APPA/Charter

===PREAMBLE===
PRESENTING the need to unify the Avatarian people throughout the region and the world under a single alliance.
KNOWING that such an alliance needs to support the growth of nations both culturally, economically, as well as technologically.
KNOWING that every nation --- both Avatarian and non-Avatarian --- has the right of sovereignty; including, but not limited to, territorial integrity, border inviolability, as well as self-determination based on a common ethnicity, history, and/or culture.
===CHARTER OF APPA===
====¤ Article One: Founding of APPA====
The Avatarian Protection and Prosperity Alliance is henceforth founded as a body meant to protect the sovereign rights of its member states, protect the people of the aforementioned member states from external threats, and see to the prosperity of like-minded nations, regardless of their cultural, historical, and/or political alignment with the Avatarian systems of government.
====¤ Article Two: Leadership and Government Structure====
The leadership of the Avatarian Protection and Prosperity Alliance shall be established and organized upon the ratification of this charter into the following bodies:
The Senate: Each member state shall assign a diplomatic delegation to express the interests of their respective member state within the Senate. Each delegation shall have a single vote on any and all matters proposed to The Senate.
The Council: The Council shall be comprised of ; the Original Founders of the Avatarian Protection and Prosperity Alliance, who shall remain as permanent members; as well as the Ministers of the established Ministries within the Avatarian Protection and Prosperity Alliance, as defined in Article Six.
§2.1 Any and all amendments to the Avatarian Protection and Prosperity Alliance must be passed with a two-thirds majority approval from the Senate.
§2.2 In the event of a stalemate in the Senate, the Council shall act as the deciding vote.
§2.3 In the event of a stalemate in the Council, the Original Founders of the Avatarian Protection and Prosperity Alliance shall act in whatever way they deem necessary so as to preserve the integrity and original mission of the Avatarian Protection and Prosperity Alliance.
====¤ Article Three: Membership====
The Avatarian Protection and Prosperity Alliance has very few expectations of its members. However, all members are expected and bound by the laws of the Avatarian Protection and Prosperity Alliance to:
Come to the defence of their fellow member states in the event of conflict and/or warfare.
Not engage in hostilities with their fellow member states.
Violation and/or non-compliance to the above requirements will result in ejection from the alliance, provided that the Senate approves in a simple majority vote.
Observer Status may be offered to particular sovereign states by the Senate upon the recommendation by the Council. Observers may be present at any and all alliance affairs and votes; however, representatives on behalf of an observer state may not vote on any alliance protocol nor may they receive any benefits that are given to members of the Avatarian Protection and Prosperity Alliance.
====¤ Article Four: Establishment of Ministries====
Once the Avatarian Protection and Prosperity Alliance has been established, the Founding Members will establish the following ministries; which shall serve the purpose of allowing the Avatarian Protection and Prosperity Alliance to function more efficiently and with a superior standard of organisation:
* The Ministry of the Interior shall be responsible for educating the member states of the Avatarian Protection and Prosperity Alliance and insuring that each member knows everything from learning the most basic of gameplay to what defines a member of the Avatarian Protection and Prosperity Alliance. The Minister of the Interior shall be responsible for the recruiting of new members into the Alliance, as well as coordinating the development of younger and/or newer members of the Avatarian Protection and Prosperity Appliance.
* The Ministry of Foreign Relations shall be responsible for seeing to it that the Avatarian Protection and Prosperity Alliance remains protected and in good standing with the various nations and alliances of the World. The Minister of Foreign Affairs shall also hold the power to sign treaties between and establish embassies within foreign nations and alliances; so long as the Minister has the support of 65% of the Senate and the entirety of the Council.
* The Ministry of Defense shall be responsible for the establishment of war battalions within the Avatarian Protection and Prosperity Alliance, as well as making sure each member state knows their respective place within the Alliance. The Minister of Defence is responsible for seeing to the establishment of war chests for each Battallion; the specifics of which shall be discussed upon the founding of the Alliance and the establishment of both the Senate as well as the Council. The Minister of Defence shall also have the power to establish defence alliances with foreign nations with the support of 65% of the Senate and the entirety of the Council.
More Ministries may be created, as the need for them arises, by the Council of the Avatarian Protection and Prosperity Alliance.
====¤ Article Five: Selection of Ministers====
Once a Ministry is established, the Council of the Avatarian Protection and Prosperity Alliance shall appoint a Minister to oversee said Ministry. This Minister will serve a term of three (3) months, during which time they shall adhere to the responsibilities outlined in Article Four, as well as those charged to him/her by the Council of the Avatarian Protection and Prosperity Alliance.
After an initial term, the selected Minister may run again for the office he/she occupied in an election. The Election Cycle shall begin place two months and one week into the term of the Minister; allowing three weeks of selection, campaigning, evaluation and election by the Council and the Senate.
Week One: Selection of potential members by any member of the Avatarian Protection and Prosperity Alliance. Any and all members of the alliance shall be allowed to run for a position within the Ministries. The only requirement shall be that the member seeking selection holds the rank of Member and has held this rank for four weeks.
Week Two: Campaigning by selected individuals begins during week two. During this week, the selected individuals are allowed to message members of the alliance, conduct discussions, post information to support their election. During campaigning, the Council shall Evaluate each candidate; determining if they are able to complete the task necessary and are an appropriate choice for the position in question.
Week Three: Election occurs during the Final week of the current Minister’s term. During this week, the members of the alliance shall vote in the appropriate topic. A winner is determined by a simple majority vote of 50% plus one. In the event of a tie, there will be a run-off election the following week; during the run-off, the incumbent Minister shall continue their term until a winner has been chosen.
There are no term limits upon Ministry service.
====¤ Article Six: Ranks of Members of the Alliance====
In order to recognise the merit of each individual member of the Avatarian Protection and Prosperity Alliance, a system of ranks is established:
* Apprentice: A rank held by any potential member. The member in question shall remain an ‘Apprentice’ until their membership is confirmed by the Council.
* Member: A rank held by an Apprentice following his confirmation by the Council.
* Honoured Member: A rank held by a Member, who has been honoured for their service to the Avatarian Protection and Prosperity Alliance. This rank is bestowed by the Council for various reasons; one of which is to recognize someone who served as a Minister.
* General: A rank held by a Member who has been appointed to command a battalion within the United Forces of the Avatarian Protection and Prosperity Alliance.
* Minister: A rank held by a Member who has been appointed to oversee an established Ministry within the Avatarian Protection and Prosperity Alliance. Once elected, a Member is promoted to the rank of “Minister” which they retain for the duration of their term. Once their term is completed, if not re-elected, the Member is assigned the rank “Honoured Member”.
* Founder: A rank held by a member of the alliance who helped establish the Avatarian Protection and Prosperity Alliance. Each of the four Founders embody an Element in the Cycle of the Avatar, and thus they are seen as a balance of Nature within the alliance. The Founders are:
§ Aang-kai (Earth)
§ DancerofPointe (Fire)
§ Hyperion (Air)
§ Kazan (Water)
New ranks may be added into this hierarchy at a later date at the discretion of the Council and the Senate, as needed to reflect the changing membership composition.
====¤ Article Seven: Registration and Application====
Membership into the Avatarian Protection and Prosperity Alliance shall be granted on a case-by-case basis. The process for application is as follows:
* An email is sent from the state applying for membership to appa.council@gmail.com containing the UserName on the Avatarian Protection and Prosperity Alliance forums (w11.zetaboards.com/APPA_PN). Once submitted, an Admin will mark the username from “Validating” to “Apprentice”, enabling the member to post within the Forum’s designated Apprentice Areas.
* The Apprentice is to post in the “New Applications” forum an application which adheres to the guidelines established in the forum “New Applications”.
* Once submitted, the new application will be reviewed, and based on multiple factors, will either be APPROVED or DENIED, with a detailed message posting why the status of the application is as it is.
* Once approved, the member shall be promoted from “Apprentice” to “Member”, and will have increased access to the forums of the alliance.
====¤ Article Eight: The Avatar====
In the event that the membership of APPA falls below a sustainable number — defined as enough active members to have four founders — the Original Founder of APPA shall be appointed The Avatar until APPA has regained a sustainable membership number as well as established a sustainable program of member activity.
As The Avatar, he/she may act in any manner as he/she deems necessary to see to the survival of APPA as well as the continued growth of the alliance. The Avatar may sign treaties, enter into agreements with other alliances, distribute money in the Alliance bank as needed, as well as any other action which would usually require the Council's approval.
====¤ Article Nine: Amendments to the Charter====
This charter may be amended insofar as the proposed amendment obtains the approbation of at least two-thirds majority established in Article Two, Section Two of this charter.
§ Under no circumstances may Article Two of this charter be repealed without the absolute approbation of such a motion by the entire assembly.
§ Under no circumstance may Article Three of this charter be repealed.
====¤ Article Ten: Ratification of the Charter====
Once the Charter has been signed by the Four Founders, the Charter is deemed in effect and ratified for a period of 90 days. After 180 days, the first cycle of elections shall begin for the Ministries. Also, after 90 days, the Charter shall be placed under review by the Senate; to begin any necessary amendments to the charter to reflect any changes that have occurred since its ratification.
Category: Alliance charter