Charter of the Global Public Diplomacy Network
The founding multilateral governing legal charter establishing the principles, membership criteria, and governance bodies of GPDNet.
Preamble to the GPDNet Charter
Realizing the need to collaborate in order to create synergy effects and raise public awareness of global issues through culture and civil society initiatives, the institutions promoting public and cultural diplomacy have agreed to form the Global Public Diplomacy Network (hereby “GPDNet”) and held their first meeting on October 23, 2014 in Seoul, Korea.
Statutory Definitions
InterpretationAn organization that has officially joined the GPDNet in accordance with Article 2.
The supreme governing body comprised of the heads of member institutions.
The Board of Directors elected from the Assembly, with each elected member serving as Director.
The statutory diplomatic and legal representative of the GPDNet.
The project-based technical and executive committee appointed by the Board.
The permanent administrative organ supporting operations and coordination across members.
General Provisions
Objectives
The GPDNet aims to:
- a. Cooperation: Encourage cooperation between Members to create synergy effects;
- b. Knowledge Exchange: Promote the creativity of public diplomacy by sharing practical knowledge;
- c. Public Awareness: Raise public awareness about the importance of public diplomacy by developing adequate forms of collaboration.
Membership Classes & Admission
(1) Full Membership: National-level non-profit institutions and state bodies devoted to promoting public and cultural diplomacy are eligible to apply. Heads of Full Members are entitled to vote at meetings and be elected to the Board.
(2) Associate Membership: Subnational non-profit institutions and specialized research bodies. Representatives participate in joint dialogues but do not hold voting privileges.
Admission Procedure: Inclusion requires formal written expression of interest to the Secretariat, consensus approval by the Board, and signing of the Memorandum of Understanding and Charter.
Governance & Assembly
The Assembly
The Assembly is composed of the executive heads of member institutions. It holds supreme authority over strategic policy determination, charter amendments, budgetary ratifications, and election of the President and Board.
Board of Directors
The Board is elected from among heads of Full Members for a 3-year term. It oversees executive administration, reviews new membership accessions, and provides strategic guidance to the Secretariat.
The Presidency
The Assembly elects an institutional President to officially represent the GPDNet internationally and chair Assemblies and Board sessions (Presidency Seat: Katara Cultural Village, Doha, Qatar).
The Secretariat
The Secretariat conducts operational administration, archives multilateral records, executes General Assembly logistics, and coordinates inter-institutional communications.
Meetings of the Members
Convocations, Quorum, and Operational Expenses
Article 8 (Host Institution): Annual meetings are hosted rotational by member institutions in consensus with the Board and Secretariat.
Article 9 (Notification): Official convocation notices and agendas must be circulated at least 60 days prior to scheduled assembly dates.
Article 11 (Quorum): A quorum requires a simple majority of Full Members. Decisions are adopted by diplomatic consensus or majority vote.
Joint Activities & Financing
Project Sponsorship & Shared Financing
Article 13 (Joint Programs): Collaborative initiatives encompass cultural exhibitions, academic symposia, capacity training modules, and youth cultural hubs.
Article 15 (Financial Responsibility): Participating members bear costs associated with their respective involvement, unless multilateral co-sponsorship is formally approved by the Assembly.
Final Provisions
Intellectual Property, Jurisdiction & Amendments
Article 17 (Intellectual Property): Members shall strictly respect the intellectual property rights of partner institutions across all collaborative outputs.
Article 18 (Applicable Laws): All multilateral initiatives adhere to the domestic sovereign legal frameworks of the host country.
Article 19 (Amendments): Amendments to this Charter are enacted solely through consensual resolution adopted by the Statutory Assembly.