Charter of The World Association of Abacus and Mental Arithmetic

（Approved by the 5th General Assembly of WAAMA on July 28, 2018）

Chapter I General Principles

Article 1 Name of the Association: The World Association of Abacus and Mental Arithmetic (WAAMA).

Article 2 Nature: An international folk joint organization for the education and research of abacus and mental arithmetic.

Article 3 Purposes: To carry forward the culture of abacus, strengthen exchanges and cooperation between the organizations of abacus and mental arithmetic, promote the spread and development of the abacus and mental arithmetic education, enlighten the function of abacus and mental arithmetic in exploiting intelligence, and benefit the humanity.

Article 4 The competent authorities for the administration of WAAMA is the Ministry of Finance of the People’s Republic of China, and the registration authority is the Ministry of Civil Affairs of the People’s Republic of China.

Article 5 The Secretariat of WAAMA is located in Beijing, China.

Chapter II Business Scope

Article 6 The main business scope of WAAMA includes:

(1) Organizing academic exchanges related to abacus and mental arithmetic.

(2) Formulating grade appraisal standards and competition rules for abacus and mental arithmetic, organizing abacus and mental arithmetic grade appraisal and competition activities, and printing and issuing abacus and mental arithmetic grade appraisal certificates.

(3) Editing and publishing abacus and mental arithmetic-related academic journals and works and audio-visual products, publicizing, promoting and popularizing abacus and mental arithmetic-related knowledge, and maintaining and improving the relevant website.

(4) Organizing the appraisal of excellent teaching and scientific research achievements related to abacus and mental arithmetic, and commending those who have made outstanding contributions to the development of abacus and mental arithmetic cause.

Chapter III Membership

        Article 7 WAAMA is composed of group members. Any abacus mental arithmetic association or teaching and research group registered in its own country or region may apply for WAAMA membership. A country or region may have multiple abacus mental arithmetic groups that have WAAMA membership. Members are divided into council members and non-council members. Council members include: members of the first council; members of the second council or national or regional abacus and mental arithmetic organizations that joined WAAMA after the second council; the first abacus and mental arithmetic organization of a country or region that joined WAAMA. Other abacus and mental arithmetic education and research groups are non-council members.

Article 8 Conditions for applying for WAAMA membership:

(1) Acknowledge the Charter of WAAMA.

(2) The willingness to join WAAMA.

(3) Actively carry out education, teaching and research work related to the study of abacus and mental arithmetic.

(4) Abacus and mental arithmetic groups with certain scale and influence in their countries or regions.

Article 9 Procedures for membership:

(1) Submit an application for membership.

(2) The Council or the Standing Council deliberate and approve the application.

(3) The Council authorizes the Secretariat to issue a membership certificate.

Article 10 Members have the following rights:

(1) The right to participate in the activities organized by WAAMA.

(2) The members of the Council have the right to elect, to be elected and to vote; non-council members have the right to elect and vote, but do not have the right to be elected.

(3) The right to obtain services provided by WAAMA.

(4) The right to criticize, advise and supervise WAAMA.

(5) The right to withdraw freely from WAAMA.

Article 11 Members should fulfill the following obligations:

(1) Abide by the Charter of WAAMA and safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of WAAMA.

(2) Implement the decisions and accomplish the tasks assigned by WAAMA.

(3) Participate in the activities of WAAMA and pay the membership fees on time.

(4) Report to WAAMA about their relevant work and provide relevant information.

Article 12 In the event of resignation from membership, the member should notify WAAMA in written and return membership certificate.

Article 13 A member may lose its membership if one of the following circumstances occurs:

(1) The member has filed an application for withdrawal.

(2) The member will automatically lose its WAAMA membership if it has failed to pay membership fees for two consecutive years, or has failed to participate two or more activities of WAAMA, or has refused to perform membership obligations.

Article 14 If a member commits a serious violation of the Charter of WAAMA, it shall be removed through voting by the Council or the Standing Council.

Article 15 Liaison officers shall be designated in countries and regions with many members. In countries and regions with more than two members, liaison officer system should be established to facilitate the liaison and consultation between the members of WAAMA, as well as to organize and coordinate members to participate in the activities of WAAMA in their countries or regions. Liaison officers should be permanent council members in the country or region. In countries and regions without permanent council members, liaison officers are to be determined or elected by members.

Chapter IV Organization and Responsible Person

Article 16 The General Assembly is the supreme power organ of WAAMA. The functions and powers of the General Assembly are:

(1) Discussing the work guidelines and tasks of WAAMA.

(2) Formulating and revising the Charter of WAAMA.

(3) Electing and removing council members.

(4) Formulating and revising the standards of membership fees.

(5) Review the work report and financial report of the Council.

(6) Decide on the termination of WAAMA.

(7) Decide on other important matters.

Article 17 The General Assembly shall be convened every four (4) years. If it is necessary to advance or postpone the change due to special reasons, the change shall be approved by the Standing Council and submitted to relevant authorities for approval. The change can be postponed by no more than one (1) year. A General Assembly must be attended by more than two-thirds of the member representatives. If a member representative cannot attend in person, he/she may be represented by a representative or express his/her opinion in writing, which is deemed as presence. The various proposals formed at the General Assembly must be approved by more than half of the present member representatives before taking effect.

Article 18 The voting shall be carried out in one of the following forms:

(1) A secret ballot.

(2) A show of hands.

Article 19 The Council shall be composed of council members or its designated representatives. As the executive body of the General Assembly, the Council takes lead in the workings of WAAMA during the period when the General Assembly is not in session, and reports to the General Assembly. The Council is elected for a term of four (4) years.

Article 20 The Standing Council shall be convened at least every one year. Under special circumstances, the Standing Council may be convened by means of correspondence or teleconference.

Article 21 The Council shall have one president, several vice presidents and one secretary-general. The president, vice presidents and secretary-general must meet the following criteria:

(1) High comprehensive quality, strong organizational and leadership abilities, and great influence.

(2) Being healthy and able to maintain normal work.

(3) Having not received any criminal punishment.

(4) Having full capacity for civil conducts.

Article 22 The functions and powers of the Council are:

(1) Implementing the resolutions of the General Assembly.

(2) Organizing the convening of the General Assembly.

(3) Reporting work and financial status to the General Assembly.

(4) Electing or removing the president, vice president, secretary-general and permanent council members, as well as employing consultants.

(5) Reviewing and approving the admission of members and the termination of membership.

(6) Deciding to hold academic exchange meetings, holding abacus and mental arithmetic grade appraisals and competitions.

(7) Deciding on other major issues.

Article 23 The Council can only be convened with more than two-thirds of its members present. If a member is unable to attend in person due to special circumstances, he/she may appoint a representative to attend or express his/her opinion in writing, which is deemed as presence. The various proposals formed at the Council must be approved by more than two thirds of the present council members (or council member representatives) before taking effect.

Article 24 WAAMA has a Standing Council. As the executive body of the Council, the Standing Council takes lead in the workings of WAAMA during the period when the Council is not in session, and reports to the Council. Members of the Standing Council are elected by the Council, and the number of permanent council members generally does not exceed one-third of the number of council members. When the Council is not in session, the Standing Council shall exercise functions and powers as stipulated in items 1, 3, 5, 6 and 7 under Article 20.

Article 25 The Standing Council can only be convened with more than two-thirds of permanent council members, and its resolutions must be approved by more than two-thirds of the present permanent council members before taking effect.

Article 26 The Standing Council shall be convened at least once every six (6) months. Under special circumstances, the Standing Council may be convened by means of correspondence.

Article 27 WAAMA may establish a number of professional committees.

Article 28 The term of the president, vice president(s) and secretary-general of WAAMA is four (4) years, which can be extended once only in principle, and the candidates for these positions must not exceed the age of seventy (70) in principle.

Article 29 The president of WAAMA shall exercise the following functions and powers:

(1) Implementing resolutions of the General Assembly, the Council and the Standing Council.

(2) Convening and presiding over the Council and the Standing Council.

(3) Deciding the appointment and removal of the assistant to the secretary-general.

(4) Signing relevant important documents on behalf of WAAMA.

Article 30 The secretary-general shall exercise the following functions and powers:

(1) Facilitating WAAMA activities and being in charge of the daily workings of the Secretariat, under the leadership of the president.

(2) Nominating an assistant candidate for the secretary-general and submit the name to the Council or the Standing Council for approval.

(3) Deciding the employment of the staff of the Secretariat.

(4) Signing important documents on behalf of the president with the latter’s authorization.

(5) The secretary-general is the legal representative of WAAMA, who must not be concurrently a legal representative of any other group.

Chapter V Principles of Assets Management and Their Usage

Article 31 Source of funding:

(1) Membership fees.

(2) Funds.

(3) Donations.

(4) Interests.

(5) Income from organizing activities or providing services.

(6) Other legal incomes.

Article 32 Expenditure:

(1) Salaries and benefits payable to the staff of the Secretariat.

(2) Office and operating expenses of the Secretariat.

(3) Public expenditures for the activities of the General Assembly, the Council and the Standing Council, as well as for exchanges and competitions (transportation, accommodation and food expenses are paid by participants).

(4) In order to alleviate the burden on members, the Secretariat should implement frugality in terms of expenditures.

(5) The funds of WAAMA must be used for activities within the business scope stipulated in the Charter of WAAMA and may not be distributed among WAAMA members.

Article 33 Accounting standards and external auditing system shall be strictly implemented to ensure that accounting information is true, accurate and complete. WAAMA is staffed with professionally qualified accountant and cashier. When the accountant transfers the job or leaves WAAMA, he/she must complete the handover procedure.

Article 34 The assets management of WAAMA must be in strictly accordance with the financial management system, and subject to the supervision of the General Assembly. The assets are derived from: self-raising, donation and funding sources.

Article 35 No unit or individual shall seize, privately divide or misappropriate the assets of WAAMA.

Article 36 Before changing the term of office or replacing the legal representative, WAAMA must be subject to financial audit organized by an auditing organization authorized by the Organization Registration and Management Authority.

Chapter VI Charter Revision Procedures

Article 37 The amendments to the Charter of WAAMA shall be submitted to the General Assembly for deliberation after being approved by the Council.

Article 38 The amendments to the Charter of WAAMA shall be reported to competent authorities for review within fifteen (15) days after deliberation and approval by the General Assembly, and shall become effective upon approval by the Organization Registration and Management Authority.

Chapter VII Termination Procedures and Financial Treatment after Termination

Article 39 If WAAMA has achieved its purpose, or has dissolved, or needs to cancel its registration due to reasons such as separation or merger, the Council or the Standing Council shall propose a termination motion.

Article 40 The termination motion of WAAMA shall be approved by the General Assembly and be submitted to the competent authorities for examination.

Article 41 Before the termination of WAAMA, a liquidation organization shall be established under the guidance of the competent authorities to clear the creditor’s rights and debts and deal with the aftermath. During the liquidation, no activity other than liquidation shall be carried out.

Article 42 WAAMA shall terminate upon the cancellation of registration procedures by the Organization Registration and Management Authority (the Ministry of Civil Affairs).

Article 43 After termination, the remaining property of WAAMA shall be disposed in accordance with the relevant provisions of the State and under the supervision of the Business Supervision Authority (the Ministry of Finance) and the Organization Registration and Management Authority (the Ministry of Civil Affairs).

Chapter VIII Supplementary Articles

Article 44 The emblem of WAAMA: The emblem of The World Association of Abacus and Mental Arithmetic features the shape of the Earth enclosing one abacus bead skewed on a stick ().

Article 45 The Council reserves the right to interpret the Charter of WAAMA.

Article 46 The Charter of WAAMA is written in Chinese, English and Japanese texts, all are equally valid.

Article 47 The official languages of WAAMA are Chinese and English, which are used in the text.