EXECUTIVE COMMITTEEMEMBER ORGANIZATIONSSTATUTES
BY-LAWSWORLD CONGRESSESSHARED DOCUMENTSARCHIVES



EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
 
Koen Van Assche Belgium President
Audrey Dye Belgium Vice–president
Carl Scott Zimmerman USA Treasurer
Carol Anne Taylor USA Member–at–large
Peter Bray Australia Member–at–large
Scott Orr United Kingdom Member–at–large
Vegar Sandholt Norway Member–at–large
Jasper Depraetere Belgium Member–at–large



MEMBER ORGANIZATIONS
  Nordisk Selskap for Campanologi og Klokkespil (NSCK)
  countries Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Finland, Iceland
  president Lars Sømod
  secretary Karsten Hermansen
  website www.nsck.org
 
  Guild of Carillonneurs in North America (GCNA)
  countries USA, Canada, Mexico
  president Linda Dzuris
  secretary Austin Ferguson
  website www.gcna.org
 
  Carillon Society of Australia (CSA)
  countries Australia
  president Isaac Wong
  secretary Peter Bray
  website www.carillon.org.au
 
  Guilde des Carillonneurs et Campanologues Suisses (GCCS)
  countries Switzerland
  president Matthias Walter
  secretary Nicolas Dériaz
  website www.campanae.ch
 
  Carillon Society of Britain and Ireland (CSBI)
  countries United Kingdom, Ireland
  president Jonathan Galloway
  secretary Scott Allan Orr
  website www.carillonsbi.org
 
  Association Campanaire Wallonne (ACW)
  countries Belgium (Wallonia)
  president Marie-Madeleine Crickboom
  secretary Cédric Leclercq
  website www.campano.be
 
  Vlaamse Beiaard Vereniging (VBV)
  countries Belgium (Flanders)
  president Wim Van den Broeck
  secretary Dina Verheyden
  website www.beiaard.org
 
  Deutsche Glockenspiel Vereinigung (DGV)
  countries Germany
  president Ulrich Seidel
  secretary Franzpeter Uhlig
  website glockenspieler.de
 
  Lithuanian Carillonist Guild (LCG)
  countries Lithuania
  president Julius Vilnonis
  secretary  
  website
 
  Guilde des Carillonneurs de France (GCF)
  countries France
  president Mathilde Duriez
  secretary Francis Crépin
  website www.carillonneurs.fr
 
  Koninklijke Nederlandse Klokkenspel Vereniging (KNKV)
  countries The Netherlands
  president Christiaan Winter
  secretary Richard de Waardt
  website www.klokkenspel.org
 
  Polskie Stowarzyszenie Carillonowe (PSC)
  countries Poland
  president Grzegorz Szychliński
  secretary Monika Kaźmierczak
  website
  Confraria de Campaners i Carillonistes de Catalunya (CCCC)
  countries Catalonia
  president Ramon Gené
  secretary Blai Ciurana
  website www.campanes.cat

  Russian Carillon Foundation (RCF)
  countries Russia
  president Alexandra Kapinos
  secretary
  website

  Carillon Vereenegung Lëtzebuerg (CVL)
  countries Luxemburg
  president Stéphane Baert
  secretary
  website



 
STATUTES

 Chapter I
 Name – Organization – Goal – Seat – Language
 
Article 1. Name
 
World Carillon Federation (WCF)
Beiaardwereldfederatie (BWF)
Fédération Mondiale du Carillon (FMC)
 
Article 2. Organization
 
1. The WCF is a grouping of guilds of carillonneurs and carillon associations (hereafter referred to as "member organizations") which may be multi–national, national or sub–national. The WCF is a non–profit organization.

2. Multinational guilds or associations may become member organizations of the WCF if a national WCF member organization does not exist in the territory they cover.

3. Sub–national guilds or associations may be members if a national or multinational WCF member organization does not cover their territory.

4. One or more member organizations from the same country may be accepted by the WCF. However, no member organization of the WCF may simultaneously be a member of another world carillon organization.
 
Article 3. Goal
 
1. This organization wishes to serve as a liaison among all carillon associations in order to defend and promote interests of carillonneurs and to develop the art of the carillon (by all legal means) including:
a. its improvement from a musical point of view as well from that of construction;
b. the creation and maintenance of the most cordial and fraternal relations among carillonneurs of all nationalities;
c. the establishment of artistic and musical exchanges.

2. The definition of a carillon is fixed as follows: "A carillon is a musical instrument composed of tuned bronze bells which are played from a baton keyboard".
Only those carillons having at least 23 bells will be taken into consideration. Instruments built before 1940 and composed of between 15 and 22 bells may be designated as 'historical carillons'.
 
Article 4. Seat (location)
 
In principle, the seat of the WCF will be the city where the president resides or in any other place designated by him and approved by the Executive Committee.
 
Article 5. Languages
 
1. Three languages will be used: French, English, and Dutch.

2. French will be the official legal language (however, all documents shall be translated into English and Dutch for distribution to respective members).
 
Chapter II
 Structure – Admission
 
Article 6. Members
 
Admission to the WCF can be obtained only by those organizations described in Article 2 of these statutes.
 
Article 7. Admission
 
1. To be admitted to the WCF, candidates (guilds or associations) must submit their request for affiliation in writing to the president, enclosing their statutes and the number of individual members in each class of membership described in those statutes.

2. Upon the recommendation of the Executive Committee, and following discussion by the Committee of Delegates, a decision to admit a candidate is taken by secret ballot of the Committee of Delegates.
 
Article 8. (repealed)
 
Article 9. Termination of membership
 
Each member organization desiring to terminate its membership in the WCF must do so in writing, addressing itself to the president, three months before the end of the calendar year.
 
Article 10. Expulsion
 
Each member organization may be expelled for the following reasons:
a. failure to pay its dues;
b. by violation of the statutes.
 
Article 11. Investigation
 
The admittance or exclusion of a member organization can be made valid only following an investigation by the Executive Committee and in concurrence by the Committee of Delegates.
 
Article 12. Obligations of member organizations
 
a. Each member organization must inform its individual members of the statutes and by–laws of the WCF, plus the decisions of the Committee of Delegates and the Executive Committee.
b. Each organization shall submit an account of each general membership meeting to the Executive Committee in machine-readable form at the same time it is made available to its own members. This account shall include all decisions taken and the votes thereon, especially changes to statutes, elections of officers, and the election or appointment of delegates to the WCF.
c. Delegates to the Committee of Delegates must introduce themselves with written certification from their member organization which attests that they have been designated as delegates.
 
Article 13. No financial reimbursement
 
A resigning member organization, or one who has been expelled, is never entitled to reimbursement of sums paid to the WCF.
 
Chapter III
 Control – Qualification – Administration
 
Article 14. Control of the WCF
 
The control of the WCF is assigned to the Committee of Delegates.
 
Article 15. Composition of the Committee of Delegates
 
The Committee of Delegates is composed of delegates from all affiliated member organizations according to the following rules:
1 delegate for a member organization with 5 to 40 dues–paying individual members within its territory;
2 delegates for a member organization with 41 to 100 dues–paying individual members within its territory;
3 delegates for a member organization with 101 to 200 dues–paying individual members within its territory;
4 delegates for a member organization with more than 200 dues–paying individual members within its territory.
 
Article 16. Duties of the Committee of Delegates
 
a. to elect the president and the other members of the Executive Committee (EC);
b. to establish special committees;
c. to determine dates and places of World Congresses;
d. to designate auditors of finances;
e. to encourage and eventually support artistic events or other campanological activities.
 
Article 17. Composition of the Executive Committee
 

The Executive Committee consists of a president, a vice–president, a secretary for European territories, a secretary for non–European territories, a treasurer and two other members. Apart from the post of president, which is designated by the Committee of Delegates, members of the Executive Committee choose the other officers from among themselves by mutual agreement.
 
Article 18. Duties of the Executive Committee
 
a. to regulate all activities and projects of the WCF;
b. to issue invitations for meetings of the Committee of Delegates;
c. to monitor the application of the statutes, attempting to resolve all differences regarding the interpretation of the same;
d. to give opinions on all written proposals from members of the Committee of Delegates;
e. to submit to the Committee of Delegates a budget proposal at each World Congress;
f. to report at the meetings of the Committee of Delegates on areas of work during the past years.
 
Article 19. Auditors
 
The committee of auditors is composed of two delegates and one alternate. They cannot be members of the Executive Committee. They are appointed at each World Congress by the Committee of Delegates.
 
Chapter IV
 Meetings – Elections
 
Article 20. World Congresses
 
1. A World Congress will be organized at least every four years by the Executive Committee and Committee of Delegates and implemented by a special committee.

2. The Committee of Delegates will meet during each World Congress.

3. At each World Congress, the Committee of Delegates will decide, based upon received applications, the organizer, the place, and the date of the next World Congress.

4. The applications mentioned in Article 20.3 must be received by the president of the WCF no later than 180 days before the World Congress during which the Committee of Delegates will make its decision.

5. It is the task of the Executive Committee to oversee the organization of a WCF congress, according to the Congress Guidelines (as approved by the Committee of Delegates), from the submission of the proposals up to the actual congress.
 
Article 21. Special meetings of the Committee of Delegates
 
A simple majority of the Committee of Delegates can call a meeting of that committee, either at a meeting or by correspondence.
 
Article 22. Quorum for Committee of Delegates votes
 
One third of the members of the Committee of Delegates must be present to constitute a quorum.
 
Article 23. Elections and decisions of the Committee of Delegates
 
To be valid, all elections and decisions must be made by a simple majority of votes by the members present or by their proxies (see also Art. 22). In case of a tie the president will cast the deciding vote.
 
Article 24. Announcements and agenda of Committee of Delegates meetings
 
The Executive Committee will issue to members of the Committee of Delegates, 60 days in advance, announcements of meetings which include agendas for same. Members of the Committee of Delegates, who wish to submit additional proposals to the Executive Committee, must submit them in writing 40 days prior to the date of the meeting.
 
Article 25. Vote by correspondence
 
The Executive Committee, in exceptional cases, may organize a vote of the Committee of Delegates by correspondence (i.e. mailed ballot). A decision to conduct a vote by correspondence must be carried unanimously.
 
Article 26. Candidates for the Executive Committee
 
Each member of the Committee of Delegates may nominate himself as a candidate for the Executive Committee by written application, or may be proposed by two other delegates (with his concurrence) in writing.
 
Article 27. Re–nomination for the Executive Committee
 
Outgoing members of the Executive Committee may be re–nominated.
 
Article 28. Frequency of elections to the Executive Committee
 
Members of the Executive Committee are elected for a period of two World Congresses. One half of the Executive Committee will retire at each World Congress.
 
Article 29. Secret ballot
 
The election of the president and all other members of the Executive Committee will be by secret ballot.
 
Chapter V
 Finances
 
Article 30. Treasury
 
The treasury of the WCF constitutes:
a. annual membership dues;
b. donations, subsidies, legacies and occasional gifts.
 
Article 31. Fiscal year
 
The fiscal year begins 1 May and ends 30 April of each calendar year. Yearly dues must be paid before 31 March.
 
Article 32. Responsibility
 
The WCF is not responsible to anyone as regards its possessions. The members of the Executive Committee are personally responsible for their actions to the Committee of Delegates, but to nobody else.
 
Article 33. Voluntary activities
 
All activities of the members of the Executive Committee and Committee of Delegates are voluntary (i.e. without monetary compensation).
 
Chapter VI
 Modification of the statutes – Dissolution
 
Article 34. Proposals for modifications
 
These statutes may be modified or expanded by proposals from the Executive Committee, by other delegates of the Committee of Delegates, or by member organizations.
 
Article 35. Required majority for modifications
 
Statutes and by–laws may be changed by the Committee of Delegates, with a vote of two thirds majority of its delegates present (including proxies). If requested by one delegate, there shall be a secret ballot.
 
Article 36. Dissolution
 
a. In order to dissolve the WCF, there must be a three–fourths majority vote of Committee of Delegates members present (see also Art. 22).
b. Dissolution of the WCF will be automatic if the number of its member organizations is reduced to one.
 
Article 37. Distribution of funds
 
In the event of dissolution, no member organization may demand any property or goods belonging to the WCF nor the return of any paid contributions. Upon dissolution, all funds of the WCF shall be distributed equally according to representation. The disposition of all reports, documents and other possessions, except funds, will be put to a vote.
 
Chapter VII
 By–laws
 
Article 38. By–laws
 
In order to achieve good continuity of efforts, those things not covered in the statutes will be governed by by–laws, established by the Committee of Delegates in accordance with the statutes.
 
Chapter VIII
 Miscellaneous
 
Article 39. Forbidden discussions
 
All discussions of a religious, political or philosophical nature are forbidden in meetings of the WCF.



 
BY–LAWS
 
Chapter I
 Organization – Membership
 
1. An Honorary Title may be conferred on individuals who are, or have been, deemed deserving of it.
 
Chapter II
 Leadership – Dues – Administration
 
1. The president or vice–president opens, presides over, and adjourns meetings of the Committee of Delegates and of the Executive Committee.

2. In the absence of the president, or by his premature resignation, the vice–president will replace him until he can resume his duties or until the next election. The same is true between the two secretaries. In case of the absence of both president and vice–president, the oldest member of the Executive Committee will assume the duties of the president.

3. The duties of the two secretaries will be divided by mutual agreement in order to accomplish:
a. the publication of the official minutes of the meetings of the Committee of Delegates and of the Executive Committee and their distribution to member organizations;
b. necessary correspondence;
c. the supervision of the archives of the secretariat;
d. an up–to–date list of the members of the Committee of Delegates and of the Executive Committee.

4. Minutes of each meeting of the Committee of Delegates will be sent out within three months by email to the delegates. Every delegate is entitled to have his/her contribution corrected/recorded in the minutes on request. This starts the approval procedure, with new version(s), and the request for approval by mail. Five months after the meetings, the minutes should be approved.

5. The treasurer will collect annual dues and will account for the finances. With the approval of the Executive Committee, he will establish a bank account in the name of the WCF.

6. To be valid, all official documents must be signed by the president or vice–president and one of the secretaries.
 
Chapter III
 Meetings – Elections
 
1. The president or vice–president determines the date for a meeting of the Committee of Delegates and/or Executive Committee. He informs the secretaries of this date and the meeting's agenda who, in turn, issue announcements in writing to all members of the Committee of Delegates or Executive Committee at least 60 days in advance.

2. Each delegate to the Committee of Delegates has the right to be represented by proxy if the said person is authorized in writing by his member organization. However, each delegate has a right to carry only one proxy per meeting. This he must present at the beginning of the meeting.

3. In case of emergency, topics which do not appear on the agenda may be proposed by the president or by members of the Executive Committee at the opening of the meeting. They may be included on the agenda only by a favourable two–thirds majority vote of the delegates present.

4. Any election of people must be made by secret ballot; for general business matters a vote by raising of hands may be taken, unless those present decide otherwise. Vote by acclamation may also be proposed.

5. Blank votes do not count. An absolute majority is one–half of the valid votes plus one (see also statutes, Art. 23).

6. In case of a tie in a presidential election, the vote will begin again until a majority is obtained (i.e. the greatest number of valid votes).

7. After each election, the Executive Committee may review the distribution of duties. The new Executive Committee will assume these duties at the end of a session.

8. A delegate may belong to more than one member organization, but may only represent a single member organization as a delegate.

9. A majority of the Executive Committee constitutes a quorum.

 
Chapter IV
 Finances
 
1. The Executive Committee proposes the annual dues from members (statutes, Art. 18.e).

2. Members of the Executive Committee have the right to a reimbursement for travel expenses to participate at meetings or, if possible, at other activities of interest to the Federation. Amounts will be determined in advance and approved by the Executive Committee within the limits of the bi–annual budget (statutes, Art. 18).
 
Chapter V
 Modification of the by–laws
 
1. The by–laws may be amended (modified or completed) by proposal of the Executive Committee or other members of the Committee of Delegates (for ratification procedure see statutes, Art. 35).

2. The Executive Committee will decide on matters not covered in the statutes or by–laws. These modifications or additions are temporary. They will be made known to members of the Committee of Delegates at the next meeting and validated by their vote.
 
Chapter VI
 Miscellaneous
 
1. In case of resignation, expulsion or defeat of a member of the Executive Committee, this person will remit to a member of the Executive Committee within two months following his resignation, exclusion or defeat, the property of the Federation (money, reports, official seal, etc.) coming from and belonging to the WCF.



WORLD CONGRESSES
 
#1 1922   Mechelen – Belgium (Flanders)
#2 1925   's-Hertogenbosch – The Netherlands
#3 1972   Rotterdam – The Netherlands
Mechelen – Belgium (Flanders)
#4 1974   Douai – France
#5 1978   Amersfoort – The Netherlands
#6 1982   Løgumkloster – Danmark
#7 1986   Ann Arbor (Michigan) – USA
#8 1990   Zutphen – The Netherlands
#9 1994   Chambéry – France
#10 1996   Aschaffenburg – Germany
#11 1998   Mechelen – Belgium (Flanders)
Leuven – Belgium (Flanders)
#12 2000   Springfield (Illinois) – USA
#13 2002   Cobh – Ireland
#14 2004   Oslo – Norway
#15 2006   Gdansk – Poland
#16 2008   Groningen – The Netherlands
#17 2011   Bloomfield Hills (Michigan) – USA
#18 2014   Antwerpen – Belgium (Flanders)
Brugge – Belgium (Flanders)
#19 2017 Barcelona – España
#20 2021   Hartford (Connecticut) – USA (online)
#21 2023   Utrecht – The Netherlands
#22 2026   Mafra – Portugal