Petition for saving CIFEJ

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Dear friends and members of CIFEJ,

We the undersigned take this extraordinary opportunity because we are worried about our organization.

The intention to write this letter is because we are facing an unprecedented situation in the history of CIFEJ and we are convinced that every member needs to know about it.

As most of you know CIFEJ has to solve a lot of problems:

Since we moved to Tehran more than 40 members quit their membership.

In 2009 we had 14 festivals that awarded the CIFEJ prize. At the moment two or three are left.

Until today some members are not able to pay the fee (they tried it several times but the money came back) because the account is still not an official one.

If you ask the HQ for information about it you didn’t get any answer. There is a big gap in one´s knowledge.

But the worst thing ever is that the HQ together with the current CIFEJ president tries to manipulate the GA by spreading out wrong information.

It was mentioned on the website that every member has the right to hold a maximum of three proxies for the next GA. It was said that current board has decided to do so. We are shocked about his behavior because it´s wrong and against the statues of CIFEJ.

It is not up to the board to change the statues. The only body who can do this is the GA.

As we come to know about this intention we discussed this issue with different members who are familiar with the statues. And we all agree that it is a disrespect of the statues. We also asked Robert Roy, the man who wrote the statues.

“Like you I am surprised at the decision to limit the number of proxies detained by members before a general assembly even if the members of the board did agree. This is not their privilege according to the statutes I know of. …. As 11.1 says: statutes can only be modified by an extraordinary general assembly!!!

But the HQ and the president insist to have this quorum even though they know that they break the statues.

President’s answer: “The issue with the proxy will remain as per the Board's decision.”

This is absolute unacceptable. When the president and the HQ don’t respect the statues, which else will do that?

Facing all that trouble we are convinced that we need to move the HQ and we tried to find another place in Europe to dare to make a new start of our organisation. And we have found it in Belgrade but it´s not that easy because the HQ is trying everything to avoid this by formal tricks. They refused to put this issue on the agenda.

We have to stop this absolute illegal, manipulative and undemocratic behavior.

On this basis we call to boycott the upcoming GA in Warsaw.

Kind regards,

Helen Ward, (Member of the Board of CIFEJ, UK)
Jean-Luc Slock (Member of the Board of CIFEJ)
Samir Nasr, (Member of the Board of CIFEJ, Canada)
Bitte Eskilson, Sweden (Former Member of the CIFEJ Board)
Günther Kinstler, Germany (former Board member and Vice president)
Isabel Sitbone, (Chanel 6-12, Paris, France)
Britt-Marie Jansson Meyer (Member, MORA, Sweden)
Florence Dupont (Member, Déléguée artistique / Artistic Director, Plein la bobine, France)
Dunja Radulov, (Secretary General of the International Youth Media Summit, CIFEJ member from 2009)
Athina Rikaki, (former president of CIFEJ)
Jo-Anne Blouin, Canada (former executive director)
Miomir Rajcevic, Serbia (former Board member and Vice president)
Athina Rikaki, (former president of CIFEJ)
Jo-Anne Blouin, Canada (former executive director)
Miomir Rajcevic, Serbia (former Board member and Vice president)

Group of CIFEJ Members    Contact the author of the petition