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In August, 1945, the first nuclear
weapons ever used in human history caused an indescribable catastrophe
for the cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Even now a number of A-bomb
survivors are still suffering physically, psychologically, and socially
from various after-effects. Nevertheless, nuclear weapons have not
been abolished; they continue to threaten human existence. Our goal
is to maintain environments that enable citizens to lead safe, cultural
lives, and to contribute to the attainment of lasting world peace.
To this end, we pledge to make every effort to create an inter-city
solidarity transcending national boundaries and ideological differences
in order to achieve the total abolition of nuclear weapons and avert
the recurrence of the Hiroshima and Nagasaki tragedies.
We agree to the intent of the "Program to Promote Solidarity
of Cities towards the Total Abolition of Nuclear Weapons" proposed
by Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Furthermore, we hope that the "World
Conference of Mayors for Peace through Inter-city Solidarity,"
which held its first session in August of 1985, shall become a permanent
organization. Accordingly, we do hereby establish an organization
to be known as the "Mayors for Peace".
CHAPTER I
PURPOSES AND PRINCIPLES
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Purposes
ARTICLE 1
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| The Purposes of the "Mayors for Peace"
are to contribute to the attainment of lasting world peace
by arousing concern among citizens of the world for the total
abolition of nuclear weapons through close solidarity among
all cities which agree to the "Program to Promote Solidarity
of Cities towards the Total Abolition of Nuclear Weapons"
as well as by striving to solve vital problems for the human
race such as starvation and poverty, the plight of refugees,
human rights abuses, and environmental degradation. (Cities
which agree to the "Program to Promote Solidarity of
Cities towards the Total Abolition of Nuclear Weapons"
are hereinafter cited as solidarity cities.) |
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Purposes
ARTICLE 2
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| The Organization and solidarity cities, in
pursuit of the Purposes stated in Article 1, shall act in
accordance with the following Principles; |
| (a) |
The Organization shall be based
on friendship, goodwill, and respect for the actual conditions
of Solidarity Cities. |
| (b) |
The Organization shall devote
itself to the total abolition of nuclear weapons and the attainment
of lasting world peace, and to the solution of such problems
as starvation, poverty, the plight of refugees, human rights
abuses, and environmental degradation in cooperation with
the United Nations, a major peace-keeping organization in
the world. |
| (c) |
Solidarity Cities shall work
for the development of friendly relationships and bonds of
solidarity among cities on the basis of mutual understanding
and shall act in good faith for the attainment of the Purposes
in accordance with the present Covenant. |
| (d) |
Solidarity Cities shall seek
to increase global awareness of the "Spirit of Hiroshima
and Nagasaki" by introducing and expanding the idea of
Inter-City Solidarity. |
CHAPTER II
ACTIVITIES
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Details of the Activities
ARTICLE 3
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| The Organization, in pursuit of the Purposes
stated in Article 1, shall be engaged in the following activities; |
| (a) |
To introduce and expand the idea
of inter-city solidarity to worldwide cities. |
| (b) |
To make an appeal for the total
abolition of nuclear weapons and general and complete disarmament
to related organizations such as the United Nations. |
| (c) |
To coordinate the following activities
promoted by Solidarity Cities. |
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(i) |
Solidarity Cities shall hold gatherings and
events devoted to the cause of disarmament and peace, and/or
to the solution of such problems as starvation, poverty, the
plight of refugees, human rights abuses, and environmental
degradation and shall send copies of any statement, resolution,
or proclamation, associated with these events, to other Solidarity
Cities. |
| (ii) |
Solidarity cities shall transmit messages
advocating the total abolition of nuclear weapons and general
and complete disarmament to the Secretary-General and the
President of the General Assembly of the United Nations during
the United Nations Disarmament Week. In addition, copies of
the messages shall be exchanged with other Solidarity Cities. |
| (iii) |
Solidarity Cities that sponsor workshops
or meetings on peace, disarmament, and security issues, and/or
the solution of such problems as starvation, poverty, the
plight of refugees, human rights abuses, and environmental
degradation shall send relevant pamphlets, books, and materials
reporting these results to other Solidarity Cities. |
| (iv) |
Solidarity Cities that publish or obtain
materials, brochures, or books related to peace, disarmament,
and security issues, and/or to the solution of such problems
as starvation, poverty, the plight of refugees, human rights
abuses, and environmental degradation shall bring them to
the attention of other Solidarity Cities. |
| (v) |
Bearing in mind the current international
situation and the urgency and importance of nuclear disarmament,
Solidarity Cities shall hold photographic exhibitions which
describe and depict to citizens around the world the actual
nature of the devastations wreaked by the atomic bombs on
Hiroshima and Nagasaki. |
| (vi) |
The cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki shall
cooperate by providing necessary exhibition photographs and
introducing documentary films, slides, and books, that depict
the disaster caused by the atomic bombings. |
| (d) |
o sponsor and organize events
as may be necessary to achieve the Purposes stated in the
present Covenant. |
CHAPTER III
EXECUTIVE OFFICIALS
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Executive Officials
ARTICLE 4
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| 1. |
Executive Officials of the Organization shall
consist of: one President; an appropriate number of Vice-Presidents
and Executive Members. |
| 2. |
The President and the Vice-President shall
be elected by Solidarity Cities. |
| 3. |
The President shall supervise and represent
the Organization, and shall chair the Conference. |
| 4. |
The Vice-President shall assist the President.
In case of the inability of the President to carry out the
duties of the office, the Vice-President shall fulfill the
duties of the President. |
| 5. |
The Executive Members shall be appointed
from Solidarity Cities by the President with regional conditions
taken into consideration. |
| 6. |
The Executive Members shall assist the President
and the Vice-President and shall act for the smooth management
of the Organization. |
| 1. |
The term of office of the Executive Officials
shall be until such time that new Executive Officials are
elected at a succeeding General Conference. Each office shall
be open to reelection. |
| 2. |
Whatever the stipulations of previous clauses,
if a member-city mayor holding an elected office resigns or
retires his or her mayoralty, the succeeding mayor shall assume
said office. In such case, the succeeding officer's term shall
last as long as the original term of the retiring or resigning
officer. |
CHAPTER IV
CONFERENCE
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General Conference and
Executive Conference
ARTICLE 6
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| The Organization shall hold a General Conference
and an Executive Conference. |
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General Conference
ARTICLE 7
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| The Organization shall hold a General Conference
and an Executive Conference. |
| 1. |
The General Conference shall meet every four
years in principle. |
| 2. |
The General Conference shall be held to
achieve the Purposes stated in Article 1 and to decide and
approve relevant questions. |
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Executive Conference
ARTICLE 8
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| 1. |
The Executive Conference shall consist of
the Executive Officials and shall meet when the occasion arises. |
| 2. |
The Executive Conference shall be authorized
to make emergency decisions for the Organization in place
of the General Conference with the exception of electing the
President and the Vice-President. |
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Convocation
ARTICLE 9
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| The General Conference or the Executive Conference
shall be convoked by the President. |
| 1. |
Each Solidarity City participating in the
General Conference or the Executive Conference shall have
one vote. In case of absence, each Solidarity City may delegate
its vote by proxy to another participating city. |
| 2. |
Decisions of the Conference on all questions
shall be made by a simple majority vote of participating cities.
In case of tie votes, the President shall cast a deciding
vote. |
| 3. |
When circumstances render it impossible to
hold a Conference, decisions shall be made by votes conveyed
in letters to the Secretariat from Solidarity Cities. |
CHAPTER V
THE SECRETARIAT
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Establishment of the Secretariat
ARTICLE 11
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| The Secretariat shall be established in Hiroshima
to operate the Organization. |
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Secretariat Staff
ARTICLE 12
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| 1. |
The Secretariat shall be comprised of a Secretary-General
and support-staff. |
| 2. |
The Secretary-General and support-staff
shall be appointed by the President. |
CHAPTER VI
SHARE OF EXPENSES
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Expenses
ARTICLE 13
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| Expenses required to operate the Secretariat
(ordinary expenditure) and expenses required to hold the Conference
(extraordinary expenditure) shall be decided by the General
Conference on the recommendation of the Executive Conference. |
CHAPTER VII
MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS
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Expenses
ARTICLE 14
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| Amendments to the present Covenant shall
come into force upon adoption by a two-thirds majority of
the participating cities at the General Conference. |
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Delegation
ARTICLE 15
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| Decisions required to operate the Secretariat,
other than those stipulated in the present Covenant, shall
be made by the President. |
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Supplementary Provision
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| The Mayors of Hiroshima, Nagasaki, Berlin,
Hannover, Como, Lusaka, Sacramento, Vancouver and Volgograd
shall assume responsibilities as President and Vice-President
respectively until a next session of the General Conference
is convened. |
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This covenant was executed
on November 1, 1986.
Revised on October 16, 1991, effective the same day.
Revised on August 5,2001, effective the same day.
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