Charter of ARC•PEACE
International Architects Designers Planners for Social Responsibility

(revised and adopted in Chicago 18 June 1993 and Stockholm 13 June 2000)

Preamble
The civic and creative mission of architects, designers and planners is to build and create for peaceful purposes. The creative work of our professions consists of planning, designing and preserving the environment and human habitat. Architects, designers and planners of many countries have organized internationally against weapons of mass destruction and for non-violent conflict resolution among nations, for the protection of our natural environment and for responsible development of our built environment.

Article I: Name and status
ARC•PEACE International Architects Designers Planners for Social Responsibility is an international organization of architects, designers and planners. ARC•PEACE has a status as a Non-Government Organization (Category II) with the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations.

Article II: Purposes and Tasks

1. ARC•PEACE has these goals:
a. to pursue actively the reduction and subsequent elimination of nuclear, biological, chemical and conventional weapons and other means of mass annihilation, both on earth and in space, and to support avenues for non-violent resolution of conflicts;
b. to exercise our professional expertise in helping to protect the natural environment from further destruction;
c. to exercise our professional expertise in helping to design, improve and preserve a socially responsible built environment.
d. to support the conversion of national economies from war to peace and the diversion of funds from weaponry to the above needs and to other critical obligations of society.

2. ARC•PEACE will pursue the above goals in the following ways:
a. By expanding the number of its members in order to reach the largest and broadest segments of our profession worldwide. This includes assistance in the formation of organizations in areas where they do not as yet exist;
b. by broadcasting our goals worldwide through electronic networking, newsletters, declarations, position papers, and other means of communication;
c. by conducting meetings, conferences, exhibitions, competitions and other informative events relevant to our professions;
d. by coordinating activities with international professional and other non-government organizations;
e. by promoting our goals within research, education, union policies, and other means of professional development.

Article III: Membership
Members of ARC•PEACE can be organizations or individual architects, designers, planners or students expressing a desire to enter the Organization and advocating its goals.

Article IV: Structure
1. The highest steering body of ARC•PEACE is the Board. Member organizations appoint persons to the Board. Those appointed may then elect additional individuals to serve the Organization. The Board shall elect Chair/Co-chairs, Secretary, Treasurer and other members of an Executive Committee. The Executive Committee shall implement the policies of the Board.

2. The Board shall meet at least once in three years. At such meetings the following items need to be included in the agenda: a) Membership reports, b) Reports from Chair/Co-chairs, and other members of the Executive Committee, c) Financial status, d) Composition of the Board, e) Election of Chair(s) andBoard members, f) Motions put forward by members, and g) Venue of next Board meeting. In between Board meetings decisions can be taken by email or other types of modern communications.

Article V: Finances
1. The financial resources of ARC•PEACE come from annual fees from members plus contributions from all other activities of the Organization.

2. The minimum amount of the fees shall be determined by the ARC•PEACE Board, or, if delegated, by the Executive Committee. Upon request to the Board (or Executive Commitee, if delegated) members can be exempted from membership fee.

Article VI: General Provisions
1. All amendments to this Charter must be approved by 2/3 of the members of the Board.
2. In the case of dissolution of ARC•PEACE, all of its property shall be transferred to such professional organizations as have goals related to ARC•PEACE.