsibilities of the Members Meeting
a) Deals with the agenda which includes an Activity Report and a Financial Report,
discusses issues that affect young people, sets the general framework for the "Council",
discusses issues relating to the presence and participation of the "Council" in a local and
an international level and may take decisions and draft resolutions.

b) Elects the President, the members of the Administrative Board and the members of the
Financial Control Committee.

c) Makes amendments to the Articles of Association in a specially convened Members
Meeting. For the amendment of Chapters 1,3 and 4 a majority of 2/3 of the Full Member
organisations present is required. For the amendment of Chapter 2 in particular, the
Objectives of the Council, a majority of 3/4 of all member-organisations is required.

d) The Members Meeting may call for the resignation of the President or Vice-Presidents
or members of the Administrative Board by a majority of 2/3 of the Full Member
organisations present, which form a quorum. In that case the officers are automatically
overthrown.

e) Prior to the commencement of voting, the resigned Administration Board proposes a five-
membered Electoral Committee which the organisations - conveners are called to validate
by vote. Following its appointment, the Electoral Committee has the responsibility for
conducting a fair secret voting and for counting the votes.

Article 16 Election Procedure for the Administration Board
a) The candidacies are submitted by the Full Member organisations to a specific form,
attaching a short curriculum vitae of the candidate person and a cover letter, at least
30 days prior to the electoral meeting. In any case, candidates shall not be of more
than 34 years of age. The documents relating to the meeting, including the cover
letters, shall be delivered to the organisations at least 20 days prior to the
commencement of the meeting.

b) The President and the other eight members of the Administrative Board are directly
elected at the electoral meeting in two separate ballots. There shall be one ballot for
the position of the President and another ballot for the remaining eight positions. At
the first meeting of the Administrative Board the elected persons form an organ.

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c) The Electoral Committee ensures that differently coloured ballots are provided for
each separate voting. Subsequently, it counts and seals the ballots. The ballot for the
election of the eight members of the Administrative Board, except the President, shall
be separated in two columns. One column shall include the candidates of political
organisations and the other column shall include the candidates of non-political
organisations. Following the counting of the votes for each voting and provided the
results are entered in a special document which shall be signed by all members of the
Electoral Committee, the President of the Committee announces to the plenum the
results of the voting. The ballots and the documents in which the results are entered
shall be kept in a special area at the Council's offices and shall not be destroyed. In
case further arrangements are needed in relation to the voting procedure, the matter
shall be determined through internal regulations which will be adopted by the
Members Meeting.

d) During the voting procedure the organisations are required to mark on their ballot
using the signs of x, + or at least two options with a maximum of four. If they mark
fewer or more organisations the ballot shall be invalid. Furthermore, they shall choose
at least one political and at least one non-political organisation and if not the ballot
shall be invalid.

e) As regards the positions at the Administrative Board, except the position of the
President, 4 political and 4 non-political organisations shall be elected. The political
youth organisations are: the Political Youth Organisations of the Political Parties and
student associations.

f) The candidate who has received most votes, in a separate procedure, shall be elected
as the President. Vice-presidents A' and B' shall be the candidates who have received
the most votes: one from the group of the political youth organisations and one from
the group of the non-political ones. In the event of a tie the Administrative Board
declares who the Vice-President A' and who the Vice-president B' shall be. For the
rest six positions at the Administrative Board the candidates who have received most
votes shall be elected as follows: the first three from the group of political youth
organisations and the first three from the group of non-political ones. The six
members of the Administrative Board, as referred above, undertake specific
responsibilities - offices following a decision by the Administrative Board, during the
first meeting.

g) Each candidate shall run for only one position. Each organisation has the right to
nominate only one candidate.

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h) Its members are elected among candidates who are nominated by the Full Member
organisations of the Members Meeting and have the right to be elected for up to 2
terms.

i) The first candidate in votes of each column shall automatically become a Vice-
president.

Article 17 Composition of the Administrative Board
a) It consists of 9 members,

b) Serves a two-year term.

c) It consists of the President, two Vice-presidents, the Secretary-General, the Projects
Officer, the Public Relations Officer, the International Relations Officer, the Press and
Information Officer and the Finance Officer.

Article 18 Replacing Members of the Administrative Board
A. A member of the Administrative Board is expelled and replaced:

a) If unjustifiably misses three consecutive meetings or six meetings overall, either
justifiably or not.

b) If convicted by a criminal court for an offense of theft or an offense which involves
the element of moral turpitude or is of ignominious nature and following a relevant
decision by the Members Meeting by simple majority of the organisations present.

c) In case of resignation: If a member of the Administrative Board expresses the will to
resign, this shall be promulgated with a letter which shall be sent to the Council's
office.


B. A vacancy at the Administrative Board is relayed to a person of the same organisation
only in case of serious health grounds or transition abroad for a long period. During a
term of service an organisation may replace its representative only once, with the assent
of the Administrative Boards simple majority.

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C. In any other case a person shall be chosen from a reserve list which shall be compiled at
the preceding electoral meeting, in accordance to the number of votes received, starting
from the candidate who had received the most votes.

Article 19 Responsibilities and Operation of the Administrative Board
a) Represents the Council in a local level and abroad.

b) The decisions are taken by consensus. If no consensus can be reached on a particular
topic the decisions are taken by simple majority of those present.

c) Executes the provisions of these Articles of Association and the decisions of its organs
more widely and depending on the matter or the programme in collaboration with
thematic committees or depending on the respective Full Members of the Council.

d) For practical reasons, between two meetings, calls a representative of each member-
organisation or associate member for updating and coordination purposes in relation to
current issues or other issues of common interest.

e) Has also the responsibility of executing and keeping minutes of the meetings and the
meetings of the Administrative Board.

f) In order to execute their responsibilities, members of the Administrative Board may
invite volunteers to help them accomplish their tasks.

g) The Administrative Board compiles Service Plans for the positions available at the
Council and employment contracts for the professional staff of the Council. It also
decides on vacancies and the employment of professional staff in accordance to the
procedures which shall be defined with internal regulations and adopted at the Members
Meeting. The Service Plans relating to positions which require paid staff shall be adopted
by the absolute majority of the Members Meeting.

h) The Administrative Board as the governing organ needs to control whether the member-
organisations of the Council continue fulfilling the basic criteria based on which they
maintain the status of a full member or an associate member and accordingly makes
suggestions to the Members Meeting as to the modification of their status. The
Members Meeting takes the decision by absolute majority of those present.

i) All members may be in charge of each office only for one term.

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j) The frequency of meetings of the Administrative Board shall be determined with internal
regulations and validated by the Members Meeting.

Article 20 Responsibilities of the Officers in the Administrative Board

a) The President presides over the organs of the Council. The President represents the
Council in public and in relations with other organisations, public or not, in a local level
or abroad, represents the Council at court and out of court and exercises any duties
assigned by the collective organs and is in charge of the general coordination of the
Administrative Board and the Council in general.

b) Vice-president A temporarily replaces the President in case of the Presidents absence.
Vice-president A has the responsibility for matters relating to the European Union,
contacts the member-organisations and has the duties relating to the participation of
organisations in the activities of the Council.

c) Vice-president B temporarily replaces the President and Vice-president A in case of
their absence. Vice-president B has the responsibility for matters relating to the Council
of Europe and the National Youth Policy and promotes research on topics that affect
young people. Vice-president B has also the responsibility for the operation of the
Councils office.

d) The Secretary-General keeps a record of all members in consultation with the President
and has the responsibility for the prompt expedition of the Councils correspondence. The
Secretary-General has the responsibility of keeping a record for the Council and prepares
the daily agenda in consultation with the President. The Secretary-General has also the
responsibility of keeping a record of minutes of the Members Meeting and the meetings
of the Administrative Board.

e) The Projects Officer has the responsibility of coordinating projects which the Council
may undertake and the responsibility of representing the Council in meetings with other
bodies for the organisation or participation in other projects. The Projects Officer has also
the responsibility for developing educational projects and training projects either as a
Youth Council or in direct collaboration with member-organisations.

f) The Public Relations Officer has duties relating to public relations and maintains contact
with various offices and organisations with which the Council cooperates. The Public
Relations Officer has the responsibility for updating and developing the Council and the
responsibility for organising campaigns in relation to issues that affect young people. The
Public Relations Officer has also the duty of finding new organisations.
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g) The International Relations Officer has duties relating to the international relations of the
Council. Among others the International Relations Officer has the responsibility for the
Euromediterranean Collaboration, the United Nations Youth Program, the
Commonwealth Youth Program and the wider development of intercultural dialogue and
collaboration, equality and human rights. The International Relations Officer closely
collaborates with the Secretary-General for the prompt expedition of the Councils
correspondence and anything arising from that.

h) The Press and Information Officer preserves the relations with the press and media. The
Press and Information Officer has the responsibility of issuing newsletters, press releases
and maintaining and updating the webpage. The Press and Information Officer together
with the Public Relations Officer has also the duty of organising campaigns and
publishing the relevant documentation. The Press and Information Officer is responsible
for the publications issued by the Council.

i) The Finance Officer has the duty of maintaining and updating the accounting system, the
financial relations with private and public bodies, collecting and monitoring the
subscriptions and updating the system, the prompt fulfilment of any financial obligations
of the Council and fundraising to cover the financial needs of the Council. The Finance
Officer is responsible for preparing the annual budget and the annual final accounts and
the preparation of the annual financial report.


Article 21 The Financial Control Committee

a) The Committee is elected at the forthcoming Members Meeting of the electoral
Members Meeting following a secret voting for a two-year term and has three members.
The Committee forms an organ at its first meeting and consists of the President and two
Members.

b) Candidacies are submitted to the Administrative Board a month prior to the Members
Meeting and they are promulgated to the members together with the documentation for
the Members Meeting.

c) The Committee has the responsibility to conduct internal checks to the finances of the
Council, to the financial agreements of the Council and to prepare a report for the Annual
Members Meeting. The Committee assembles at least three times each year.

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d) In accordance to the law, the Members Meeting is under a duty to appoint a chartered
accountant to check the accounts of the Council.

e) The President and the Members of the Committee shall not have been appointed at the
immediately preceding Administrative Board, nor belong to member-organisations which
are represented at the Administrative Board.

Article 22 Committees of the Council
The Council may operate permanent or temporary committees to facilitate its operation.
Regarding its international presence the Council may be represented depending on the topic from
representatives of member-organisations with a special interest.

Article 23 Financial Resources of the Council
The Council may enjoy the following financial resources:
a) Members subscriptions,
b) State aid,
c) Incomes from lawful activities within its objectives,
d) Incomes from donations, events, sponsorships or advertisements.


Article 24

The formal languages of the Council are Greek and Turkish. The English language may be used
as the working language.


Article 25 Dissolution of the Council

The Council shall be dissolved in accordance to Articles 24 and 25 of The Societies and
Institutions Laws 1972 and 1997 following a decision taken by the 2/3 of Full Members. In case
of dissolution of the Council the repayment of any debts and financial obligations of the Council
shall be a priority. The remaining assets of the Council shall be allocated to non-governmental
organisations which perform humanitarian work, following a decision by the Members Meeting
by simple majority.


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CHAPTER 6 Provisional Provisions

Article 26

a) The founding members shall automatically become Full Members.

b) For matters not provided for in these Articles of Association the Administrative Board
shall decide by full majority of its members which will be validated or rejected at the
forthcoming Members Meeting.

c) The duration of the first term of the Financial Control Committee shall be one year.

d) The provisions of these Articles of Association shall have immediate effect.

e) Any provision of these Articles of Association which is disputed shall be exclusively
interpreted by the Members Meeting.



Nicosia, 9
th
July 2005