Wikimedia MKD/Constitution

Based on Article 18 of the Law on Associations and Foundations, the Founding Assembly of the Association for proliferation of free content WIKIMEDIA GMSZ MKD Skopje, held on 25 January 2024, adopted the following:

STATUTE

OF THE ASSOCIATION FOR THE PROLIFERATION OF FREE CONTENT

WIKIMEDIA GMSZ MKD Skopje

II. General Provisions

Article 1

The Association for the Proliferation of free content WIKIMEDIA GMSZ MKD Skopje (hereinafter: the Association) was founded as an independent, non-partisan, non- governmental and non-profit association, in which citizens of the Republic of North Macedonia are members, regardless of their gender, race, nationality and religion. The association is a foundation with the main goal of enabling knowledge to be free and accessible to all people, so that it will make its own contribution to the creation, collection and multiplication of free content in a non-profit way, thereby supporting the idea that all people have equal access to knowledge bases and education systems. The term free content means any product that is licensed by the author of that product in such a way that everyone is allowed to freely use, reproduce and modify that product. For the purposes of collecting and multiplying free content, the "Wiki" program is used, as the most common program, although not the only one. The program "Wiki" is a computer program available on the Internet, which allows users to view and change the contents, thus enabling the creation of free contents. The most significant example of the application of this principle is the encyclopaedia "Wikipedia", which was started by Jimmy D. Wales, which is managed by the Wikimedia Foundation (Wikimedia Foundation Inc. based in Florida, USA). III. Name and Headquarters

Article 2 The association was founded under the name that reads: Association for proliferation of free content WIKIMEDIA GMSZ MKD Skopje. The abbreviated name of the association reads: WIKIMEDIA GMSZ MKD Skopje. The Latin name of the association, in English, reads: WIKIMEDIA GMSZ MKD Skopje. The seat of the Association is in Skopje, at Str. Budimpeshtanska,. No. 33B Skopje. IV. Public insignia of the Association

Article 3

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In the legal framework, the Association uses a stamp containing the name, seat and symbol of the Association. The seal is in the form of a circle, in which the text of the full name of the Association is inscribed on the outer edge of the seal, and the seat of the association is inscribed at the bottom of the seal, together with the symbol of a stylized ladybug, i.e. round red head, green wings encircled in a blue semicircle. V. Status of the Association and publicity of the work Article 4

The association has the status of a legal entity, with rights and obligations arising from the Constitution, from the laws of the Republic of North Macedonia and from this Statute. The association carries out its activity on the territory of the Republic of North Macedonia, in accordance with the positive legal regulations. The association is independent in its operations. The work of the Association is public. The publicity in the operation is ensured by internal information of the members of the association, through information in the public media, through the Internet and in another suitable way.

Article 5

The association works closely with the Wikimedia Foundation (hereinafter referred to as Wikimedia) and other organizations that have similar goals. The association can cooperate and join international organizations. VI. Goals of the Association and activities for their realization

Article 6

Goals of the Association are: 1. Propagation of the idea of creating, collecting and multiplying free content on the Internet, as well as managing and disposing of the funds intended for that purpose. The focus of interest lies on several international Wikimedia projects. 2. Reproduction and support of the reproduction of free content in digital, printed and other forms with an emphasis on the content of international Wikimedia projects. 3. Collecting, publishing and multiplying information, as well as public relations related to free content and Wikimedia projects through organizing events and publishing informative literature. 4. Creating links between Wikimedia projects and institutions from the GLAM sector, ie galleries, libraries, archives and museums in Macedonia, and related institutions. 5. Organizing activities related to Wikipedia in educational institutions throughout Macedonia. 6. Awarding of scholarships. 7. Nurturing and promoting the Macedonian literary language and spelling.

Article 7

The association may collect funds and forward them to other associations and commercial companies or public institutions if these funds are used by them exclusively for purposes such as the above mentioned ones.

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The Association may have shares and/or be a member in associations, trading companies and/or public institutions whose activities and activities are related to the objectives of the Association.

Article 8

The association achieves its goals by undertaking and implementing the following activities: 1. Organizing professional meetings, consultations, seminars and other forms of professional education in these areas, independently or jointly with other organizations; 2. Publication of books and other publications from the areas covered by the work and goals of the Association; 3. Organizing scientific and professional workshops for work on scientific, professional and research projects from the areas covered by the work and goals of the Association; 4. Cooperation with schools, universities, galleries, libraries, archives, museums, professional associations and other organizations and individuals in the country and abroad that deal with the areas covered by the work and goals of the Association. VII. Membership

Article 9 Membership in the Association is on a voluntary basis. A member of the Association can become a physical and legal person who accepts the program and statute of the association. Membership in the Association consists of: - members, - members with the right to vote, and - honorary members. One becomes a member of the Association by signing a declaration of accession, which is recorded in the Register of members of the association. Members of the Association with the right to vote are the founders and members of the Executive Board. By decision of the Assembly of the Association, honorary members can also be elected. The founders of the association are members of the association with equal rights and responsibilities as all other members of the association. Article 10

The member of the Association has the following rights and obligations: - To respect the Statute and other acts of the Association, to implement the program of the association and to participate in other activities of the association or to be only a passive supporter; - Actively and equally with other members to participate in the achievement of the goals of the association; - To choose and be able to be chosen for all functions in the association, in all organs and bodies of the association; - To be timely and fully informed about the work and activities of the Association; - To pay membership fees in the amount and in the manner decided by the Assembly of the Association; - To protect the reputation of the association and to contribute to its development.

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Members with the right to vote, in addition to the rights specified in paragraph 1 of this article, have the right to directly participate in the decision-making of the Assembly and through the bodies of the association.

Article 11

Membership in the association ends voluntarily and by exclusion. Membership in the association ends voluntarily with a written statement of withdrawal submitted to the Executive Board. A member of the association may be excluded from membership by decision of the Executive Board, if he/ she: - acts contrary to this statute and/or other acts of the association; - seriously hurt the reputation and honor of the association; - does not pay membership fees for more than three consecutive years; - in other cases provided by the Law. The proposal for exclusion from membership is submitted by the President to the Executive Board of the Association. VIII. Organizational Structure of the Association Article 12

Association’s bodies are: 1. Assembly of the Association; 2. President; 3. Executive Board. IX. Assembly of the Association

Article 13

The Assembly of the Association is the highest body of the Association and consists of all members of the Association with the right to vote. The sessions of the Assembly are led by the President of the Association, and in case of his absence, another member elected by the Assembly at the session itself. The Assembly meets according to needs, at least once a year. The Assembly of the Association is convened by the President of the Association or one third of the members with the right to vote. The Assembly can also be convened by decision of the Executive Board.

Article 14

Matters that are under the competence of the Assembly of the Association: 1. Adopts the Statute of the Association, its amendments and additions; 2. Adopts the program of the association at the proposal of the Executive Board; 3. He elects and dismisses the president of the association; 4. Elects and dismisses the members of the Executive Board; 5. Adopts the annual report on the operation of the association; 6. Adopts the annual financial report of the Association; 7. Decides on changing the objectives of the Association; 8. Decides on termination of the association; 9. Makes decisions on awards and recognitions;

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10. Establishment of permanent and occasional working groups and bodies; 11. Performs other tasks in accordance with the Law. Article 15

All members of the Assembly of the Association have equal voting rights. The sessions of the Assembly of the Association are public, and decisions are made by a simple majority of the members present, ie 50% + 1 of those present. A session of the Assembly is considered valid even when it takes place electronically. X. President

Article 16

The President of the Association is elected by the Assembly of the Association, with a mandate of five years, and the right to re-election to the same position. The President of the Association has the following rights and duties: 1. Represents the Association before third parties; 2. Leads the sessions of the Assembly; 3. Performs other representative functions entrusted to him by the Assembly of the Association and the Executive Board of the Association; 4. He signs the acts adopted by the Assembly of the Association, in accordance with the positive legal regulations and the Statute of the Association; 5. Represents the association in payment transactions; 6. Performs other tasks according to the users in accordance with the statute. The President of the Association has the rights and duties of a financial principal and is authorized to sign all financial documents on behalf of the Association, together with other persons authorized by the Assembly. In case of premature termination of the position of President, due to resignation, loss of business capacity, or death, an extraordinary session of the Assembly is convened without delay, and a new President is elected. XI. Executive Board

Article 17

The executive board is the management and operational body of the Association. The executive board consists of at least three and at most nine members. The members of the Executive Board are elected by the Assembly of the Association for a term of three years, with the right to re-election to the same position. The work of the Executive Board is managed by the President of the Executive Board. The President of the Association is ex officio and the President of the Executive Board. The Executive Board meets and holds sessions as needed. A session of the Executive Board can be called by the President of the Executive Board, any member of the Executive Board or the Executive Director of the association. The sessions of the Executive Board are valid even when they take place electronically. The executive board makes decisions by a simple majority vote of its members, and the decision is considered to be made by receiving at least 50%+1 votes sent by email. The executive board of the association can establish councils, commissions and other bodies, as well as appoint individuals as executors of certain duties, which will aim to help the work of the association.

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For its work, the Executive Board is responsible to the Assembly of the association.

Article 18 The executive board performs the following tasks: 1. Executes the decisions and other general acts of the Assembly of the Association; 2. Determines proposals for the Statute and amendments, work program, votes on the financial plan and the final balance sheet; 3. Prepares proposals for general acts and decisions of the Assembly of the Association; 4. Makes executive decisions on projects that are not covered by the annual work program; 5. Establish permanent and temporary working groups and bodies; 6. Decision on hiring, firing, rewarding, punishing the employees and the persons in charge of performing certain tasks on a part-time basis; 7. Decision on the amount of salaries; 8. Decision on the amount of the membership fee, as well as on which persons are exempt from the membership fee; 9. Decision on taking office or leaving office; 10. Decides on which persons will represent the Association at conferences when the Association proposes delegates; 11. Decision on which persons will receive funds from the Association for conference travel (Wikimania, CEE Meeting and other meetings and conferences); 12. Decides on the method of redistribution of the finances that remain as a surplus at the end of a completed project and/or at the end of the calendar year. 13. Performs other tasks entrusted to him by the Assembly of the Association or which are placed under his authority by other regulations. XII. Gain, use and disposal of funds

Article 19

The association deals solely and exclusively with non-profit activities.

Article 20

The funds of the Association can be used exclusively for purposes defined by the Statute of the Association and for program plans-projects. The payment of fees to members of the Association, to employees, as well as to external collaborators, is made according to the decisions made by the Executive Board.

Article 21

The association is financed by: 1. Membership fee from the members of the Association; 2. Voluntary contributions, gifts and legacies of domestic and foreign legal and natural persons; 3. From the budget and other funds and foundations; 4. From other sources, in accordance with the Law. Article 22 The property of the Association consists of: 1. Cash and securities; 2. Movable and immovable property and property rights.

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Decisions regarding income and expenses are made by the Executive Board of the Association in accordance with the financial plan and work program. XIII. Making amendments and additions to the statute Article 24

Amendments and additions to this Statute are adopted according to the same procedure as the procedure during its initial adoption.

Article 25

Amendments and additions to the Statute can be proposed by the bodies of the Association, i.e. a group of at least five members. XIV. Termination of the work of the Association Article 26

Termination of the work of the Association may occur in the following cases: 1. Based on a decision of the Assembly of the Association, which is adopted by at least two thirds of the total number of members of the Assembly of the Association; 2. If the number of members of the Association becomes less than the legally prescribed minimum for the work of the Association of Citizens and in other cases provided by law.

XV. Disposition of property in case of termination of employment

Article 27

In case of cessation of work of the Association, a decision on the property of the Association is made by the Assembly of the Association. Article 28

All movable and immovable property acquired by the Association in the course of its work is its property and can be used exclusively for the purpose of achieving the program tasks and goals of the Association, in accordance with the decisions of the authorized authorities, and the decision to assign it in case of cessation of work of the Association, it is adopted by the Assembly of the Association. XVI. Final Provisions

Article 29

This Statute enters into force on the day of its adoption, that is, from 25 January 2024. Skopje, 25 January 2024

Founding Assembly of Association for proliferation of free content WIKIMEDIA GMSZ MKD Skopje