Decision No. 67/2005/QD-BNV on Approving the Charter of the Vietnam Craft Villages Association

Pursuant to …;

Regarding the approval of the Statutes of the Vietnam Craft Villages Association

THE MINISTER OF THE MINISTRY OF HOME AFFAIRS

Pursuant to Decree No. 102/SL-L004 dated May 20, 1957 on the right to establish Associations;

Pursuant to the Government Decree No. 45/2003/NĐ-CP dated May 9, 2003 on the functions, tasks, powers, and organizational structure of the Ministry of Home Affairs;

Pursuant to the Government Decree No. 88/2003/NĐ-CP dated July 30, 2003 on the organization, operation, and management of Associations;

Considering the proposal of the Chairman of the Vietnam Craft Villages Association and the Director of the Department for Non-Governmental Organizations,

DECISION:

Article 1. Approves the Statutes of the Vietnam Craft Villages Association which were adopted at the Founding Congress on May 20, 2005.

Article 2. The Standard Measurement Quality Control Department shall be responsible for organizing and guiding the implementation of the Regulations adopted herein.

Article 3. The Chairman of the Vietnam Craft Villages Association and the Director of the Department for Non-Governmental Organizations shall be responsible for implementing this Decision./.

CHARTER

VIETNAM CRAFT VILLAGES ASSOCIATION

(annexed to Decision No. 67/2005/QĐ-BNV dated July 11, 2005

of the Minister of Home Affairs regarding the approval of the Statutes of the Vietnam Craft Villages Association)

PART I

Name of the Association:

Article 1. The Association takes the name: Vietnam Craft Villages Association.

English name: VIETNAM ASSOCIATION OF CRAFT VILLAGES.

Abbreviation: VICRAFTS.

Article 2. The Vietnam Craft Villages Association is a voluntary social-professional organization of traditional craft villages and streets, enterprises, economic and cultural organizations, entrepreneurs, artisans, and individuals with a passion for preserving, protecting, and developing craft villages and streets in Vietnam.

The purpose of the Association is:

- To gather and unite craft villages, economic and cultural organizations, artisans in craft villages and streets, managers, scientists, cultural figures, research and training institutions, etc., to work together with state agencies to implement the policies of the Party and State on restoring and developing craft villages.

- To contribute to the preservation and development of Vietnamese craft villages; to realize cooperation and collaboration among economic organizations to support each other economically and technically in production and business, service improvement of product value, cultural value of craft village products, and market expansion and product sales.

- To contribute to finding solutions to difficulties arising from the development process through the potential, strength, and intellect of the craft villages themselves, combined with active assistance from society and the state.

- To represent and protect the legitimate rights of members; to help create more jobs and improve the living standards of workers in craft villages and rural areas. To maintain contact with state management agencies to reflect issues related to craft villages and participate in supplementing reasonable policies for the development of craft villages.

- To implement measures to honor and reward artisans, especially senior artisans, and to create conditions and encourage the organization of vocational training for future generations in society.

Article 3. The Vietnam Craft Villages Association has legal personality, its own seal, and separate bank accounts.

Main office: at Hanoi, address number 14, alley 2, Hoa Lu street, Le Dai Hanh ward, Hai Ba Trung district, Hanoi city.

Telephone and Fax: 04.9745347; Mobile: 0913.239761

Email: [email protected]

The Association may establish representative offices both domestically and internationally in accordance with the law.

Article 4. The Vietnam Craft Villages Association operates throughout the country in accordance with the laws of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam and these Statutes.

Article 5. The Vietnam Craft Villages Association is subject to state management by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development in the field of its activities.

Chapter II

TASKS AND POWERS OF THE ASSOCIATION

Article 6. Tasks and powers of the Association

1. Participate in propaganda and education for members to understand clearly the policies, guidelines, and policies of the Party and State in preserving and developing craft villages, promoting production and business, ensuring ecological environment, and improving the living standards of workers.

2. Encourage the enthusiasm and creative labor capacity of members, cooperate and support each other economically and technically in production, business, and services of traditional craft village products based on exchanging experiences, disseminating, and applying new scientific and technological achievements: unite to help each other overcome difficulties, revitalize existing craft villages, develop new craft villages and new crafts... contributing gradually to improving the living standards of rural workers.

3. Assist and advise members in planning product lines, production, and infrastructure construction... seeking markets for consumption, promoting exports. Call for investors to expand and enhance the value and quality of products, reduce production costs. Assist members in registering and protecting intellectual property rights.

Gather the strength of craft villages to jointly conduct trade promotion, establish brands and logos, provide information on market prices, designs, new regulations of the state, set up a common website on the internet. Organize exhibitions, fairs, periodic markets, conferences, seminars to exchange professional experience, encourage cooperation and collaboration between members.

4. Assist in organizing craft village tourism linked with cultural tourism and eco-tourism; gradually form distinctive craft village tourism spots in each region and traditional craft.

5. Open vocational training classes; train and upgrade management skills; particularly emphasize the transmission of skills by veteran artisans to young apprentices... to preserve and develop craft villages sustainably in a socialist-oriented market economy.

6. Represent members to collect opinions, reflect their thoughts and aspirations, and propose to the state about policies, measures to encourage and assist in preserving and developing traditional craft villages, increasing the economic and cultural values of traditional craft village products, protecting the legitimate rights of members, resolving cases and incidents causing damage to the rights of members; encourage members to strictly fulfill their obligations to the state.

7. The Association may be entrusted by state agencies to implement certain programs and projects within the country and those funded by international organizations.

8. Build the organizational structure of the Association and develop members, build material foundations, and expand the scope of the Association.

9. Establish and develop international relations with individuals and organizations in Southeast Asia and around the world in accordance with the law.

10. Organize service centers, advisory bodies, research and training institutions, production and business enterprises... under the Association to operate in accordance with the law.

Publishing books, newspapers, technical dissemination materials, production and business experience sharing, enterprise management experience, promoting village craft culture... in accordance with the provisions of the law.

Chapter III

MEMBERS

Article 7. Members

1. Regular members: Vietnamese legal entities, individuals meeting the following criteria, voluntarily agreeing to the Charter and submitting an application for membership registration are eligible to be considered for admission as regular members of the Association:

- Members who are organizations or groups: including recognized village crafts; registered enterprises, cooperatives, farms, production units, households, individual businesses; economic and cultural organizations operating within village crafts.

- Individual members: including entrepreneurs, artisans, management experts, scientists from economic and cultural fields with a passion for revitalizing and developing Vietnamese village crafts.

2. Associate members: large domestic enterprises, foreign-invested enterprises operating in Vietnam, foreign economic organizations... having the ability and conditions to assist in preserving and revitalizing village crafts, agreeing to the Association's Charter, voluntarily registering as associate members and being recognized by the Association's Standing Board.

3. Honorary members: renowned artisans, leading experts, scientists, cultural-historical researchers with prestige (who have not yet had the opportunity to participate directly), with a passion and special contribution to the development work of the Association, agreeing to the Association's Charter, invited to join by the Association leadership; honorary members do not pay membership fees.

Article 8. Rights of members

1. Participate in congresses, elect representatives to attend the Association's congress.

2. Discuss, vote, question and criticize all activities of the Association; make suggestions and express opinions to state agencies through the Association.

3. Nominate and be elected to the Association's Executive Board and other positions within the Association.

4. Participate in the Association's programs such as: receiving information, documents, attending seminars, training sessions, technology demonstrations, technology transfer, domestic and international tours and surveys.

5. Strictly comply with the state's policies, laws, and regulations stipulated in this Charter: Implement resolutions of the Association: promote new member recruitment.

6. Participate in the Association's activities and social life: unite and cooperate with other members to build a stronger Association.

7. Provide necessary information and data to serve the Association's activities.

8. Receive assistance and support from the Association for individual research projects, inventions, and protection of rights and policies in production and product consumption according to the state's laws.

9. Receive assistance from the Association to introduce to domestic and foreign institutions for production contracts, product sales...

10. Have the right to resign from the Association according to the Charter and regulations of the Association.

11. Pay the joining fee and membership dues as prescribed.

12. Associate members and honorary members enjoy the benefits of the Association except for the right to nominate and run for leadership positions and vote on Association issues.

Chapter IV

ORGANIZATION OF THE ASSOCIATION

Article 9. The Vietnam Village Craft Association is organized and operates based on the principles of voluntarism, self-management, self-responsibility, and financial self-sufficiency in accordance with current laws.

Units under the Association operate on the basis of democratic discussion, collective leadership, minority服从组织和现行法律的多数服从原则。

Article 10. The organization of the Association includes:

- National Congress of Delegates;

- Executive Board;

- President, Vice Presidents;

- Supervisory Board;

- Advisory Council;

- Office;

- Directly affiliated industry club units.

Article 11. National Congress of Delegates of the Association

1. The National Congress of Delegates of the Vietnam Village Craft Association is the highest authority of the Association. The Congress is held every three years.

2. Main tasks of the Congress:

- Discussing reports on the summary of the term and the new direction of the Association's activities;

- Deciding on the direction and program of the Association's work;

- Deciding to amend and supplement the Charter of the Association;

- Discussing and deciding on important programs of the Association;

- Discussing, approving the final accounts and adopting the new financial plan;

- Electing the Executive Board of the Association.

3. The National Congress of Delegates may be convened at any time to address urgent matters of the Association upon the proposal of two-thirds of the Executive Board members or more than half of the members requesting in writing.

4. Resolutions of the Congress are passed by majority rule, documented in writing, and kept at the Association's headquarters.

Article 12. Executive Board of the Association

1. The Executive Board of the Association is the leadership body of the Association between national congresses. The composition of the Executive Board includes representatives from some traditional village crafts, industries, associations, local industry associations, artisans, business establishments, vocational training institutions, research institutions, and economists and cultural experts passionate about village crafts.

The number of Executive Board members is determined by the Congress and elected directly by secret ballot or show of hands. The successful candidate must receive more than 50% of the valid votes of the delegates present.

Members of the Executive Board can be re-elected or relieved of their duties before the end of their term by a decision of more than half of the Executive Board members and reported to the nearest Congress.

Members of the Executive Board are assigned responsibility for the activities of each industry, field of work, or territorial area.

The term of the Executive Board of the Association is three years, operating according to the Charter and regulations of the Association.

2. The Executive Board of the Association convenes regularly every six months and may be convened at any time by the Association President.

3. Tasks and powers of the Executive Board of the Association:

- Decide on measures to implement the resolutions and annual programs of the Congress.

- Decide on the annual program and plan of work and report the results of the Executive Board's activities to the branches.

- Approve the annual budget plan and final accounts.

- Regulations on the organization and operation of specialized committees, the association's office, representative offices, and other subordinate units, upon permission from the competent authority. Regulations on principles, systems, use, and management of the association's assets and finances.

- Electing and dismissing leadership positions of the association: President, Vice Presidents, and General Secretary.

- Appointing leaders of specialized committees, heads of representatives in regions, and leaders of subordinate units.

- Preparing content, agendas, and documents for the congress.

- Deciding to convene the next term congress.

- Promoting development, admitting new members, and expelling members who violate laws and the association's charter.

Article 13. President and Vice Presidents

1. The President of the Association has powers and responsibilities:

- Representing the Association before the law.

- Organizing and implementing resolutions of the Congress, meetings of representatives, and decisions of the Executive Board of the Association.

- Signing decisions on appointments, dismissals, and directly directing the General Secretary of the Association.

- Approving personnel of the Association's office and other organizations established by the Association.

- Being responsible to the Executive Board of the Association and all members regarding the Association's activities.

2. Vice Presidents of the Association assist the President and are assigned specific tasks by the President.

Article 14. Standing Committee

1. The Standing Committee consists of: the President, some Vice Presidents, and the General Secretary. The President may authorize a Vice President to manage the Executive Board's affairs when the President is absent.

2. The Standing Committee represents the Executive Board in directing and managing the Association's operations between sessions and must report on their work during Executive Board sessions.

3. Between two congresses, if there is a need, the Standing Committee may consider and propose the Executive Board to decide on supplementing new Executive Board members; this number shall not exceed one-third of the total number of Executive Board members at the time of supplementation.

4. The Standing Committee operates according to regulations approved by the Executive Board of the Association.

Article 15. General Secretary of the Association

- Directly manages all activities of the Association's office.

- Establishes operational regulations for the office and financial and asset management regulations of the Association, submitting them to the Standing Committee of the Executive Board for approval.

- Regularly reports to the Standing Committee and the Executive Board on the Association's activities.

- Prepares annual and term-end reports for the Executive Board.

- Manages lists and files of members and subordinate organizations.

- Is responsible to the Executive Board and the law for the activities of the Association's office.

Article 16. Association Office

1. The Association's office is organized and operates according to regulations submitted by the General Secretary to the Executive Board for approval.

2. Staff of the Association's office are recruited and work under fixed-term contracts.

3. Operating funds of the office are budgeted by the General Secretary and approved by the Executive Board.

Article 17. Audit Committee

1. The Audit Committee is directly elected by the Association Congress. The number of Audit Committee members is decided by the Congress.

2. The Audit Committee operates according to regulations approved by the Association.

Article 18. Advisory Council

1. The Advisory Council includes experts and managers in economic, cultural, scientific, and technological fields invited by the Standing Committee of the Executive Board to advise the Executive Board on the Association's program of activities. The number of Advisory Council members is approved by the Executive Board.

2. The Advisory Council operates according to regulations approved by the Standing Committee of the Executive Board.

Chapter V

FINANCES AND ASSETS OF THE ASSOCIATION

Article 19. Sources of income of the Association

- Membership fees.

- Dues paid by members according to regulations.

- Sponsorship from domestic and foreign organizations and individuals in accordance with legal provisions.

- Other lawful revenues.

Article 20. Expenditures of the Association

Are allocated according to the Association's financial regulations, such as paying salaries to staff, compensating collaborators, purchasing equipment, office expenses, travel expenses, hospitality expenses, humanitarian and charitable activities, and other reasonable expenditures approved by the Association's Standing Committee.

Article 21. Management and use of finances and assets

1. The Executive Board of the Association regulates the management and use of the Association's finances and assets in compliance with state regulations.

2. The Audit Committee is responsible for auditing and publicly reporting the Association's finances and assets annually to members.

Chapter VI

REWARD AND DISCIPLINE

Article 22. Awards

Members, members of the Executive Board, Standing Committee, Audit Committee, officers, staff, and members of the Association who have made significant contributions to the development of traditional crafts and the construction of the Association will be appropriately rewarded by the Association and may be recommended for rewards by state authorities.

Article 23. Disciplinary Measures

Any member who acts against the Charter and Resolutions of the Association, damages the Association's reputation and honor, misses regular meetings without valid reasons multiple times, or fails to pay dues for one year, will be criticized or removed from the membership list depending on the severity of the violation.

Chapter VII

IMPLEMENTING PROVISIONS

Article 24. The Association may voluntarily request dissolution if it deems itself unable to meet the conditions for operation or if its operations are ineffective. The Association may be dissolved if it violates current laws and is required to do so by state authorities with jurisdiction.

Article 25. This Charter consists of 7 chapters and 25 Articles, adopted unanimously by the Congress establishing the Vietnam Craft Villages Association held on May 20, 2005. Amendments and supplements to the Charter must be unanimously approved by the National Congress of the Vietnam Craft Villages Association and approved by state authorities with jurisdiction to take effect./.