The Statute of IRCICA

CHAPTER I
Article 1: Title and scope

This document entitled "Statute of the Research Centre for Islamic History, Art and Culture (IRCICA)” contains a set of unified provisions applicable to the Centre which is a Subsidiary Organ of the Organisation of the Islamic Conference.

CHAPTER II
Definitions
Article 2:

For the purposes of this document, the following terms shall have the meanings hereunder assigned to them:

(a) ORGANISATION The Organisation of the Islamic Conference
(b) CHARTER The Charter of the Organisation
(c) MEMBER STATES The Member States of the Organisation
(d) SUMMIT The Conference of Kings and Heads of State and Government
(e) CONFERENCE The Islamic Conference of Foreign Ministers
(f) SECRETARY GENERAL The Secretary General of the Organisation
(g) GENERAL SECRETARIAT The General Secretariat of the Organisation
(h) COMMISSION The Islamic Commission for Economic, Cultural and Social Affairs
(i) SESSIONS Meetings of the Commission
(h) JOINT GENERAL ASSEMBLY The General Assembly of the Subsidiary Organs
(k) PERMANENT FINANCE COMMITTEEThe Permanent Finance Committee of the Organisation
(l) CENTRE Research Centre for Islamic History, Art and Culture (IRCICA), Istanbul
(m) GOVERNING BOARD The Governing Board of the Centre
(n) DIRECTOR GENERAL The Director General of the Centre
(o) HOST COUNTRY The Republic of Turkey
(p) HEADQUARTERS AGREEMENT The relevant agreement on immunities and privileges between the Government of the Republic of Turkey and the Organisation
(q) STATUTE The Statute of the Research Centre for Islamic History, Art and Culture (IRCICA).

CHAPTER III
Objectives, principles and functions
Article 3: Objectives

The Centre shall endeavour, within the limits of its sphere of activity and as defined by the Summit, the Conference and the Joint General Assembly, to strengthen the historical links among Islamic peoples and create an environment of sincere and brotherly friendship, based on the inexhaustible legacy of the great Islamic culture and civilisation.

Article 4: Principles

For achieving the objectives mentioned in article 3 above, the Centre shall observe the following principles:
a) Rationalisation of its activities and programs
b) Creation of suitable conditions leading to the promotion of such activities.

Article 5: Functions

The principal functions of the Centre are:

  1. To act as a focal point and meeting place for scholars, researchers, historians, intellectuals and artists from the member countries and the world, in the field of research on the Islamic legacy towards a better understanding of Islam and its civilisation.
  2. To create objective conditions for a close cooperation among researchers and research institutions of the member countries in order to eliminate prejudices regarding the history, art and culture of the Muslim world.
  3. To publish studies in the form of books and monographs in order to better make known and disseminate information on Islamic culture and civilisation throughout the world.
  4. To publish periodicals of scholarly and informational nature concerning the Centre's activities and Islamic cultural activities in the world.
  5. To organise conferences, symposia, exhibitions and other activities in various subject areas of Islamic culture and civilisation, at the Centre or in the Member States.
  6. To establish and promote linkages, cooperation and exchange of knowledge and reference material on Islamic culture and civilisation, with and among concerned institutions in the world, by means of modern communication channels.
  7. To study the major sources and references of Islamic knowledge with regard to the history of science in Islam and to disseminate the results of these studies through publications.
  8. To establish a reference library specialised in Islamic culture and civilisation to serve researchers working in these fields.
  9. To establish a documentation and information facility comprising audio-visual and other material on subjects within its fields of activities.
  10. To establish a data base comprising rosters and directories related to studies and expertise in various areas of Islamic culture.
  11. To organise training courses to promote skills and techniques relevant in the fields of Islamic arts and culture.
  12. To take measures and establish incentive programs in order to promote excellence in research in the fields of Islamic culture and civilisation.
  13. To render advice to Member States and to the Secretary General on all matters connected with Islamic civilisation and carry out special studies required by the Islamic Conference of Foreign Ministers or by the Secretary General.
  14. To act as the Secretariat and Executive organ of the International Commission for the Preservation of the Islamic Cultural Heritage and undertake activities in this framework.

CHAPTER IV
Structure
Article 6:

The structure of the Centre comprises the General Assembly, the Governing Board and the Director General.

Article 7:

The internal set-up and working conditions of the Centre shall be governed by its statute, and Internal Rules and Regulations as well as by the provisions of the Personnel and Financial Regulations of the Organisation.

CHAPTER V
General Assembly
Article 8:

The Commission acting as Joint General Assembly shall assume the role of the General Assembly of the Centre.

Article 9:

The Joint General Assembly functioning as the General Assembly of the Centre shall:

a) Determine the general policy of the Centre and provide general guidance to it;
b) Examine the activity program of the Centre and submit its recommendations to the Conference;
c) Examine and approve the Internal Rules and Regulations governing the internal activities of the Centre;
d) Elect the members of the Governing Board;
e) Examine the whole budget which will be prepared on a program basis prior to its submission to the Permanent Finance Committee;
f) Consider and submit for the approval of the Conference the final accounts of the Centre after having been audited by the Permanent Finance Committee.

Article 10:

The Commission acting as Joint General Assembly shall have a regular session every year, at the Headquarters of the Organisation or at any other place agreed upon. It may also hold extraordinary session(s).

CHAPTER VI
Governing Board
Article 11:

(i) The Governing Board shall be composed of:

a) Nine members, including one member from the Host Country, elected by the Joint General Assembly from amongst experienced and competent candidates in the field of activities of the Centre as proposed by Member States with due regard to the principle of equitable geographical distribution to the extent possible, and
b) The Secretary General or his representative and the Director General of the Centre as ex-officio members.

(ii) The Director General shall invite specialised institutions of the Organisation in the fields of competence of the Centre to attend the Board's meetings as observers on reciprocal basis.

(iii) The Director General may also invite other specialised international institutions in the fields of competence of the Centre to attend the Board's meetings as observers on reciprocal basis.

Article 12:

For the purposes of para (i)/a of article 11 above, the members of the Governing Board shall be elected for three years and may be re-elected once only.

Article 13:

The Governing Board shall elect its Chairman from amongst its elected members for the duration of three years.

Article 14:

The Governing Board shall meet at least once a year.

Article 15:

The Governing Board shall formulate program policies and shall exercise technical supervision over the activities of the Centre. It shall also:

a) focus on the consideration of the program of action and the report on the activities of the Centre and shall submit its recommendations to the Joint General Assembly;
b) examine the program budget and final accounts of the Centre prior to their submission to the Joint General Assembly.
c) consult the General Secretariat about the measures to be taken by the Centre to promote its objectives.
d) frame the Internal Rules and Regulations of the Centre prior to its submission to the Joint General Assembly for approval.

CHAPTER VII
Director General
Article 16:

The Director General of the Centre shall be the chief executive in charge of the overall management of the Centre and shall take the measures necessary for realizing the objectives of the Centre.

Article 17:

The Director General shall assume, under the supervision of the Secretary General in coordination with the Governing Board, the following tasks:

a) Day to day administration of the work and activities of the Centre and
b) implementation of the program of work in full respect of this Statute and Internal Rules and Regulations.

Article 18:

a) The Director General shall be appointed by the Secretary General from among the nominees of Member States in consultation with the Governing Board and the host country for a period of four years renewable once only in accordance with the Charter and with the Personnel Regulations of the Organisation.
b) The term of office of the Director General may be terminated by the Secretary General upon the recommendation of the Governing Board.

Article 19:

(a) The Assistant Director General and other statutory personnel of the Centre shall be appointed by the Secretary General upon the recommendation of the Director General in accordance with the principle of equitable geographical distribution and in accordance with the relevant provisions of the Personnel Regulations of the Organisation.
(b) In the event of the vacancy of the Director General's post as a result of resignation, disablement or any other reason, the Assistant Director General shall be entrusted with the administration of the Centre pending the assignment of the new Director General. In case that the post of Assistant Director General is vacant, the most senior official shall be entrusted with the duties of the Director General pending the appointment of the new Director General or his Assistant.
(c) Consultants, experts and local staff shall be appointed by the Director General within the limits of the Centre budget provisions for this purpose and in accordance with the Personnel Regulations.

Article 20:

The Director General of the Centre shall propose to the Secretary General in accordance with the Personnel Regulations of the Organisation, the termination of services of any staff member of the Centre, if he finds out the incompetence or incapability for work of the said staff member, or if he establishes that facts unrevealed prior to his appointment, now prove false.

Article 21:

The Director General shall exercise the following additional powers and duties while keeping the Secretary General or the Governing Board duly informed:

a) Represent the Centre in concluding contracts and buy and sell movable and immovable properties with a view to further the objectives of the Centre. In this respect the Financial Regulations of the Organisation will apply;
b) Institute disciplinary actions in conformity with the Statute and Regulations of the Organisation in cases of breach of rules and especially when a staff member refuses to comply with the provisions of the Statute and Regulations;
c) See to it that all the personnel of the Centre carry out strictly the tasks and functions assigned to them;
d) Promote good relations between the Centre and the various related institutions in the Member States;
e) Promote cooperation between the Centre and other existing institutions within the framework of the Organisation.

Article 22:

The Director General shall convene the meetings of the Governing Board in consultation with the Chairman of the Board and the Secretary General.

Article 23:

The Director General shall submit his reports on programs and activities and on the budget and financial and administrative matters to the Governing Board and the Joint General Assembly after consulting with the Secretary General.

Article 24:

The Director General shall report to the Secretary General on the programs and activities of the Centre on a periodical basis as will be agreed upon with the Secretary General and shall consult the Secretary General on the establishment of relations with other international bodies.

CHAPTER VIII
Budget of the Centre
Article 25:

a. The revenues of the Centre are composed of the official contributions of the Member States determined in accordance with the same percentage shares of contributions applicable for the budget of the OIC General Secretariat.
b. The Member States can contribute to the budget and the activities of the Centre by voluntary contributions, in cash, in kind or in the form of joint projects and activities.
c. The Centre can also receive donations from States, institutions and personalities.

CHAPTER IX
Role of the Member States
Article 26:

The Member States shall cooperate in every possible manner to assist the Centre in pursuing its objectives. To this effect, the Member States shall:
a) take into consideration that the membership to the Organisation entails their automatic membership to the Centre;
b) pay their assessed contributions to the budget of the Centre regularly and promptly;
c) facilitate the collection, exchange and dissemination of information;
d) communicate all necessary documents and information to the Centre;
e) provide the Centre with personnel, training and research facilities to the extent possible;
f) consider to utilize facilities of the Centre and its services on contractual basis;
g) provide the Centre with the addresses of the national focal points.

CHAPTER X
Legal personality
Article 27:

The Centre shall possess a legal personality.

CHAPTER XI
Immunities and privileges
Article 28:

The Centre and its Personnel shall enjoy the privileges and immunities as stipulated by the Headquarters Agreement. For issues not covered by this agreement, the relevant provisions of the General Agreement of the OIC on the privileges and immunities will apply.

CHAPTER XII
Amendments
Article 29:

Amendments to the present Statute shall be adopted by the Conference upon the srecommendations by the joint General Assembly.

CHAPTER XIII
Liquidation of the Centre
Article 30:

The Centre shall be put into liquidation by virtue of a resolution to this effect adopted by the Conference on the recommendation of the Joint General Assembly.

Article 31:

In the event of liquidation of the Centre, the Conference shall set up a Committee to liquidate the property and settle the obligations of the Centre in accordance with the procedure to be determined in consultation with the Host Country.

CHAPTER XIV
Final provisions
Article 32:

The present Statute shall come into force on the date of its approval by the Conference.

Article 33:

The present Statute is written in Arabic, English and French, all three texts being equally authentic.