Having regard to the desire of Mediterranean architects to create a structure aimed at fulfilling their common goal of regenerating and consolidating the ties inherent in their adhesion to the Mediterranean Basin, the common birthplace of civilisation, an organisation was formed at Mediterranean level by the Declaration of Rabat of 15 July 1994 and the constituent general meeting of 1st January 1994 in Rethymnon, Crete, Greece, entitled:

THE UNION OF MEDITERRANEAN ARCHITECTS (UMAR)

By the initiators following countries: Albania, Algeria, Cyprus, Greece, Morocco, Palestin, Spain, Tunisia and Turkey. This Union is complementary to other existing organisations. Pursuant to the action taken by the General Meeting held on January 16th and 17th 2004 at Meknes (Morocco), the relevant declaration and publication formalities were carried out with the competent body assigned to its registered office.

Article 1: Objectives

The goal of the Union is, for the benefit of the Mediterranean Region, to attain the following basic objectives :

1-1 : To proclaim architecture to be of public interest
1-2 : to promote the Mediterranean concept as a basic concept, allowing the generation of new approaches and initiatives in Mediterranean architecture. 
1-3 : To ensure that architecture is practised with total independence and integrity and with absolute respect for professional ethics
1-4 : To promote top-quality architecture as an expression of culture serving people’s needs.
1-5 : To contribute to the protection of architectural heritage and instigate joint actions enabling its preservation and revalorisation.
1-6 : To conduct any actions apt to preserve and improve quality in building, to maintain and protect the natural environment with a view to ensuring a living environment worthy of the Mediterranean populations.
1-7 : To undertake any actions apt to create and maintain between Mediterranean architects relationships of friendship, confraternity and mutual respect, enabling genuine collaboration and co-operation, without discrimination on the basis of nationality, race or religion.
1-8 : To reaffirm and facilitate relations among architects in order to make known and promote their architecture at the technical, social and cultural level, by enriching and broadening their specific experience and knowledge.
1-9 : To ensure the co-ordination of Mediterranean architects’ organisations with a view to: - Supporting them at national or international events. - Improving the mode of practising architecture in the various countries. - Perfecting the training of architecture students and maintaining architects’ skills. - Promoting the role of architect in society as a dynamic element of economic, social and cultural development. - Defending the moral and material rights of Mediterranean architects.
1-10 : To create a dynamic aimed at introducing a spirit of co-operation and solidarity between Mediterranean architects and their organisations.
1-11 : To encourage and promote all research in the field of construction techniques in the widest sense or that concerning the history, preservation and promotion of architectural heritage.
1-12 : To contribute efficiently to developing destroyed and degraded cities and to improving living conditions for their inhabitants.
1-13 : to strengthen the links between the Union and other international organisations.

Article 2: Means

The Union aims to achieve the above objectives by:

2-1 : organising conferences and seminars relative to Mediterranean architecture.
2-2 : publishing periodic reviews, reports and studies relative to architecture and town planning, focusing on the spread of technical, social and artistic research, as well as information relative to projects for completion, and thereby encouraging through the publication thereof the activities, opportunities and work of Mediterranean architects.           2-3 : striving for the spread and development of architectural theary and practice teaching methods.
2-4 : encouraging the creation of science and technology information centres for the construction industry, and the sharing of knowledge at Mediterranean and international level.

2.5 : consolidating relations between the Union and international organisations to emphasise the Mediterranean identity at international events, while benefiting from other experiences.
2-6 : studying national architectural topics and issues or those common to the Mediterranean Basin, and encouraging architectural research.  

Article 3: Languages

The official languages of the Union are English and French. Any other languagemay be used at the request and the expense of the requesting Section.

Article 4: Registered office

The registered office of the Union is located at Malta for a renewable period of ten years.

Article 5: Term

The term of the Association is unlimited.

Article 6: Members of the association

6-1: A national Section that is representative of architects from countries in and around the Mediterranean Basin may be defined as a member of the Union.
6-2: An architects’ organisation that is officially recognised by the national authorities of its country, and enjoying the greatest representativity, may be defined as the national Section of the Union. That organisation may appoint one or more representatives of architects’ organisations with lower representativity in terms of numbers.
6-3: In the case of two or more architects’ organisations recognised by their national authorities and having the same representativity, these organisations shall agree among them on their representatives within the Union. In the event of disagreement, the national Section is represented by the organisation or the most representative grouping of organisations in terms of membership numbers.

Article 7: Union bodies The Union is composed of the following bodies:

1- The General Meeting
2- The Executive Committee

Article 8: General Meeting

8-1: Definitions
8-1.1: The General Meeting is the supreme and sovereign administrative body of the Union.
8-1.2: The General Meeting consists of delegations representing the national Sections of the Union such as defined under article 6 of the articles of association.
8-1.3: Every national delegation consists of a head of delegation, who may be assisted by two delegated members. The head of delegation is the person appointed by the member Section to represent that section at the General Meeting. He is an architect and a member of the organisation represented by the Section.
8-1.4: At the time of voting, each delegation may only have one vote expressed by the representative appointed by the national Section.

8-2: Meetings
8-2.1: The General Meeting meets once a year at the convocation of the President of the Union at a date and venue decided upon by the Executive Committee. It is convened by the President at the very latest two (2) months in advance.
8-2.2: The General Meeting may only be held if at least two thirds (2/3) of the member sections are present. If this quorum is not attained, then the General Meeting is set back 24 hours. The General Meeting can then be validly held whatever the number of sections present, providing that this number is no less than half to deliberate on the points provided under articles 8-3.5, 8-3.6 and 8-3.7.
8-2.3: At the request of at least one third of its members and subject to the same conditions in the preceding paragraph, the General Meeting meets for an extraordinary session at the convocation of the President.
8-2.4: The draft agenda of the General Meeting is set by the Executive Committee and sent to its members with the notice of meeting. The agenda is definitively set by the General Meeting. In the case of an extraordinary meeting, the agenda is circulated with the notice convening the meeting.
8-3: Prerogatives of the General Meeting

Among other prerogatives, the General Meeting enjoys the following:
8-3.1: Discussing and approving the programmes of activities, including the formation of a work group proposed by the Executive Committee.
8-3.2: Deciding on the recommendations and directives to be given to the Executive Committee.
8-3.3: Discussing and approving the financial report and the draft provisional budget submitted by the Executive Committee.
8-3.4: Approving the accounts of the previous year according to the provision of regulations.
8-3.5: Developing the recommendations and carrying the resolutions required for attaining the Union’s objectives.
8-3.6: Approving the articles of association and internal regulations and amending them where necessary.
8-3.7: Deciding on the location of the Union’s registered office and the term or transfer thereof, where applicable.
8-3.8: Approving the admission, suspension or exclusion of members of the Union.

8-3.9: All resolutions of the General meeting are carried by the simple majority of those present, except for those regarding paragraphs 8-3.3, 8-3.5, 8-3.6 and 8-3.7, which require a majority of two thirds (2/3) of the members of the Union.

Article 9: The Executive Committee

9-1: Definition
9-1.1: The Executive Committee is composed of five (5) members:

  The President

  The Counsellor

  The Vice President

  The General Secretary

  The Treasurer

All presented by their national Section and elected individually by the General Meeting.
9-1.2: The Executive Committee is elected for a renewable period of three (3) years. Each member cannot be elected to the Executive Bureau for more than two consecutive times. For eligibility as a candidate, the member must belong to a national section which is up to date with its subscriptions.

9-2: Meetings
9-2.1: The Executive Committee meets at least three (3) times a year, at the convocation of the President. It may also be convened at the express request of the majority of the members of the Executive Committee.
9-2.2: The quorum for the meetings of the Executive Committee is three (3) members, including the President.
9-2.3: The resolutions of the Executive Committee are carried by a majority vote of the members. In the event of a tied vote, the President has the casting vote. Only those items on the agenda may be voted on.
9-2.4: The continuous absence of a member of the Executive Committee from three (3) consecutive meetings, except for reasons recognized as valid by the Executive Committee, shall warrant his or her resignation de facto.
9-2.5: In the event of the resignation of one or more members of the Executive Committee, the next General Meeting shall elect the replacement member(s).

9-3: Prerogatives of the Executive Committee

The Executive Committee enjoys the following prerogatives:
9-3.1: Deciding the date and venue of the General Meeting on the proposal of a member country entrusted with its organisation. In the absence of any proposals, the General Meeting is held in the country of the registered office.
9-3.2: Monitoring the execution of the resolutions and recommendations of the General Meeting.

9-3.3: Setting the draft agenda of the General Meeting.
9-3.4: Proposing the admission of a new member, or the suspension or exclusion of an existing member of the Union to the General Meeting.
9-3.5: Submitting the Union’s projects and activity programmes to the General Meeting.
9-3.6: Submitting the Executive Committee’s business report to the General Meeting.
9-3.7: Preparing the provisional budget and submitting it to the General Meeting. Examining the budget proposals of each work group.
9-3.8: Submitting the annual accounts to the General Meeting.
9-3.9: Possibility of organising conferences, seminars, meetings, etc. falling within the scope of the association’s objectives.
9-3.10: Constituting work groups whose prerogatives and operating methods shall be defined in the internal regulations, and, on the proposal of the member sections, choosing the work group co-ordinators who will be tasked with organising and running their groups.
9-3.11: Inviting the work group co-ordinators to take part in meetings of the Executive Committee and/or the General Meeting to report on their groups’ activities.
9-3.12: Appointing Union representatives to the various international events.
9-3.13: Fulfilling all the missions required for attaining the Union’s objectives.
9-3.14: Appointing members of the competition juries representing the Union.

9-4: Functions of Members of the Executive Committee
9-4.1: The President
9-4.1.1: The President represents the Union in all dealings with national and international organisations, both at law and in all acts of civil life. He concludes agreements and contracts in accordance with the Union’s activity programmes. The outgoing President remains at the disposal of the Executive Bureau for a year to ensure the continuity of the association’s activities. In connection with this, the Executive Bureau may delegate tasks to him.
9-4.1.2: The President convenes ordinary and extraordinary meetings of the General Meeting and the Executive Committee.
9-4.1.3: The President chairs the General Meeting and meetings of the Executive Committee.
9-4.1.4: The President monitors the execution of the resolutions and recommendations of the General Meeting and the Executive Committee.
9-4.1.5: The President may delegate some of his functions to the outgoing president or vice-president.

9-4.2: The Counsellor The Counsellor carries out specific missions set outby the Executive Bureau.

9-4-3: The Vice-President In case of definitive vacancy of the post of President, the Vice-President assumes the duties of the president until the next General Meeting, which elects the President.
9-4.4: The General Secretary The General Secretary organises the secretariat and oversees the activities thereof. The administrative secretariat is domiciled in the country of the General Secretary.
9-4.5: The Treasurer The Treasurer is responsible for managing the Union’s finances, under the direction of the Executive Committee in accordance with the internal regulations of the Union.

Article 10: Honorary Members The General Meeting may, by a two-thirds (2/3) majority vote, give the title of Honorary Member of the Union to any person of its choosing for exceptional services rendered to Mediterranean architecture.

Article 11: Financial resources

The Union’s financial resources come from:

11- 1: Annual contributions made by the national Sections proposed by the Executive Committee to the provisional budget of the Union, voted on by the General Meeting.

11-2: Donations, subsidies and contributions.

11-3: Revenue from the Union’s services and activities.

Article 12: Provisional budget

The Union’s provisional budget is proposed by the Executive Committee and voted on by the General Meeting. It comprises two (2) chapters:

12-1: Operating budget: this comprises the operating expenses of the Secretariat and the Executive Committee. The operating budget is covered by the contributions of member Sections.

12-2: Action budget: every operation in the Union’s action budget comprises an execution budget.

Article 13: Resignation

A member section of the Union may resign providing that it has given at least three (3) months’ advance notice in writing to the President of the Executive Committee. Nevertheless, its resignation shall only become effective following approval by the next General Meeting. The resigning section is not entitled to a refund of any share of its contribution since it has ceased to be a member during part of the contribution year.

Article 14: Loss of membership status

Aside from resignation, membership status may be lost by expulsion, decided upon by the Executive Committee, for non-payment of the annual contribution for three (3) consecutive years, for serious grounds or evident disinterest in the activities of the association, the member section having been invited to submit an explanation. The member section is informed thereof immediately, and the meeting at its next meeting.

Article 15: Dissolution

The Union is declared dissolved when it is represented by less than seven (7) member sections or if the General Meeting decides to dissolve it. In case of dissolution, the General Meeting will designate a liquidetor who will carry out the liquidation of funds and the settlement of debts of the Union. Under no circumstances may any share of Union property be attributed to Union members, except for the refund of their contributions. Any surplus assets shall be appropriated to one or more other associations pursuing similar goals and designated by name by the General Meeting.

Article 16: Records

The Union holds records of the General Meetings’ deliberations to which all votes and resolutions are consigned. The Union also holds records of the Executive Bureau’s  resolutions and the work groups activity reports. The minutes are signed by the President and kept at the General Secretariat’s offices.

Article 17: Work groups

The Executive Committee makes proposals to the General Meeting for the constitution of work groups composed of architects of member sections or persons considered by the Executive Committee to be useful. In all cases, the relevant resolution comprises directives relative to expenses solicited by the work group. The group co-ordinators regularly submit, and at least twice a year, a report on the activities of their groups. They render an account of their activities during the annual general meeting. The Executive Committee may, if necessary, participate in work group meetings.

Article 18: Observers

All technician organisations in the construction field may follow sessions of the General Meeting on the invitation of the Executive Committee, but are not entitled to participate in the debates and resolutions and have no voting rights. These representatives are called ‘observers’. The Executive Committee may invite non-member sections to attend the work of the General Meeting. These representatives are called ‘delegates’ and have the status of observers.

Article 19: Internal regulations

The Executive Committee may establish internal regulations to cover the points not provided herein, notably those concerning the practical activities of the association. It shall seek approval thereof by the General Meeting.