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Diplomatic League Charter

            We, the Interim Executive Council of the Diplomatic League, representing the lead and major student organizations of  the Diplomacy and International Relations Programs  of Philippine Universities and Colleges, under the guidance of the Office of United Nations and International Organizations (UNIO) of the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), having declared the establishment of the Diplomatic League through its Declaration of 8 May 2015, hereby promulgate the Charter of the Diplomatic League:

Preamble

 

RECOGNIZING the need to establish a coordinating institution bringing together the lead and major student organizations of Philippine university and collegiate diplomatic and international relations programs;

 

ENVISIONING itself to be a student and pre-professional organization that provides opportunities for its members to engage in relevant and meaningful academic and extra-curricular activities that engage with Philippine and international institutions;

 

COMMITTING itself to become a leading organization for the advancement of diplomacy and international relations through support of the academic, technical, cultural and social education of its members;

 

AFFIRMING the need for pro-active, enduring, cordial and synergistic relations among its members; and with diplomatic stakeholders, particularly the DFA;

 

DEDICATING itself to helping develop its members to become the future diplomats and international relations leaders of the Philippines and the Global Community;

 

Do hereby affirm the establishment the Diplomatic League, and promulgate this Charter for its governance.

 

 

Article 1: Aims and Purposes

 

The Aims and Purposes of the Diplomatic League shall be:

 

  1. To serve as the lead organization and network for Philippine university and collegiate students of diplomacy and international relations and their respective student organizations.

  2. To encourage its members to pursue careers in diplomacy or related international relations professions.

  3. To provide a platform for the leadership, academic and professional development of its members,

  4. To advance communication, cooperation and camaraderie among its member organizations and students,

  5. To organize academic, extra-curricular and other relevant activities in the various areas of diplomacy and international relations,

  6. To support efforts to develop and advance the study of diplomacy and international relations in Philippine institutions of learning.

  7. To be a bridge between Filipino students of diplomacy and international relations and the DFA and other diplomatic stakeholders in the Philippines.

  8. To promote relations with students and other stakeholders of diplomacy and international relations overseas.

 

Article II: Principles

 

The Principles of the Diplomatic League are:

 

  1. That it is primarily a student-led organization, established for the benefit of its members;

  2. That it promotes amicable, harmonious and synergistic relations among its member organizations and students;

  3. That it respects the identity, activities, rules and regulations of the respective tertiary institutions and student organizations comprising the League; and

  4. That it shall conduct its affairs in conformity with Philippine law and in the spirit of the United Nations and ASEAN Charters, and the body of Diplomatic and International Relations practice.

 

Article III: Pillars

 

The Pillars of the Diplomatic League are:

 

1. Students’ pursuit of total excellence

 

The League shall support the development of the intellectual, emotional and spiritual excellence of its organizational and individual members.

 

2. Department of Foreign Affairs’ global pursuit of national interest

 

The League shall support the DFA in its pursuit of national interest and the advancement of the pillars of Philippine Foreign Policy.

 

3. Global Community’s pursuit of Peace, Development and Humanitarianism

 

The League shall support the global pursuit of Peace, Development and Humanitarianism in accordance with the principles and charters of the United Nations (UN), the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and other international organizations of which the Philippines is a member.

 

Article IV: Executive Council (EC)

 

  1. The EC shall be the lead executive body of the DL.  It shall membership shall consist of delegations of representatives of member university organizations.

  2. A member university organization is the duly-recognized student organization of the relevant degree program of the said university.  Each university, and independent campus of a given university, is entitled to one delegation seat in the EC.

  3. In the event of there being more than one relevant student organization in a university campus, the said organizations shall jointly form a single delegation to the EC. Universities without relevant degree programs may form observer delegations and join the discussions, but without voting powers on substantive matters.

  4. Each university delegation shall be headed by a Permanent Representative (PR), and shall have one vote in the EC.

  5. The Officers of the EC shall consist of the President, the Executive Vice President, Executive Secretary, and Vice Presidents for Communications, External Relations, Internal Affairs, Finance and Operations.  The Officers shall be elected from among the Permanent Representatives, and shall serve for a term of one year.

  6. The EC shall manifest its decisions, plans and activities in the form of resolutions passed by a two-thirds majority of delegations.  The EC shall enact resolutions further defining the policies and regulations of the DL, and for the elaboration of the provisions of Charter.

  7. The EC shall establish Commissions, Special Committees and other relevant bodies as called for by the Charter and as needed.

  8. The members of the EC shall serve for a term of one year.

 

Article V: General Assembly (GA)

 

  1. The GA shall be the membership representation body of the DL.  Its membership shall consist of individual students of university diplomatic degree programs.

  2. Each member shall have one vote in the GA.

  3. The Officers of the GA shall consist of the Speaker, and Four Deputy Speakers for the National Capital Region, Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao.  The Officers shall be elected from among the members, and shall serve for a term of one year.

  4. The GA shall enact resolutions and organize committees in furtherance of its work.

  5. University students who are not enrolled in diplomatic degree programs but who have a bona fide intention of entering the diplomatic or international affairs professions, and who have completed at least thirty academic units of relevant coursework, may be admitted as observer members in the GA.

 

Article VI: Commissions (COM)

 

  1. The COMs shall be special interest and functional groups of the DL.  Each COM shall be headed by a Commissioner, who is a member or observer of the GA or EC, to be appointed by the EC.

  2. Each COM shall be defined and organized by the EC, and shall be dedicated to a particular international organization, geographic region, international issue, bilateral relationship or other relevant definition. 

 

Article VII: Secretariat (SEC)

 

  1. The SEC is the administrative support body of the DL.  It shall be headed by a Secretary-General (SG) who shall be a senior or retired official of the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA).

  2. The SEC shall be organized by Diplomacy.PH.

 

Article VIII: Advisory Board (AB)

 

  1. The AB shall consist of diplomats, academicians and other distinguished personalities who shall provide guidance to the DL.

  2. The EC, GA and SEC may propose members to the AB.

  3. The EC President, GA President and SG are ex-officio members of the AB.

 

Article VIII: Special Committees (SC)

 

  1. The EC shall establish SCs for particular governance functions to include management of elections, adjudication of member disputes, audit of financial matters, et al.

 

Article IX: Effectivity and Administration

 

  1. This Charter shall take immediate effect upon express manifestation by the members of the Interim EC.

  2. The Interim EC shall serve as the First EC.

  3. The DL shall, for the purposes of legal personality under Philippine Law, be a branch of Diplomacy.PH.

 

 DONE in Pasay City, Republic of the Philippines on the 25th day of January in the Year Two Thousand and Sixteen.

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