Extract from the Constitution

 art. 5  – Aims of the Association

The Association, in line with its principles of solidarity and friendship aims to foster, amongst the people of Sicily and Australia at the core of its practice, the following:

  •  The exchange of cultural activities in the fields of art, sport and human endeavour so as to support and promote the highest spiritual and intellectual achievements of the people of Sicily and Australia.
  •  The facilitation of meetings amongst Sicilians, resident in Australia and Australians resident in Sicily, with the aim of maintaining the culture and traditions of their homeland. Particular attention will be dedicated to youth in order to ensure that the ties with the land of their ancestors and its language, traditions and culture will not be forgotten.
  • Providing assistance to Sicilian migrants in Australia (through the involvement, if required, of local institutions) to enable them to reconnect with lost relatives and retrace their cultural roots, in so doing facilitating “ journeys of memories” during which the Sicilian diaspora in Australia can discover the land of their ancestors.
  •  Providing assistance to Sicilians in understanding the language, land, traditions and culture of Australia and vice-versa, presenting Sicily to the people of Australia as the cradle of the Mediterranean civilization.
  •  Promoting the learning of the Italian and Australian languages, history and art through courses at various levels in Sicily (Italy) and in Australia.
  •  Promoting and supporting academic studies relating to the literary and linguistic heritage of Sicily.
  •  Setting up Prizes and Scholarships for students and academics in Australia who wish to study in Sicily and vice-versa for Sicilian academics who are interested in researching and studying in Australia.
  • Promoting and presenting (in collaboration with schools, colleges and universities in Sicily and Australia)  Seminars, Master classes and educative projects/exchanges focused on the promotion of culture and academic pursuit
  • Setting up in Sicily and Australia, at institutions best suited to house them, collections of books and other published material on Sicily and Australia.
  •  Creating a website to promote and communicate information about the Association to members and others interested in its work and to promote and communicate the work and objectives of the Association to Embassies, Consulates, and sister organizations throughout the world.
  •  Setting up of a Head Office of the Association in Sicily and of an Office in Australia as headquarters for the work of the Association.  Also, in accordance to need, setting up Regional Offices to promote a more in depth presence at local level in both Sicily and Australia. The setting up and running of the Australian Head Office and Regional Offices will be monitored by the Directors of the Association.
  •  Promoting meetings, debates, exhibitions, and other cultural events in line with the association’s objectives.
  •  Collecting funds necessary to the carrying out of its activities and the meeting of its objectives.

    Art. 9

The Members of the Association can be:

  • Founding Members – Are Founding Members those people who have participated in the creation of the Association  having  defined its aims an objectives.
  • Ordinary Members – Organizations or people of any nationality and of 18yrs and older, whose request for Membership has been accepted by the Executive Committee after it has ensured that the Applicant meets the requirements of good conduct and moral rectitude upheld by the Association.
  •   A request for Membership must be endorsed by at least a Founding Member or an Ordinary Member with at least 2 (two) years membership of the Association.
  •   The Executive Committee reserves the right to reject an application for Membership by notifying the aspiring member in writing and within the period of fourty days from the receipt of the application. If no notice of rejection has been received during this period it will be understood by all parties that the application has been accepted. The decision of the Executive Committee is final and no discusion will be entered into.
  •  Once acceptance of the Membership Application has been notified to the aspiring member, this person is required to pay the relevant Membership Fee for that year as stipulated by the Executive Committee.
  • After at least 2 (two) years of active membership to the Associaton, Ordinary Members who have paid their Annual fees can be elected by the General Assembly to serve on the Executive Committee of the Association.
  • Supporting Members – Those Members who frequent the Association, supporting its activities and participating in its initiatives. People aspiring to become Supporting Members must have their request for membership endorsed by at least a Founding Member or a Supporting Member with at least 2 (two) years membership of the Association.
  • These members are required to pay an annual Membership Fee as stipulated by the Executive Committee. They can participate as observers to the Association’s Assemblies but they hold no voting rights.
  • Aggregated Members – Youth – These are young people of any nationality who are less then 18 years of age and whose application for Membership to the Association has been accepted by the Executive Committee after it has ascertained that the good conduct and moral rectitude of those aspiring to become Aggregate Members  meet the requirements upheld by the Association.
  • Requests to Aggregate Membership – Youth must have the endorsement of at least a Founding Member or a Supporting Member with at least 2 (two) years membership of the Association.
  •   Once acceptance of the Membership Application has been notified to the aspiring member, this person is required to pay the relevant Membership Fee for that year as stipulated by the Executive Committee.
  • Onorary Members –  People chosen by the Executive Committee for their particular expertise and for the benefits that their presence will bring to the Association.  The nomination to Onorary Member must be endorsed by at least 2 (two) members of the Executive Committee.
  •  These Members can partcipate to all meetings of the Assembly and of the Executive of the Association but do not hold the right to vote, although their opinion will be taken in consideration.

    Art. 10

  • The title of Member will be lost in the circumstances of a member’s death, his/her resignation, defaulted payment of due associative fees or behaviour judged unacceptable by the Executive Committee,  who has the power to expel or disqualify the Member on the grounds of unworhy behaviour or behaviour lacking decorum or for any other justifyable reason.

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