The Tibetan Museum Society, a 501(c)(4) non-profit association, is a recently formed international civic league of concerned citizens who wish to advocate museum exhibition of Asian art from ancient Mongolia and the greater Himalayan region. Through a broad range of programs and projects, the Society's two primary focuses are: 1) to support selected museums and institutions that enrich the arts with display of historically significant representations of Buddhist culture and 2) to protect sacred, religious shrines, from which Buddhist art is gathered for public sale or display against removal without consent, artifacts of any kind — and to further facilitate the repatriation of any sacred work, previously obtained by illicit means. Though not allied with any political group or religious sect, the Tibetan Museum Society supports the fundamental humanitarian right to freedom of religious expression and is organized exclusively for charitable and educational purposes; including for such purposes, the making of distributions to organizations that qualify as exempt organizations under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code.
Articles of Association (Article 1 / Section 1)
Please note: This draft chapter is a work in progress with provision to the public for information purposes only. Because it is a work in progress, there are sections either that are missing now or that require revisions later. Permission to cite any part of this work requires unanimous acceptance of the Society's Board of Directors. The final version of this document will issue on June of 2006.
We constitute ourselves a voluntary social welfare organization under the name of" Tibetan Museum Society," for the following purposes, to-wit:
(a) To support selected museums and institutions that enriches the arts with display of historically significant representations of Buddhist culture;
(b) To protect sacred, religious shrines, from which Buddhist art is gathered for public sale or display against removal without consent, artifacts of any kind — and to further facilitate the repatriation of any sacred work, previously obtained by illicit means.;
(c) To promote reforms in the International trade laws that protect and further respect this religious and historically significant artwork, property and architecture;
(d) To procure uniformity and certainty in the law respecting such property in all countries;
(e) To abolish abuses and unfair practices and methods in connection with the distributions of such property, including, but not limited to the sale through such on-line services as E-bay;
(f) To promote and foster by all lawful means the interest of Asian Art in general and Buddhist art specifically;
(g) To promote friendly intercourse and united action among appraisers, auction houses, dealers, distributors and collectors along with the originating source of the property;
(h) To adjust and arbitrate differences and controversies between its members;
(i) To acquire, own and sell personal property, and to accumulate and maintain a Reserve Fund to be used in carrying out any of the objects of the Society;
(j) To seek paid corporate sponsorship of website and additional programs;
(k) To enter into agreements with other similar social welfare organizations in foreign countries, providing for the reciprocal protection of the rights of the members of each Society;
(l) To advocate museum exhibition of Asian art from ancient Tibet and Mongolia;
(m) Though not allied with any political group or religious sect, to support concerns that protect the fundamental humanitarian right to freedom of religious expression;
(n) To organize members exclusively for charitable and educational purposes; including for such purposes, the making of distributions to organizations that qualify as exempt organizations under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code;
(o) To do any and all other acts or things which may be found necessary or convenient in carrying out any of the objectives of the Society or in protecting or furthering its interests or the interests of its members.
Articles of Association draft (continues)
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