By REVISED AND APPROVED IN THE SECOND ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING OF THE GENERAL MEMBERSHIP OF PEN ERITREA CONVENED ON THIS 6TH DAY OF JULY 2017 IN LILLEHAMMER, NORWAY
Section I: General Principles
Article 1.
PEN Eritrea is founded with the objective of promoting, in an Eritrean context, the broader objective of PEN International, understood generally as that
of promoting literature and freedom of expression. PEN Eritrea is committed to the promotion of literature in all Eritrean languages. Its language
of communication is English. PEN Eritrea, also known as PEN Eritrea in Exile, represents only the interests of its members.
Article 2.
PEN Eritrea shall have three major bodies, which are: the General Membership, the Executive Committee, and the Advisory Board.
Section II: Organizational Matters
Article 3.
1. The General Membership is the highest legislative body of PEN Eritrea. Its main responsibilities are:
- a.Electing members of the Executive Committee and the Advisory Board;
- b.Approving the annual or periodic reports of the Executive Committee, including financial reports;
- c.Approving proposed amendments of this Charter;
- d.Hearing on relevant appeals (such as those of denial of application of membership); and
- e.Other important matters as would be defined by the General Membership and included in this Charter by way of amendments.
Article 4.
1. The Executive Committee shall consist an Executive Director, a Secretary and a Treasurer, all of whom shall be elected by the General Membership.
2. The main responsibility of the Executive Committee is conducting the day-to-day activities of PEN Eritrea, based on the main objective of PEN Eritrea
as defined in this Charter.
3. Members of the Executive Committee shall serve for a maximum term of three years, renewable only once. A member can be re-elected after a lapse of a
minimum of one term out of office.
4. Anyone who serves in the Executive Committee is not allowed to assume any office or position with any governmental or non-governmental organization
during the time when such person serves at the Executive Committee.
5. Depending on its workload and availability of resources, the Executive Committee may co-opt or hire additional experts or professionals (from members
or non-members of PEN Eritrea). External experts may be recruited only when the required skills cannot be provided by members of PEN Eritrea.
6. The sole role of the co-opted members shall be to assist the duly elected Executive Committee members in the performance of their duties. The co-opted
members shall have no voting rights.
7. The Executive Committee may also set up ad hoc sub-committees that may be deemed relevant for the promotion of the main objective of PEN Eritrea.
Article 5.
1. The Advisory Board shall consist of a President and two members, who shall be elected by the General Membership. The President of the Advisory Board
is also the President of PEN Eritrea.
2. Members of the Advisory Board shall serve for a maximum term of three years, renewable only once. A member can be re-elected after a lapse of a minimum
of one term out of office.
3. The role of the Advisory Board shall be that of advising the Executive Committee on how best to promote the main objective of PEN Eritrea. Any opinion
or decision of the Advisory Board shall have no binding effect on the Executive Committee.
Section III: Membership and Finance
Article 6.
1. Any writer committed to the main objective of PEN Eritrea may apply for membership at PEN Eritrea. For purposes of this Charter, a writer may mean a
poet, essayist, novelist, journalist, columnist, blogger, researcher, editor, screen writer, playwright, satirist, translator, whistle blower and other
artists without any discrimination.
2. Application for membership must be accompanied by a CV and a cover letter, containing relevant details about the applicant as an established writer
(based on the definition of a writer provided in this Article). The application must be endorsed by two existing members of PEN Eritrea. The Executive
Committee, to which the application must be submitted, may prepare a standard application form, to be completed by new applicants.
3. An applicant whose application for membership is not approved by the Executive Committee may appeal to the General Membership. Such an appeal may also
be made by any member of PEN Eritrea on behalf of the aspirant applicant.
4. An objection with regard to the approval of an application for membership can be made to the General Membership by any member of PEN Eritrea. All membership
related issues shall be decided only in the regular sessions of the General Membership.
5. Any member of PEN Eritrea who does not comply with their membership obligations or who behaves in a manner contrary to the main objective of PEN Eritrea
may have their membership suspended by the Executive Committee. A final determination on the suspension shall be made in the next annual general meeting
(AGM) of the General Membership.
6. In case of misconduct on the part of members of the Executive Committee or the Advisory Board, an emergency meeting of the General Membership may be
called by at least one-third (33%) of the General Membership.
Article 7
1. The financial affairs of PEN Eritrea must be handled in accordance with conventional working methods of monetary accountability.
2. All financial transactions of PEN Eritrea shall be approved by the Executive Director and Secretary of Executive Committee. Actual transactions shall
be undertaken by the Treasurer.
Section VI Miscellaneous Provisions
Article 8
1. In case of any disagreement not covered by this Chapter, disputes must be resolved by appointing three mediators. In such case, each disputant must
elect one mediator and the third one must be elected by both mediators. If this does not work out, the dispute must be resolved by Swedish courts and
according to Swedish law.
2. PEN Eritrea can be dissolved by a decision of the General Membership supported by a vote of two-thirds (67%) in two consecutive AGMs. In case of dissolution,
all financial assets and property of PEN Eritrea must be bequeathed to an organization or initiative working in the area of literature or freedom of
expression.
REVISED AND APPROVED
IN THE SECOND ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
OF THE GENERAL MEMBERSHIP OF PEN ERITREA
CONVENED ON THIS 6TH DAY OF JULY 2017
IN LILLEHAMMER, NORWAY
