Denomination- Seat- Goals

1. “Rete Montagna” has been created as an international association of research centres focused on mountain issues that brings together institutions, associations, foundations, organizations, public, and private institutes. They develop and promote, through several ways, studies and research activities on mountain issues, mountain life-styles, mountain culture in its expressions and traditions.

2. The “Rete Montagna” seat is in Belluno (BL), Italy at Piazza del Mercato, 26, 32100 Belluno.

3. “Rete Montagna” is a non-profit Association. Its pursuit is exclusively to reach the goals and social solidarity. The association aims to create a communication network between associated members in order to increase their coordination, discussion, exchange, reciprocal update, dissemination, cultural and scientific heritage conservation, synergic enhancement of their initiatives and experiences. The final objective is to promote an in-depth analysis of mountain knowledge and a remarkable valorisation of its culture together with a more efficient protection of its vital conservation.

The association reaches its goals through:

  • The constitution of a unique catalogue of library sections and documentary resources that belong to each associated members;
  • The publication of an updated bulletin about events and activities of associated members;
  • The launch of job offers and research platforms coordinated by the associated members and in collaboration with other subjects in order to promote conferences, workshops, publications, training courses, researches on mountain issues: particularly on Alpine and European mountains;
  • Experiences’ exchange between associated members;
  • Coordination and cohesion of schedules and events;
  • The composition of texts, motions, resolutions regarding promotion and conservation strategies for mountain life and culture. Those will be discussed in tailored conferences, addressed to Administration Authorities, to whom have been transferred the responsibility and the activity of promotion and conservation of mountain culture;
  • Any other activity that can promote the mountain heritage and social objective through connected, similar, and additional activities.

Members

4. The associated members are Research Centres, Institutions, Associations, and Institutes/Departments of Universities, Work Committees, and Organizations that can develop researches and bring contributions to social aim. The “Rete Montagna” Administrative Council assigns the condition of member. The generalities of the Institution and the person delegated in the Assembly have to be specified in the application. The Administration Council is not obliged to justify the rejection of the application. The member shall provide the annual association fee in order to be part of the association. This condition decays if there is a delay of more than 12 (twelve) months in the payment of the fee.

Association’s Bodies

5. The Bodies of the Associations are:

  • Members’ Assembly
  • Administrative Council
  • Chairman of the Administrative Council
  • Scientific Council
  • Audit Committee

Assembly

6. The delegates of the associated members compose the Assembly.

There is at least one convocation per year before the month of May, decided by the Administration Board or upon a written request of at least one-tenth of the associated members. The convening notice with the date of the meeting shall be sent to members upon mail, email, fax and telegram, at least 5 (five) days before the meeting. The Assembly can be also off-site.

7. The Assembly approves the budget and balance-sheet, guidelines, directives, general initiatives of the association, manners and terms for social goals, appointment of members from Administrative Council, Scientific Council, College of Auditors, Labour experts, amendments of the Constituent Act and Statute, general principles of the Regulation, and all that is requested by the Council.

8. Every decisions of the Assembly shall be taken by majority vote and at the presence in the first convening of at least the half of the associated members and in the second convening of any number of present members. The majority of votes shall adopt the amending of the Constituent Act and of the Statute with the presence of at least two-thirds of the associated members; the dissolution of the association and the devolution of the social heritage shall be decided with the vote in favour of two-thirds of associated members. To what concerns the approval of the financial statement and deliberations for their responsibilities, the Administrative Council does not have the voting right.

9. All the associated members, registered in the book of members, assume the right to intervene in the Assembly if they have paid the annual fee. Any associated member can choose to be represented by another associated member, as long as he/she does not belong to the Scientific Council.

10. The Assembly shall be chaired by the President of the Administrative Council and in the case of his/her absence by the Vice-President. If the Vice-President is absent, the Assembly will appoint a person. The President will appoint the Secretary and (if necessary) two tellers. The President notes the regularity and the validity of the Assembly and he/she leads its development. The Secretary shall draw up the minutes of proceedings. The Secretary together with the President will sign this document.

Administration

11. The Association shall be managed by the Administrative Council, composed by 3 (three) up to 9 (nine) members. They last in office for three years and may be re-elected. In the case of resignation or death of any Advisor, the Council will provide to his/her substitution for co-optation, through the request of the validation during the first Annual Assembly.

12. The Council shall appoint a President, a Vice-President, and a Secretary. Their appointment may be done directly from the Assembly. The members of the Administrative Council do not receive any kind of compensation.

13. The Council shall meet at the request of the President or at one of the members from the Scientific Council, at least twice per year. The Council may have to be convened with a notice of at least 7 (seven) days prior to the meetings, by fax, mail or email. The meetings of the Council remain valid with the presence of the majority of associated members. The deliberations remain valid if adopted with the majority vote from the present Advisors. In the event of a tied vote, the vote of the Chairperson shall be decisive. The participation to the meetings can take place through telephone connection (audio-conference or videoconference) as long as the President and Secretary are present. The President and the Secretary will subscribe the minutes of the proceedings.

14. The responsibilities for day-to-day and extraordinary operational management have been held by the Council, with the goal to carry out social aims. The Council may issue a Regulation for the orderly development of the community life. The Administrative Council may delegate to its members specific activities and provide them with compensations.

15. The President and on his/her behalf the Vice-President legally represent the Association for third parties and in court. The President shall undertake the implementation of the deliberations of the Assembly and of the Council; he/she shall adopt urgent deliberations by asking the ratification of the Council. The President shall chair the meetings of the Administrative Council and Assembly.

Scientific Council

16. The Scientific Council elaborates the cultural proposals to submit to the Administrative Council and proposes the topics of the “study-calls” about mountains. The members of the Scientific Council participate to the meetings of the Administrative Council with advisory vote. The Scientific council is composed by 5 (five) up to 11 (eleven) members, elected by the Assembly and selected for their scientific and cultural knowledge regarding the mountain. They last in office 4 (four) years and they may be re-elected. The Scientific Council shall convene at least one time per year. The members of the Scientific Council do not receive any kind of compensation for the participation at the meetings. The Administrative Council may attribute them compensation for assignments.

College of Auditors

17. The Management of the association shall be supervised by a College of Auditors, composed by three members. They last in office for 3 (three) years and they may be re-elected. They shall ascertain the regular maintenance of social accounting and prepare a report on budget and closing account. They shall ascertain the cash in hand and the existence of values and titles and proceed (also individually) with inspections and investigations.

Asset and financial years

18. The asset of the association is composed by movable and immovable properties, obtained from payments, donations and bequests that will be not directly designated to social aims. Membership fees and social services/events constitute the income. The operating revenues shall be implied in the realization of the institutional activities. The members do not have the right to a reimbursement of annual fee.

19. The financial year shall be closed on the 31st (thirty-first) of December of each year. Within 90 (nineties) days from the closing of it, the Administration Council will establish the budget and closing account.

Dissolution and Liquidation

20. The Association will dissolve on act of a convened Assembly. It will give the asset (possibly envisaged at the moment of the dissolution), to other no-profit organizations of social scope or of public interest, having the same aim of the protection of mountain life-style and culture.

Disputes

21. All the disputes between associated members and between them and the Association and its bodies shall be remitted to the Council of 3 (three) Arbitrators. They will judge ex bono et aequo (according to the Right and Good) without any formalities of procedure, and their award will be unquestionable.

F.to: ANDREA ANGELINI; HANS MOSER; LUIGI ZANZI; FRANCESCO MICELLI; ROBERTO MARIO TOGNI; AUGUSTA VITTORIA CERUTTI; ESTER CASON; HEINZ DIETER POHL; SANDRO SILVANO; ANTONINO CALCAGNO.