Charter
Chapter I General Provisions
Article 1 Introduction
Belt and Road Cultural Heritage Global Alliance (hereinafter referred to as “BRCHGA”) consists of the universities, cultural and museum institutions, research institutes and other organizations in countries and regions along the Belt and Road. BRCHGA is a non-profit unincorporated organization on international cultural heritage cooperation crossing disciplines, fields and industries.
Organization Name in Chinese: “一带一路”文化遗产国际合作联盟
Abbreviation in Chinese: 文化遗产国际联盟
Organization Name in English: Belt and Road Cultural Heritage Global Alliance
Abbreviation in English: BRCHGA
Initiator: Northwestern Polytechnical University, P.R. China
Guiding Organization: Shaanxi Provincial Cultural Heritage Administration, P.R. China
Working Languages: Chinese and English
Office of the Secretariat: Northwestern Polytechnical University, No.127 Youyi West Road, Xi’an, Shaanxi Province, P.R. China
Article 2 Purpose
BRCHGA aims to carry out innovative research on cultural heritage protection and utilization, promote cultural development and prosperity, explore and innovate new ways of people-to-people exchange, so as to strengthen international cooperation and people-to-people bond in countries and regions along the Belt and Road and build a community with a shared future for mankind.
Chapter II Structure and Obligations
Article 3 Structure
1. The Council is BRCHGA’s supreme authority. Each Council Member shall appoint one delegate to form the Council for a term of four years.
2. BRCHGA Executive Council consists of five Permanent Executives and four Non-permanent Executives. The Permanent Executives are selected on the First Council Meeting. The Non-permanent Executives for a term of four years, which shall serve no more than two consecutive terms, are selected on corresponding Council Meeting in accordance with its term. The number of Permanent and Non-permanent Executives can be adjusted according to work demands. The Executive Council Meeting can be held on an irregular basis due to practical requirements.
3. BRCHGA has one Rotating Chair for a term of four years, which is nominated by the Executive Council and shall serve no more than two consecutive terms.
4. BRCHGA can have several consultants nominated by the Secretariat and approved by the Executive Council.
5. The Secretariat is obliged to deal with the daily affairs of BRCHGA and responsible for the Council. The Secretariat is based in Northwestern Polytechnical University (hereinafter referred to as “NPU”). The Secretariat has one Secretary General and several Deputy Secretaries General nominated by the Executive Council and approved by the Council for a term of four years.
Article 4 Obligations of the Council
1. Deliberate and approve the Charter and other regulations.
2. Deliberate and approve to revise the name and the organizational structure of BRCHGA.
3. Deliberate and decide the termination and the dissolution of BRCHGA.
4. Elect the Executive Council.
5. Hold the Annual Meeting by the Rotating Chair and the Council Meeting every two years.
6. Each resolution made by the Council Meeting shall come into effect while more than two-thirds of Council Members attending the Council Meeting voted for the resolution.
Article 5 Obligations of the Executive Council
1. Formulate development strategies plan and goals of BRCHGA and make important academic events plan, annual working plan and summary.
2. Appoint the Rotating Chair, deliberate the Annual Meeting scheme. The topics and agenda should be proposed by the Council members, collected by the Secretariat and submitted to the Executive Council for approval.
3. Nominate candidates for Secretary General and Deputy Secretary General, debrief and deliberate the working report of the Secretariat.
4. Deliberate and approve the admission and withdrawal of the Council Member.
5. Exercise the Council’s authority during its adjournment. Hold at least one plenary session annually, in which over two-thirds of the Executive Council Members should attend. Each resolution made by the Executive Council Meeting shall take effect while more than two-thirds of Council Members attending the Council Meeting voting for the resolution.
6. Deliberate and decide other important items.
Article 6 Obligations of the Rotating Chair
1. Be responsible for the annual work of BRCHGA, convene and preside the Executive Council Meeting.
2. Prepare for the Annual Meeting of BRCHGA.
3. Deal with other affairs authorized by the Executive Council.
Article 7 Obligations of the Secretariat
1. Assist the Council and the Executive Council to draft development plan, management systems, annual working summary and report, etc.
2. Draft and release research project guidelines, organize the application, manage the whole research procedure, record the outcomes, etc.
3. Be responsible for contacts and communications among Council Members and with other organizations.
4. Prepare for meeting documents and other files, construct and maintain the official website of BRCHGA, and be responsible for news and publicity.
5. NPU is going to raise funds for the operational expense of the Secretariat Office.
6. The Secretary General can sit in on the Executive Council Meeting, sign documents on behalf of BRCHGA, and nominate the staff of the Secretariat Office to the Executive Council.
7. Each Council Member should assign a liaison and provide his/her contact information.
Chapter III Council Member
Article 8 Application for Membership
Any university, cultural and museum institution, research institute and other organizations willing to abide by the Charter and assume obligations can apply for membership. The applicant shall submit the application form and other supporting documents to the Secretariat for preliminary review. Then the Secretariat shall report the application to the Executive Council for approval. After the Executive Council approve the application, the applicant will be granted as the Council Member. The Secretariat shall record the new Council Member’s information and keep all other Council Members informed.
Article 9 Requirements
Council Members shall meet the following requirements,
1. Have geographical, technical or resource advantages on cultural heritage protection.
2. Have the ability to grasp and understand the requirement in a certain field of cultural heritage protection.
3. Be able to gather and utilize various resources devoting to cultural heritage protection.
4. Abide by laws and regulations, fulfill social responsibility and obligations on the basis of relevant laws.
Article 10 Rights
1. Affiliate or withdraw voluntarily.
2. Share resources owned by BRCHGA in compliance with the Charter, relevant agreements and regulations.
3. Sit in on various meetings, exercise the rights corresponding to its own membership.
4. Apply for research projects in the name for BRCHGA with the approval by the Executive Council.
5. Have the priority and preferential treatment while applying for the use of research achievements of BRCHGA.
6. Host or undertake relevant activities by the name of BRCHGA with the approval by the Executive Council.
7. Propose the Rotating Chair to hold a temporary Council Meeting via the Secretariat in special and urgent cases.
Article 11 Obligations
1. Abide by the Chart and other regulations, implement BRCHGA’s resolutions.
2. Participate in various activities organized by BRCHGA, provide relevant resources, and be devoted to the construction and development of BRCHGA.
3. Safeguard legal rights and interests of BRCHGA.
4. Each project applied or undertaken in the name of BRCHGA shall be supervised and inspected by BRCHGA and be complied with corresponding contracts or agreements. Once a project has been authorized, all Council Members associated with the project shall not renounce BRCHGA unless the project have been completed ,checked and accepted.
5. Promote the transformation and popularization of research achievements of BRCHGA.
6. Respect traditional customs of each Council Member’s homeland, abide by the laws and regulations of various countries and regions.
Article 12 Withdrawal and Expulsion
1. A Council Member to withdraw from BRCHGA shall submit the written application to the Secretariat six months in advance. Its membership will be terminated while the Executive Council approves the application. It shall not reapply for the membership within two years since its withdrawal.
2. If a Council Member violates the Charter, laws and regulations, or BRCHGA’s management systems, the Secretariat shall propose the Executive Council to terminate its membership. The Council Member shall be expelled with the approval of the Executive Council. Meanwhile, The expellee shall undertake full responsibility for all losses and consequences caused. It shall not reapply the membership within five years since it’s expelled.
3. Once a Council Member withdraws or is expelled, it shall rtake full responsibility for all following losses and consequences, including but not limited to, all expense and input that it has been spent shall not be refunded, all issues related to intellectual property shall be handled in accordance with relevant agreement and regulations, the account settlement, confidentiality and dispute resolution in specific project agreements or contracts shall still be implemented in accordance with the Charter, laws and regulations.
Chapter IV Main Task
Article 13 Strategic Research
BRCHGA should conduct strategic research on cultural heritage, promote construction think tanks, strengthen the abilities of top-level design, policy making, public platform construction, talent cultivation and public service. BRCHGA should also draw up cross-regional development strategy and medium and long term development plan of cultural heritage, which will provide guidance for improving research and protection on cultural heritage along the Belt and Road via integrating and utilizing high quality social resources, working innovatively together.
Article 14 Talent Cultivation
Balancing urgent needs and sustainable development demands, BRCHGA actively introduces high-level talent and research team, establishes an effective talent cultivation mechanism combining theoretical education and practical training, and cultivates innovative talents relying on each Council Member.
Article 15 International Cooperation
On the basis of making full use of the abundant and diversified cultural heritage resources in countries and regions along the Belt and Road, BRCHGA encourages to construct joint laboratory or working center, exchange visiting scholars and carry out special research among Council Members, etc. BRCHGA is devoted to strengthening in-depth scientific cooperation on cultural heritage protection in countries and regions along the Belt and Road, and works together to address challenges in the field of cultural heritage.
Article 16 Transformation of Scientific and Technological Achievements
BRCHGA is devoted to promoting practical needs and scientific achievements transformation of cultural heritage. BRCHGA will supply a scientific achievement information sharing platform, strengthen development and application of scientific achievements data, publicize relevant achievements to the public through websites, newsletters, conferences, exhibitions and other forms, and promote the application of scientific innovations.
Chapter V Supplementary Provisions
Article 17 During the preparation stage, BRCHGA used the name in Chinese-“一带一路”文化遗产保护科技创新联盟 and the name in English - Belt and Road Cultural Heritage Conservation and Sci-Tech Innovation Alliance (abbr. BRCSIA). All documents, such as accession confirmation letters, which have been signed with the above names remain valid.
Article 18 For matters that are not clarified and mentioned in the Charter, each Council Member could propose to the Council on the principle of fairness and mutual benefit in accordance with relevant laws and international practices. The Council will deliberate the proposal and approve amendment or supplement.
Article 19 Chinese version shall prevail if any contradiction between Chinese and English version occurs.
Article 20 The Charter shall come into effect from the date of approval on the inaugural meeting of BRCHGA.
