An association governed by the French law of 1 July 1901 and the decree of 16 August 1901 is hereby founded among the members adhering to these statutes, under the name:

CDA INTERNATIONAL CULTURE & DIPLOMACY ASSOCIATION

Acronym: CDA

Founded in: Geneva, 17 December 2025

The purpose of the association is to promote culture, the arts, diplomacy, education, youth, sustainable development, aeronautics and aerospace, as well as humanitarian action and international solidarity, in all their forms, in Europe and internationally.

It aims to:

• strengthen intercultural dialogue and cooperation between peoples and civil societies;
• support artistic creation, the cultural and creative industries, and social and digital innovation;
• train and support young cultural, diplomatic and humanitarian leaders;
• promote a modern, inclusive and sustainable diplomacy that respects human rights;
• develop solidarity, aid and assistance actions for people in difficulty or in danger;
• contribute to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and to the protection of the environment.

Actions and areas of intervention

Within this framework, the association may in particular:

• Events and communication: organise, support or co‑organise cultural, artistic, educational, civic, sporting, diplomatic and humanitarian events (conferences, exhibitions, seminars, forums, competitions, festivals, charity galas, solidarity concerts, awareness campaigns, screenings, debates, round tables, etc.);
• Training and support: implement programmes of training, mentoring, popular education, research, exchanges and international mobility, including programmes intended for young people, refugees, vulnerable persons or persons in precarious situations;
• Humanitarian and social action: develop and support humanitarian and social actions, in particular:
  • food aid (distribution of foodstuffs, food parcels, solidarity meals, food banks);
  • material aid (clothing, hygiene products, school supplies, medical and paramedical supplies, emergency equipment);
  • psychological, social and legal support;
  • support in accessing rights and social services;
  • actions for victims of armed conflict, the war‑wounded and their families;
  • assistance to victims of natural or humanitarian disasters;
  • support for displaced persons, refugees and people in exile;
• Institutional cooperation: cooperate with public, diplomatic, academic, cultural, sporting, humanitarian and social institutions; establish partnerships with intergovernmental organisations (European Union, Council of Europe, United Nations, etc.) and non‑governmental organisations;
• Interface with international bodies: take part in consultations, working groups, conferences, forums, platforms and participatory mechanisms with national, European and international institutions and, where appropriate, apply for and exercise consultative or participatory status with bodies such as the United Nations, the institutions of the European Union, the Council of Europe and other international organisations;
• Media, digital and audiovisual: develop actions in the fields of media, digital technology, audiovisual, content production, social networks, digital platforms, hybrid events, e‑learning, webinars, podcasts and creative studios;
• Technical and scientific fields: develop actions in the fields of aeronautics, aerospace, technology, research, social innovation, citizenship and democratic participation;
• Tourism and mobility: organise study trips, cultural and humanitarian stays, educational heritage visits, exchanges and international mobility;
• General provisions: carry out any other action, programme, initiative, service, study, consultancy, content production or partnership contributing directly or indirectly to the achievement of these objectives, directly or through affiliated structures, on a non‑profit basis.

Commercial and economic activities

The association may, on an ancillary basis and in compliance with the regulations applicable to associations under the law of 1901, carry out economic and commercial activities intended to support its purpose, in particular:

• organisation and provision of events (ticketing, admissions, packages);
• sale of products and services (cultural products, books, catalogues, derivative products, merchandising, handcrafted items);
• publishing and distribution of content (publications, journals, documentaries, audiovisual content, digital files);
• consultancy, support, training and coaching services;
• communication and public relations services;
• digital and media activities (subscriptions, online content, access to platforms);
• travel and stays (study trips, cultural stays, tourist packages);
• technical and production services (studios, creative studios, audiovisual production, technical services).

Provided that any surpluses or profits are reinvested in full in the pursuit and extension of the association's purpose, and that these activities do not call into question its non‑profit character and its associative governance.

The association also has its Principal seat in Geneva, GE (Switzerland)

The registered office in France is established at: 66 Avenue des Champs-Élysées, 75008 Paris (France)

It may be transferred by simple decision of the Board of Directors, ratified by the General Assembly.

The duration of the association is unlimited.

The association is composed of:

• Founding members: permanent members, exempt from membership fees, who may hold the positions of their choice at any time.
• Active members: natural or legal persons admitted as active members;
• Benefactor members: persons providing financial or material support;
• Honorary members: persons who have rendered eminent services to the association.

The categories of members and their respective rights, obligations and membership fees are specified in the internal regulations.

Admission to the various categories of members is subject to approval by the Board of Directors, which decides freely on the applications submitted by candidates, without any obligation to state its reasons.

Membership is lost through:

• written resignation addressed to the Board of Directors;
• death;
• expulsion pronounced for serious cause (violation of the statutes or of legal obligations, failure to respect the association's ethics) or for non‑payment of the membership fee, after the person concerned has been invited in writing to present their observations and to be heard;
• a decision of the President or the Vice‑President to exclude or dismiss a member of the team or of the executive committee for conduct harmful to the proper functioning of the association, its image or its interests, or in the event of a serious breach of the responsibilities entrusted.

The procedures and time limits for expulsion are specified in the internal regulations, which also define the conditions for any appeal.

The resources of the association include in particular:

• membership fees paid by its members (amounts set by the General Assembly);
• public grants and funding (State, local and regional authorities, regional agencies, etc.);
• European (Erasmus+, Creative Europe, Jean Monnet, Horizon Europe, etc.) and international funding;
• institutional support from governmental (YTB, TİKA, Ministries, etc.) or intergovernmental organisations;
• private partnerships and sponsorship (companies, airlines, luxury groups, brands, foundations, etc.);
• income from its commercial and ancillary activities (ticketing, sales, provision of services, publications, paid training, travel, events, etc.);
• gifts and bequests authorised by law (donations from natural or legal persons);
• loans, where appropriate, in compliance with the applicable regulations;
• any other resources authorised by the laws and regulations in force.

The association recognises the central importance of humanitarian action and the protection of human rights in its functioning and its projects. Accordingly:

• the association undertakes to respect the principles of humanity, neutrality, impartiality and independence in its humanitarian action;
• the association may apply for authorisations, approvals or recognition from the competent authorities (Government, Prefecture, Ministries, international organisations) in order to carry out its humanitarian activities, in particular in the fields of food aid, social assistance or the protection of vulnerable persons;
• the association promotes human rights, equality, non‑discrimination, inclusion and diversity in all its actions;
• the association may take part in actions to defend and promote human rights, to combat discrimination and to support victims and those affected by violence, persecution or armed conflict.

1. General Assembly

The General Assembly (GA), composed of all members whose membership fees are up to date, meets at least once a year in ordinary session, and exceptionally in extraordinary session at the request of the Board of Directors or of at least one third of the members.

Powers of the General Assembly:

• approves the activity report and the financial report;
• elects the members of the Board of Directors;
• approves or amends the amount of membership fees;
• amends the statutes, in accordance with the legal requirements;
• pronounces the dissolution of the association, in accordance with the legal requirements;
• decides on the matters placed on its agenda.

The procedures for convening meetings (time limits, forms), quorum, representation of members, counting of votes and voting are specified in the internal regulations, in compliance with the law of 1 July 1901.

2. Board of Directors

The Board of Directors is responsible for the management, day‑to‑day administration and legal representation of the association. It is vested with all powers not expressly reserved to the General Assembly.

Composition: The Board of Directors includes in particular:

• a Founding President;
• a Founding Vice‑President;
• a Secretary General;
• a Treasurer;
• a Director of Partnerships & Cultural Development;
• a Director of Diplomatic Relations;
• a Director of Communication & Marketing;
• a Europe Coordinator and Head of International Offices;
• a Head of Diaspora Relations;
• other members as required.

The holders of these positions (other than the founders) are appointed by the Board of Directors. Their names and contact details are recorded in a register or internal document, without necessarily being mentioned in the statutes. Any change is notified to the members and recorded.

Duration and renewal of terms of office: The terms of office of the members of the Board of Directors last one year and are renewable. The detailed renewal procedures and the conditions for removal from office are defined in the internal regulations.

Functioning:

• The Board meets at least once a quarter, or at the request of the President or of a majority of its members;
• decisions are taken by a majority of the votes of the members present or represented;
• a quorum is required, under the conditions set out in the internal regulations;
• deliberations are recorded in signed minutes;
• the Board may create specific delegations or working committees for particular fields.

Remuneration: The members of the Board of Directors are not entitled to any remuneration for the functions they perform. However, expenses and disbursements incurred in the interest of the association may be reimbursed, under the conditions set out in the internal regulations.

Permanent or temporary internal committees may be created by the Board of Directors, in particular:

1. 01Art and Culture Committee – promotion of the arts, the creative industries and heritage;
2. 02Equality and Social Participation Committee – equality, inclusion, civic participation;
3. 03Diplomacy Committee – diplomatic relations, intercultural dialogue and international cooperation;
4. 04Youth & Education Committee – youth programmes, training, mobility, talent development;
5. 05International Relations Committee – international partnerships, networks, institutional cooperation;
6. 06Technology, Digital Transformation & Social Innovation Committee – digital technology, innovation, e‑learning, digital media;
7. 07Environment & Sustainable Development Committee – SDGs, environmental protection, sustainable development;
8. 08Ethics, Inclusion & Diversity Committee – ethics, human rights, diversity, non‑discrimination;
9. 09Citizenship & Democracy Committee – democratic participation, citizenship, civic engagement;
10. 10Family & Equal Opportunities Committee – support for families, equal opportunities, family policy;
11. 11Research, Culture & Heritage Committee – research, documentation, heritage preservation;
12. 12Aeronautics & Aerospace Steering Committee – aeronautical, aerospace and technical projects.

Volunteer teams in media, coordination, project development and humanitarian action assist these committees. The functioning of each committee, the appointment of its heads and its relationship with the Board of Directors are specified in the internal regulations.

The association develops an international presence according to its capacities and funding.

In Turkey:

• General headquarters: Istanbul
• Diplomatic office: Ankara
• Aegean cultural offices: Alaçatı, Çeşme, Bodrum, Datça
• Antalya office: youth projects and international congresses

In Europe:

• France: Paris (culture), Lyon (Europe coordination), Strasbourg (Council of Europe), Nice, Bordeaux, Nantes, Toulouse
• Switzerland: Geneva (UN representation), Zurich
• Germany: Berlin, Munich, Stuttgart, Frankfurt, Cologne, Düsseldorf
• Italy: Milan, Rome
• Netherlands: Amsterdam, Rotterdam
• Belgium: Brussels, Ghent, Leuven, Bruges, Antwerp
• United Kingdom: London

Offices are also planned in the medium term in Vienna (UN), Madrid, Oslo, Prague, Warsaw, Zagreb, Athens, Copenhagen, Budapest and Dublin.

Representation before international bodies: The association may, where appropriate, apply for and exercise consultative status with the United Nations (consultative status), the European Union, the Council of Europe and other intergovernmental organisations, in compliance with their respective conditions.

The association's projects are funded by:

• European programmes (Erasmus+, Creative Europe, Jean Monnet, Horizon Europe, etc.);
• institutional support (ministries, government agencies, international organisations, etc.);
• private partnerships (airlines, groups, luxury brands, patrons, foundations);
• income from activities (ticketing, services, travel, paid training, etc.);
• donations and membership fees;
• public grants and local and regional authorities.

The association pursues in particular the following strategic objectives:

• accreditation and consultative status with the United Nations and UNESCO;
• official recognition as a strategic partner of the institutions of the European Union and the Council of Europe;
• creation of a Europe‑Turkey Cooperation Centre for cultural and humanitarian diplomacy;
• European recognition as a reference platform for culture, youth, diplomacy and humanitarian action;
• promotion of a modern, open, inclusive and intercultural European identity;
• training and support of young cultural, diplomatic and humanitarian ambassadors;
• development of a sustainable network of institutional, academic, private and associative partners.

In the event of dissolution of the association, pronounced by the General Assembly by the required majority, one or more liquidators are appointed. The net assets shall be allocated to one or more organisations pursuing similar or complementary objectives (associations, NGOs, recognised public‑interest bodies), in accordance with the French law of 1 July 1901. These assets may under no circumstances be distributed among the members.

Internal regulations (rules of procedure) may be drawn up by the Board of Directors to specify operating procedures not provided for in these statutes, in particular:

• the detailed conditions of membership and membership fees;
• the detailed functioning of the bodies (General Assembly, Board of Directors, committees);
• the rules on quorum, notice periods for convening meetings, voting and representation;
• the procedures for reimbursement of expenses and disbursements;
• the functioning of the committees and volunteer teams;
• the principles of ethics and governance;
• the procedures for amending the statutes and for dissolution;
• any other organisational or administrative management matter.

These internal regulations are annexed to the statutes and may be amended by the Board of Directors. Any change is brought to the attention of the members.

• These statutes are governed by the French law of 1 July 1901 and the decree of 16 August 1901.
• The association is subject to all legal and regulatory provisions applicable to French non‑profit associations.
• In the event of conflict or where the statutes are silent, the internal regulations and customary practice, or failing that the applicable legal provisions, shall prevail.

The undersigned certify that they have read and approved the statutes of the association CDA INTERNATIONAL CULTURE & DIPLOMACY ASSOCIATION and agree to abide by them.