Statutes

PREAMBLE TO STATUTES

The Baltic Writers Council is a multinational, non‑profit, non‑governmental organisation, open to all writers’ and translators’ unions in the following countries: Belarus, Denmark, Estonia, the Faroe Island, Finland, Germany, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway, Poland, Russia and Sweden.

Other organisations may also be invited to take part in the activities of the Baltic Writers’ Council.

The member organisations of the Baltic Writers’ Council ‑

realizing the commitment that writers and translators have to the promotion of democracy, peace and freedom of expression,

recognizing the rights of all people in the Baltic area, regardless of the level of their political, social and economic development, to pursue the ideals of participatory democracy, to develop their languages, cultures and literatures in freedom, and to profit from each others’ experiences and accomplishment,

appreciating that organisations in the international field such as UNESCO have a mandate to achieve the aims and objectives above, and that many organisations of writers and translators are pursuing these goals,

noting that there is room for another international forum to promote the unity of the human family out of the diversity of concerns and interests to ensure a dignified future for the written word in the Baltic area,

have adopted the following statues:

Article I: Foundation

The Baltic Writers’ Council (hereinafter: the BWC) was founded as a result of the Baltic Waves’ Cruise in 1992. Its preliminary constitution was signed by the following organisations: The Danish Writers’ Association, The Estonian Writers’ Union, The Finnish Writers’ Union, the Society of Swedish Writers in Finland, The Union of Finnish Translators and Interpreters, The German Writers’ Union (within the Media Union), The Writers’ Union of Iceland, Kaliningrad Writers’ Union, The Writers’ Union of Latvia, The Lithuanian Writers’ Union, The Norwegian Authors’ Union, The Norwegian Playwrights’ Association, The Norwegian Association of Writers for Children and Young People, The Norwegian Association for Literary Translators, The Norwegian Association of Non‑fiction Writers and Translators, The Association of Polish Writers, The Writers’ Union of St. Petersburg, Russia, The Swedish Writers’ Union.

Article II: Objects of the BWC

to promote the free flow of ideas and information between the Baltic writers’ and translators’ organisations:
to provide a meeting place for the representatives of those organisations.
to promote the cultural diversity in the spirit of UNESCO.

Article III: Life of the BWC

No terms is set to the life of the Council.

Article IV: Headquarters

The headquarters of the BWC shall be in Visby, Gotland, Sweden. The headquarters may be changed by a decision of the General Assembly of the BWC, taken by a two thirds majority vote.

The BWC shall support and inspire the activities and co‑ordinate the international relations of the Baltic Centre for Writers and Translators (hereinafter: the BCWT) in Visby, Gotland, Sweden ‑ this Centre having been granted, in 1996, UNESCO‑status as an international cultural body.

Relations between the BWC and the BCWT are regulated in an addendum to these statutes, this addendum being open to annual revision.

Article V: Membership

The BWC shall consist of writers’ and translators’ unions in the following countries: Belarus, Denmark, Estonia, the Faroe Islands, Finland, Germany, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway, Poland, Russia and Sweden approved by the BWC. The BWC also has the right to accept organisations from outside the Baltic area, as well as international organisations, if the General Assembly considers the organisation in question suitable to be a member.

Article VI: Organs of the BWC

The organs of the BWC shall be the General Assembly and the Board of the BWC.

Article VII: General Assembly

The General Assembly (hereinafter: the GA) shall consist of all the members of the
Council. It shall convene annually at the BCWT, Visby, Sweden.

The GA shall:

1) be the sole authority for the admission to the BWC of new members;
2) elect its Board (Executive Committee), its Chairperson and two auditors, one of which
representing the BWC;
3) approve the commitments of the previous year, adopt the budget for the following year and have the authority in all matters regarding the operation of the BWC and the accomplishment of the tasks for which the latter was created;
4) give the countries represented in the BWC two votes each, irrespectively of the number of organisations taking part in the work of the BWC;
5) be presided over by the Chairperson who convened it or, if for any reason this is not possible, by the elected Vice‑chairperson. If neither the Chairperson nor the Vice-chairperson can preside, the GA shall elect its own Chairperson for the session.

Article VIII: The Board of the BWC

The Board of the BWC is elected by its GA for a two‑year mandate. The Board shall
consist of five members, choosing among themselves secretary and Vice‑chairperson. Two
members of the Board being elected in years of equal numbers and three in years of
unequal numbers.

The Board shall:

1) direct the activities of the BWC on the grounds proposed by its GA;
2) be the administrative link between the BWC and the BCWT;
3) investigate the possibilities of supranational literary organisations, as well as
international ones, to become members of the BWC upon application;
4) prepare the agenda for the GA, after consulting the member organisations;
5) ensure the implementation of the resolutions adopted by the GA of the BWC.

Article IX: Co‑operation with other organisations

For the execution of its task, the BWC shall have recourse:

1) to all member organisations;
2) to groups of national literary committees in the Baltic area;
3) to national committees for UNESCO
4) to national organisations with which it has entered or may enter into relation.

The BWC may conclude agreements with such above mentioned bodies, which agreements shall be drafted by authority of the Board and shall enter into force on approval by the GA.

Article X: Working Commissions

The BWC may initiate projects to be carried out amongst itself, its member organisations or by working commissions regardless of their membership of the Council. Each project shall result in a report to the BWC.

Article XI: Budget

The financial resources of the BWC shall be derived from:

fees paid by member organisations, at an amount unanimously decided upon by the GA;
2) grants by international organisations, inter‑governmental bodies or public bodies; 3) legacies or grants from private bodies or persons in the Baltic area.

Article XII: Amendments of the statutes

Proposals to amend these statutes shall be forwarded in writing to the Board of the BWC, which shall decide whether or not to call an extraordinary session of the GA to consider the matter.

Article XIII: Rules of the procedure

The detailed application of these statutes shall be laid down in Rules of Procedure which shall be submitted by the Board of the BWC to its GA.


ADDENDUM TO STATUTES

In accordance with the Statutes of the Baltic Writers’ Council (BWC), as adopted by the General Assembly in Visby, Febr. 22nd 1997, the BWC

RESOLVES that it is the aim of the BWC through its representatives
on the Board of the Baltic Centre of Writers and
Translators (BCWT) to, promote the truly international
(interregional) interests of the said Centre;

ELECTS two representatives, approved of by the General Assembly of the BWC, to serve on the Board of theBCWT on a two‑year mandate, these representatives being chosen from two different countries represented in the BWC.

EXPECTS from its representatives on the Board of the BCWT
reports on proposals for activities of the Centre;

Representing 21 literary organizations, 12 countries and 17 000 members