IVU vice-Chair, Saurabh Dalal, welcomed the members to the meeting and IVU Secretary, Stephen Walsh, explained the procedures and distributed voting slips.

The Secretary read greetings from the Chair Tina Fox.

Treasurer's Report and Approval of Accounts.

• The members were asked to read the written report from David Pye in the Annual Report.
• The general meeting accepted the Accounts for 2004/5 and 2005/6.

John Davis presented a report on the IVU website and internet email groups.

International Council elections

• The results of the Council election (after a recount) were that 9 members were elected while a further 2 had equal votes for the remaining 2 places.
• The 9 elected were:
• Dilip Barman, Saurabh Dalal, Isaac Dikeocha, Miguel Facal, Tina Fox, Shankar Narayan, David Pye, Stephen Walsh, David Roman
• Dan Arbel, Caryn Hartglass tied for the remaining place. [The new Council subsequently coopted both of them.]

Bylaws changes

• Proposed amendment supported by the outgoing International Council.
• To replace clause 4.3.b of the Bylaws:
• "All elected IC members shall be nominated by member societies. Voting shall
  be by secret ballot by official delegates of member societies. "
• with
• "All elected IC members shall be nominated by member societies. Voting shall be by a secret ballot of official delegates of member societies combined with an email poll of those member societies not sending delegates to the Congress. Member Societies which would be entitled to voting delegates at the General Meeting but are unable to send a delegate in person may cast a single vote by email, listing their choice of up to ten candidates. Such email votes shall be kept confidential until all votes have been cast in the IC election at the General Meeting, then counted with the other votes. Email votes should be sent to a person nominated by the International Council who will be attending the General Meeting and is not standing for election."
• Alex Hershaft and some other delegates suggested an amendment so that email voting should not be limited to a single vote, but should follow the number of delegates allowed at the general meeting. Others felt this would give organisations with little direct involvement too much influence on decision making. The suggested amendment was rejected by the meeting.
• The unamended bylaws change was then approved.

9 World Vegetarian Congresses

• India 2006 (Jashu Shah)
• Germany 2008 (Hildegund Scholvien)
• Proposals for 2010
• The Secretary outlined the suggestions received so far, including a South African Congress and a congress in North America. The Triangle Vegetarian Society had come up with an outline proposal for a North American congress.
• Some delegates felt that any World Congress in North America should be organised by one or more national organisations rather than a regional or local one. Others suggested that a World Congress in South Africa should be preceded by a successful regional congress demonstrating the feasibility of a World Congress.
• The general meeting authorised Council to set the venue for the 2010 World Congress.

10 Regional reports were presented for

• Asia.
• Europe.
• North America.
• Latin America and the Caribbean.
• Africa

11 Any other business

The general meeting appointed Christopher Fettes and Kevin Pickard as IVU fellows.