LAW OF THE TURKISH GEOGRAPHICAL SOCIETY – 1942

Published in the Ministry of Education Bulletin No. 165 dated 30 March 1942, and in the issues of the newspapers Ulus and Cumhuriyet dated 5 April 1942.

I- Name, Headquarters, Establishment and Purpose of the Society

Article 1 – Under the high protection of İsmet İnönü, National Chief and President of the Republic, the Türk Coğrafya Kurumu has been established. The headquarters of the Society is in Ankara.

Article 2 – The honorary President of the Turkish Geographical Society is the Prime Minister and its actual President is the Minister of Education.

Article 3 – The purpose of the Society is to work for the development and progress of geography and other earth and human sciences in Türkiye, to examine the geography of Türkiye through scientific methods, and to follow the geographical movements and progress of the world.

Article 4 – The Turkish Geographical Society proceeds by the following ways in order to reach this purpose: to ensure the joint work of persons engaged in geography and other earth and human sciences. To carry out studies on geographical subjects and organize conferences. To have necessary subjects, especially in terms of geography and particularly the geography of Türkiye, examined by specialists or specialist commissions and to produce works. To publish works and studies related to geography and issue a journal. To follow all publications related to the geography of Türkiye, regularly prepare and publish bibliographies. To organize scientific excursions and meetings inside and outside the country. To arrange prize competitions in order to encourage the development of geographical science and those working in this field. To maintain permanent contact with all official and private organizations engaged in country studies, to benefit from their work, to secure their assistance, and to help train the elements they need. To maintain contact with similar institutions in other countries and to participate in international geographical congresses and movements.

Article 5 – The founding members of the Turkish Geographical Society are the following persons: (Click for Founding Members)

II - Members

Article 6 – Persons who can serve the purpose of the Society, regardless of nationality, may be admitted as regular, honorary and corresponding members of the Society. Those among higher education students who wish may also be admitted as apprentice members.

III - Conditions of Entry to and Exit from the Society

Article 7 – Those who wish to enter the Society as regular members are admitted by the decision of the General Central Committee upon the proposal of two regular members. Members may leave the Society by resignation or may be expelled by a two-thirds majority decision of the General Central Committee. Honorary membership and corresponding membership are granted by decision of the General Central Committee.

IV - Organization

Article 8 – The regular members of the Turkish Geographical Society constitute the General Assembly of the Society and gather every three years in congress form at the place and time decided by the General Central Committee. The place, time and agenda of the meeting are notified in writing to all regular members two months in advance and are also announced by appropriate means. The General Assembly that will constitute the congress of the Society consists of regular members who notify the General Central Committee in writing that they will participate in the meeting.

The General Assembly of the Turkish Geographical Society holds its first and last meetings according to the principles concerning general congresses. At the first meeting, reports regarding the three-year activities and accounts of the General Central Committee are read; administrative and auditing commissions are elected. After these, the scientific works of the congress begin. These works are carried out under the presidency of the President of the Society or the person he appoints, and according to the agenda prepared by the General Central Committee. After the scientific works are completed, the final meeting is held under the presidency of the congress council elected at the first meeting. Discussions are held on the administrative and financial affairs examined by the commissions, the former General Central Committee is discharged, and a new General Central Committee is elected, after which the works end. Re-election to the General Central Committee is permissible.

Article 9 – The Turkish Geographical Society has a General Central Committee consisting of twelve members. Among themselves they elect an Executive Committee of four persons: one vice-president, one secretary general, one treasurer and one delegate member. The President of the Society is also the President of these committees.

Temporary Provision:

Until the first congress of the Society convenes and elects the General Central Committee, the following twelve persons among the founding members whose names and surnames are written below shall constitute the provisional General Central Committee of the Society, and those whose duties are indicated opposite their names shall also perform the duty of the provisional Executive Committee.

İbrahim Hakkı AKYOL
Cemal ALAGÖZ (Treasurer)
Macit ARDA
Celal AYBAR (Vice-President)
Besim DARKOT
Faik Sabri DURAN
Ahmet Tevfik GÖYMEN
Ömer Kadri KORAY
Herbert LOUIS
Hamit Nafiz PAMİR
Hamit Sadi SELEN (Secretary General)
Faik Reşit UNAT (Delegate Member)

If any member leaves the provisional General Central Committee during this period, one of the founding members shall be appointed in his place by the presidency of the Society.

After the first congress of the Society convenes and elects the General Central Committee, in each subsequent three-year period, the right to choose suitable persons for vacancies in the General Central Committee also belongs to the President of the Society.

The General Central Committee arranges and manages the activities of the Society and takes the measures necessary to achieve its purpose. The Executive Committee deals only with the administration and representation of the Society and carries out the decisions of the General Central Committee.

Article 10 – The Executive Committee is responsible for all administrative affairs of the Society. The delegate member represents the Society in administrative and judicial councils.

Article 11 – The financial administration of the Society is in the hands of the Executive Committee. All documents binding the Society must bear two signatures, one belonging to the treasurer and the other to a member authorized by the Executive Committee.

Article 12 – The times and forms of meetings of the General Central and Executive Committees and of the congress, and the duties and authorities of the unpaid and paid officers of the Society, shall be determined by a separate regulation, and this regulation shall be applied temporarily by approval of the General Central Committee until it passes the examination and approval of the first congress.

Article 13 – Apart from the general congress to be held every three years, the Turkish Geographical Society also organizes General Conferences, Local Scientific Meetings and General Specialized Meetings at places and times it deems suitable in order to disseminate geographical knowledge and advance studies. These meetings are held under the presidency of the President or one of the regular members according to necessity.

Article 14 – In order to manage the existing publications of the Turkish Geographical Society, there shall be an editorial committee consisting of three members of the General Central Committee. One of these three members shall directly deal with the general editorial affairs of the journal, while the other two members shall assist him in examination and consultation matters.

Article 15 – At the end of each year, the Society shall determine its administrative and scientific activities of that year by a report and publish it regularly.

Article 16 – The Turkish Geographical Society employs scientific and administrative personnel, whether members of the Society or not, with monthly, daily or contract wages in temporary or permanent services required by its scientific and administrative works carried out according to this law. It pays copyright fees to the authors or translators of articles and studies in the books and journals it publishes, and the prizes promised to the winners of prize competitions it organizes. However, those working in the General Central and Executive Committees perform their work in these committees without receiving payment.

Article 17 – The Society has no branches. Only members located outside the headquarters may organize local scientific meetings among themselves under the presidency of one of the members authorized by the Executive Committee, and may also organize general conferences. The results of these scientific meetings and conferences are regularly reported to the presidency of the Society. Those considered appropriate by the General Central Committee among these works are published as books or in the journal of the Society.

Article 18 – The sources of income of the Society are as follows: annual commitments of members, donations, publication sales, and other revenues.

Article 19 – Regular members pay three liras annual dues. These dues may be collected in three installments. Apprentice members pay one lira annually.

Article 20 – The annual budget of the Society is prepared by the Executive Committee according to the fiscal year and implemented after approval by the General Central Committee. At the end of each fiscal year, a summary of accounts for that year is prepared and submitted for examination by the General Central Committee, and these account summaries are attached to a financial report to be prepared by the General Central Committee and submitted for approval to the general congress convened every three years.

Article 21 – The law of the Society may be amended by the proposal of the General Central Committee or one tenth of the regular members together through the General Central Committee and by decision of the congress. In case of dissolution of the Society, all movable and immovable properties shall pass to Cumhuriyet Halk Partisi.

Date of establishment: 12 March 1942