Freundeskreis Haus der Kulturen der Welt
in the version dated November 5, 2019
Article 1 Name and headquarters
1.
The association bears the name
Freundeskreis Haus der Kulturen der Welt.
2.
After being entered in the register of associations, it has the addition of “eingetragener Verein” (registered association), in the abbreviated version “e.V.”.
3.
The association is based in Berlin.
Article 2 Purpose of the association
The association exclusively and directly pursues charitable purposes within the meaning of the section “tax-privileged purposes” of the tax code (AO) by promoting art and culture.
The purpose of the association is to promote cultural and scholarly events and other projects at Haus der Kulturen der Welt with the participation of artists, scholars, politicians and economists and at the same time to intensify a lively dialogue between the cultures of Europe and the world outside of Europe.
Article 3 Association activity
The association fulfills its mission primarily by financially supporting events and publications of Haus der Kulturen der Welt, which is a division of Kulturveranstaltungen des Bundes in Berlin GmbH (KBB). KBB is recognized as non-profit within the meaning of Sections 51 ff. of the tax code (AO).
Furthermore, the association fulfills its mission by holding its own events (lectures, symposia, film festivals) at Haus der Kulturen der Welt.
In Germany, Europe and the countries of origin of guests of Haus der Kulturen der Welt (HKW), the association Members are committed to an exchange of experience and information between HKW and institutions and prominent figures in culture, academics, politics and industry.
The association’s funds shall only be used for statutory purposes that are exclusively and directly charitable. The association works selflessly. The Members shall not receive any payments from the association’s funds.
The association shall not primarily pursue its own economic purposes. The association may not favor any person through expenditures that are alien to the purpose of the association or through disproportionately high remuneration.
Article 4 Entry in the register of associations
The association shall be entered in the association register.
Article 5 Membership 1
1.
Natural persons and legal entities under public and private law in Germany and abroad who support the goals of the association can be Members of the association.
2.
Membership is created by joining the association.
3.
The declaration of membership must be submitted in writing.
4.
Acceptance shall be decided upon by the Committee. Admission becomes effective when a written declaration of admission is issued.
5.
The refusal of admission by the Committee is not contestable.
6.
There is no entitlement to admission.
Article 6 Resignation of Members
1.
Members are entitled to leave the association.
2.
Resignation is only permitted at the end of a calendar year with a notice period of three months.
3.
The resignation shall be declared to the Committee in writing. To comply with the notice period (Article 6, no. 2) timely receipt of the resignation declaration by a member of the Committee is required.
Article 7 Exclusion of Members
1.
Membership can also end through exclusion.
2.
Exclusion from the association is only permissible for good cause.
3.
The General Meeting decides on the exclusion at the request of the Committee.
4.
The Committee must notify the Member to be excluded in writing of its application at least two weeks before the meeting.
5.
A detailed written statement by the Member shall be read aloud in the meeting deciding on the exclusion.
6.
The exclusion of a Member shall take effect immediately when the resolution is passed.
7.
If the Member was not present when the resolution was passed, the Member shall be informed of the exclusion immediately in writing.
Article 8 Cancellation of Membership
1.
A Member also leaves the association when membership is canceled.
2.
Membership shall be canceled if the Member is more than nine months behind with the annual fee and does not pay this fee in full even after a written reminder by the Committee within three months of its being sent. The reminder must be sent by registered letter to the last address of the Member known to the association.
3.
The imminent cancellation of membership must be indicated in the reminder.
4.
The reminder is also effective if the letter is returned as undeliverable.
5.
Membership is canceled by a resolution of the Committee, which does not have to be made known to the Member concerned.
Article 9 Membership fee
1.
A membership fee shall be paid.
2.
The General Meeting determines the amount of the membership fee.
3.
The fee is payable in full annually until March 31 of the current year.
4.
There is no admission fee.
Article 10 Organs of the association
Organs of the association are
a) the General Meeting
b) the Committee
Article 11 Calling the General Meeting
1.
The General Meeting shall be called if the interests of the association so require.
2.
An annual ordinary General Meeting shall take place, held within the first three months of the calendar year.
3.
An extraordinary General Meeting shall be called if one-quarter of the Members request it in writing, stating the purpose and reasons.
4.
In the ordinary annual General Meeting, the Committee shall present an annual report and an annual statement to the General Meeting and the meeting shall pass a resolution on the discharge of the Committee.
Article 12 Form of calling
1.
The General Meeting shall be called in writing by the Committee with a notice period of at least two weeks.
2.
The calling of the meeting must specify the subject of the resolution (= agenda).
3.
The period begins on the day the invitation is sent to the last known Member address. The day of dispatch and the day of the meeting are not included in the calculation of the deadline.
Article 13 Quorum
1.
The Committee shall lead the meeting. Minutes signed by the chair and secretary shall be drawn up on the resolutions of the General Meeting.
2.
Each duly called General Meeting has a quorum.
3.
In order to pass a resolution on the dissolution of the association, the presence of two-thirds of the association’s Members is required.
4.
If a General Meeting called to pass a resolution on the dissolution of the association in accordance with Article 3 is not quorate, another General Meeting with the same agenda must be called within four weeks from the day of the meeting. The next meeting may take place no earlier than two months after the first day of the meeting, but must in any case take place no later than four months after this point in time.
5.
The invitation to the further meeting must contain a reference to the simplified quorum (Article 6).
6.
The new meeting to pass a resolution on the dissolution of the association has a quorum regardless of the number of association Members present.
Article 14 Resolution
1.
Voting shall be done by show of hands. At the request of at least five of those present, voting may be done secretly in writing.
2.
The majority of the Members present decides on the resolution.
3.
A majority of three-quarters of the Members present is required for a resolution that contains an amendment to the Statutes.
4.
To change the purpose of the association (Article 2 of the Statutes), the consent of all Members is required. The consent of the Members who do not appear must be in writing.
5.
A majority of four-fifths of the Members present is required to pass a resolution on the dissolution of the association (Section 41 of the BGB).
6.
Abstentions count as “no” votes for the majority of the Members present (Articles 2, 3 and 5).
Article 15 Committee
1.
The Committee consists of the following members:
- the 1st chairperson
- the 2nd chairperson
- the treasurer
- the secretary
2.
Furthermore, the respective director of Haus der Kulturen der Welt (division of Kulturveranstaltungen des Bundes in Berlin GmbH) is a member of the Committee by virtue of office.
3.
The Committee shall consist of the persons listed under Article 15 no. 1 according to Section 26 of the BGB. The association is jointly represented in and out of court by two Committee members in accordance with Article 15 no. 1.
4.
The Committee members according to Article 15 no. 1 are appointed for a period of three years by resolution of the General Meeting. The Committee members remain in office until the next Committee is appointed in accordance with the Statutes.
Article 16 Dissolution of the Association
The association can be dissolved by resolution of the General Meeting.
The liquidation shall be carried out by the Committee.
If the association is dissolved, the association’s assets shall go to Kulturveranstaltungen des Bundes in Berlin GmbH (division Haus der Kulturen der Welt), which shall use them directly and exclusively for charitable purposes (promotion of art and culture).
