No.208-2
The 51st General Assembly of Meguro UNESCO Association was held on May 22, 2004, at Moriya Kyoiku Kaikan in Meguro City from 13:30, attended by 48 members (with 203 letters of attorney). Guests included Mr. Eiji Aoki, the Mayor of Meguro City, Mr. Teruo Oshio, Superintendent of the Board of Education of Meguro City, Mr. Takashi Kosugi, a member of the House of Representatives, and many other people from the public administration, city council, Meguro International Friendship Association and the National Federation of UNESCO Associations in Japan (29 guests all together).
Mr. Atsushi Yamada, a youth member, declared the meeting open, and President Kato led silent prayers for the members who had passed away last year (Ms. Keiko Inoue and Mr. Katsuichi Yakushiji, the former Mayor of Meguro City). Then congratulatory addresses were given by Mr. Oshio and Ms. Kimura, the Vice-chairperson of the Meguro City Council, after which the proceedings of the General Assembly commenced. The agenda below were discussed and approved in their original form.
Agenda
1) Report on activities and account settlement, and audit report in FY 2003.
2) Discussion on activity plan and budget plan in FY 2004.
3) Discussion on incorporating Meguro UNESCO Association as a specified non-profit organization.
The General Assembly was closed with the above agenda approved. Then the heart-warming addresses were given by Mr. Eiji Aoki, the Mayor of Meguro City, and Ms. Sumiko Ishigami who substituted for the Director General of the National Federation of UNESCO Associations in Japan.
Following the General Assembly, an inaugural meeting of Meguro UNESCO Association as a specified non-profit organization was held. Mr. Hirata, the Vice-president of the Meguro UNESCO Association explained a prospectus, articles of incorporation, etc. (see below article), as well as the questions and answers. All the agenda were approved in their original form.
After, a tea party was held, beginning with an opening toast from Mr. Shigeo Tajima. During the party, Mayor Aoki and Mr. Hattori, the Advisor, spoke words of praise for the association’s aggressive attitude to rise to the challenge of the NPO status. The party was closed at around 17:00 in a friendly atmosphere.
In a
back corner of the party, a mini Bazaar was also held as usual. Further, after
the party, an activity committee for young people held its first meeting of
this year and discussed about UNESCO Retreat in summer.
On May 22nd
(Sat), an inaugural meeting for a specified non-profit organization, Meguro
UNESCO Association was held following the fifty-first General Assembly.
Technically, the former voluntary association will be replaced with a newly
founded NPO. It may be difficult to understand the difference between the two organizations,
because some elements of the association will be inherited while others will be
discontinued (to be exact, the former association will be reorganized.)
In the inaugural meeting, we deliberately discussed such items of agenda as a draft of the prospectus and the articles of incorporation, initial board members (directors and auditors), a draft list of the initial assets, an activity plan for the year 2004 and 2005, a budget draft, initial admission and membership fees, ascertainment of a note of confirmation, application for the certification of the incorporation, etc. All the agenda items were approved unanimously. The following are some of the questions asked in the meeting.
(Questions)
1. Will the activities be the same as before?
2.
What are the advantage and disadvantage of
having a NPO status?
(Answers)
1.
Generally, the activities will not change.
2.
The advantage is that the principle of
pursuing public interests will be strengthened. The structure of the
organization, accounting, and clerical work will be overhauled and
strengthened in accordance with the law. As a legal entity, social credibility
will be enhanced. As a result, conclusion of various contracts and others
will be facilitated.
The
disadvantages are more complicated and broad array of formalities should be gone
through since rules including articles of incorporation
should be abided by in conducting the activities.
(However, these cannot be avoided because
they are necessary to enhance social credibility. Regarding tax, we should
pay corporate tax and local tax. Charity concerts and the like will be
excluded from income tax.)
(Opinions)
1.
I will give my approval to set up the corporation in that it will enhance
publicity and social credibility.
2. I
think we need to check with the Tokyo metropolitan government and the Meguro
ward office to find out if it is all right for a NPO to hold such events as
the fiftieth anniversary of the foundation.
(Question) Please explain the meaning and substance of a specified non-profit organization.
(Answer) It is a cooperation founded in accordance
with a NPO law that was made through the experience of volunteer activities
at the time of Great Hanshin Earthquake. Basically, the activities should be
conducted for general pubic at large without seeking profits. One third or
less of the directors can be compensated. However, considering the
organization‘s volunteer spirit, no payment will be made.
No profits will be shared even if the
activities yield any profit. It will be used for international assistance
based on an objective of the activities or carried forward to the next term.
(Question) What does NPO stand for?
(Answer) It stands for a non-profit organization.
Future schedule: Since the inaugural meeting was over, we will submit required documents to the authorities concerned (Bureau of Citizens and Cultural Affairs, Tokyo Metropolitan Government) for acceptance. Public inspection will take place for 2 months after the acceptance, followed by the certification, and the registration. The entity will be materialized in 4 months. -Yasuo Hirata, Vice President