Congress Proposals & Organisation

NOTE: The International Council in now considering a fully revised version of this document. The draft version can be see at: www.ivu.org/members/vegfest.html) opens in a new window to allow comparison).

This document is 'Appendix A' to the IVU Bylaws.

1. Preliminary Matters
   
   
   1. IVU World Vegetarian Congresses may normally be held every two years, preferably rotating around the six regions as follows:
      2010 - Asia -Pacific
      2012 - North America
      2014 - Africa
      2016 - Latin America
      2018 - India & SW Asia
      2020 - Europe
      (to be extended in the same sequence)
      
      
   2. Initial discussions about proposed venues should be with the Regional Coordinator for each region, but the final decision shall be made by IC.
      
      
   3. Presentations should be given at each Congress of plans for future Congresses. Ideally host organisations should send delegates to give these presentations. If this is not possible then sufficient information should be given to other delegates to speak on their behalf.
      
      
2. Congress Organisational Matters
   
   
   1. The venue should provide a suitable lecture hall with adequate seating, exhibition space, accommodation for simultaneous translation and visual aids facilities. It should be reasonably close to the hotel and other accommodation. It should also offer adequate accommodation for lectures, workshops and committee meetings. An exhibition area should be available.
      Clear information must be provided to enable delegates to find the congress venue and hotel accommodation. Advice about travel from airports and railway stations should be provided.
      Food should be entirely free of all animal products or derivatives and of a type likely to achieve international support. Ample quantities of raw fruit and salad vegetables (preferably organic) should be available at all meals.
      
      
   2. Breakfast is usually taken at the hotel accommodation. Other meals are taken together and should be in a special dining room and one not shared with any group or individuals not attending the congress.
      
      
   3. There is usually a congress dinner on the final evening and social events each evening of the congress. If the lecture hall or dining room are not suitable for such gatherings then suitable alternative accommodation should be provided.
      
      
   4. The registration fee should be fixed to take account of hire charges, simultaneous translation needs and any free places at the congress.
      
      
   5. Financing of individual Congresses may be open to discussion between IC and the local organisers. As far as possible finances should be a local responsibility but IVU may become directly involved in appropriate circumstances as determined by IC.
      
      
   6. The programme should address techniques and campaigning for the promotion of vegetarianism, academic topics, cookery demonstrations and visual aids. Sufficient time should be allowed between lectures for questions and discussion.
      
      
   7. The programme should allow time for leisure and excursions should be provided to suitable places of interest. Congresses normally last for five to seven days. Excursions may also be offered prior to and following the congress.
      
      
   8. Applications may be made to the organisers before a Congress for simultaneous translation facilities to be made available at the Congress, usually subject to a guarantee that Congress fees for a minimum of thirty persons of a single linguistic group shall be paid prior to the Congress.
      
      
3. IVU'S Role
   1. The programme and catering arangements and menus for any world congress are subject to the approval of the International Council of IVU. The information must be sent to the International Council at least four months before the start of the congress.
      The meeting of member societies will be included in the programme by the congress organisers and shall be at a time when no other congress activities, other than cooking demos, and, possibly videos, are on the programme.
      
      
   2. The International Council will meet during each congress and a suitable room needs to be provided for this purpose. The first meeting will be before, and the second after the general meeting of member societies.
      
      
4. Publicity
   1. An important aspect of any congress is to obtain publicity for the vegetarian message and for the organising society. Arrangements need to be made to encourage the media to attend and report the congress. IVU and other officials as well as suitable delegates should be earmarked for participation in publicity opportunities. A press reception should be organised and relevant press releases should be issued prior to, during and following the congress.
      
      
   2. Attempts should be made to encourage the attendance of civic dignitaries and political figures of note for particular flinctions during the congress.They might also be invited to participate in the lecture programme.
      
      
5. Registration Fees for members of the International Council
   (note: the registration fee does not include travel, accommodation or food)
   1. IVU is authorised to meet the cost of registration for each council member attending a World Vegetarian Congress. The precise amount to be determined by the full council prior to each congress. The registration fee for each councillor shall be paid by IVU in a manner appropriate to the financial arrangements for each Congress, as agreed with the IVU Treasurer.
      
   2. All the above may apply to any staff or contract employee of IVU at the discretion of the Council.
   3. (voted by IC on Nov 24, 2008) IVU will pay for John Davis' economy class airfare, transport to and from airports, food, hotel accommodation, and Congress registration when he attends WVCs during his tenure as IVU Manager. If any of these items are covered by the Congress organisers, IVU would not pay for them.
      
      
6. Congress Websites
   1. Each Congress should have a website maintained on the ivu.org domain, at www.ivu.org/congress/xxxx , along with a suitable ivu.org email address.
      Local organisers can be provided with a password to maintain the website themselves if they wish, or assistance can be given by the IVU webmaster and relevant translator/webmasters.
      The email address will be used to forward mail to the local organisers.
      All information on the website will remain the property of IVU after the Congress.
      
      
   2. Any domain owned by the local organisers can be used to create a virtual link to the site on ivu.org, for example the Edinburgh, 2002, Congress was at www.ivu.org/congress/2002 which has a virtual link from the VSUK site at www.vegsoc.org/congress - giving the impression of the site being on the local domain.