Constitution & Bylaws of ICHAC

International Council for Culture, Heritage, Archaeology and Civilizations (ICHAC)

Adopted to establish the statutory framework, operational governance, and professional ethics of the Council.

Article I: Title, Legal Status & Secretariat

Section 1.1: Official Title

The organization shall be officially designated as the International Council for Culture, Heritage, Archaeology and Civilizations, abbreviated as ICHAC (hereinafter referred to as the “Council”).

Section 1.2: Institutional Nature

ICHAC is established as an autonomous, non-political, non-profit, and non-sectarian global academic and professional council. It operates for the advancement of scholarly research, cultural preservation, digital documentation, and responsible heritage tourism.

Section 1.3: Official Domains & Headquarters

The official web domain and digital communication platform of the Council is registered at https://irchac.com. The Council maintains its primary operational secretariat as designated by the Executive Board, supported by international regional liaison offices and academic partner hubs.

Article II: Mission, Aims & Objectives

Section 2.1: Primary Mission

The mission of ICHAC is to preserve, study, immortalize, and disseminate tangible and intangible cultural heritage and the memory of historical civilizations through international academic collaboration, digital documentation technologies, peer-reviewed publications, and community-engaged heritage travel.

Section 2.2: Statutory Objectives

1. Academic Dissemination: Establish, sponsor, and publish open-access, peer-reviewed scholarly journals, monograph series, and conference proceedings adhering to international editorial standards.
2. Digital Preservation: Spearhead high-resolution photogrammetry, 3D laser-scanning repositories, virtual tours, and multispectral manuscript digitization to protect vulnerable archaeological monuments and archival assets.
3. Sustainable Heritage Tourism: Curate educational travel routes, historical trails, and community-led preservation initiatives that support local socio-economic development without compromising site integrity.
4. Institutional Cooperation: Enter into bilateral and multilateral Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) with universities, state departments of archaeology/antiquities, museums, and research trusts.
5. Scholarly Support: Provide research grants, travel stipends, and early-career fellowships to researchers, field archaeologists, and heritage conservators.

Article III: Governance Structure

The Council is governed through a two-tier organizational framework: the Executive Board and the International Advisory Council.

Section 3.1: The Executive Board (EB)

• Composition: The Executive Board comprises the Director General / Executive Director, Deputy Director (Academic Affairs & Publications), Director of Digital Heritage, Director of Heritage Tourism, and the Secretary General.
• Powers & Duties:
  • Exercise executive authority over the operations, legal agreements, digital assets, and budgets of the Council.
  • Sanction the formation of regional chapters, liaison desks, and working groups.
  • Appoint journal editors-in-chief, editorial advisory boards, and conference steering committees.
  • Convene regular administrative assemblies and report on institutional milestones.

Section 3.2: The International Advisory Council (IAC)

• Composition: Senior faculty, professors, museum directors, conservation scientists, and legal experts appointed across specialized civilizational and geographical panels.
• Powers & Duties:
  • Serve as the principal consultative body on academic integrity, peer-review oversight, and conservation policy.
  • Ensure research programs align with international scientific and ethical conventions.
  • Review applications for annual ICHAC research grants and fellowship nominations.

Article IV: Membership & Affiliations

Section 4.1: Membership Classes

1. Fellow / Senior Member (F.ICHAC): Conferred upon established scholars, PhD holders, senior faculty, and professional conservators with distinguished records in archaeological, historical, or cultural studies.
2. Associate Member: Open to postgraduate researchers, early-career academics, cultural travel professionals, and archival specialists.
3. Student / Junior Member: Open to undergraduate and master’s students pursuing degrees in archaeology, anthropology, history, museology, or related disciplines.
4. Institutional Partner: Accredited universities, academic departments, research institutes, museums, and historical trusts entering formal collaboration with ICHAC.

Section 4.2: Admission Procedure

Candidates apply through the official portal. Applications are evaluated by the Membership Committee, and admission is granted upon verification of academic credentials and alignment with Council values.

Section 4.3: Revocation of Membership

Membership may be suspended or revoked by a two-thirds majority vote of the Executive Board for actions violating academic ethics, engagement in illicit antiquity trade, copyright infringement, or failure to observe the Council’s code of conduct.

Article V: Code of Ethics & Cultural Property Policy

Section 5.1: Protection of Cultural Property & Anti-Trafficking

ICHAC strictly adheres to international principles prohibiting illicit trade in cultural property, undocumented excavations, and the commercialization of archaeological artifacts. The Council refuses affiliation, sponsorship, or publication of materials deriving from unverified or illicit provenance.

Section 5.2: Academic & Editorial Integrity

All journals, books, and working papers published under the imprint of ICHAC enforce zero tolerance for plagiarism, data fabrication, and unauthorized image reproduction. All research publications must follow transparent peer-review and open-access licensing standards.

Section 5.3: Indigenous & Local Community Custodianship

The Council respects the rights, sacred traditions, and cultural sovereignty of indigenous and local communities inhabiting historical landscapes. Heritage tourism and archaeological documentation must prioritize community consent, safety, and mutual economic benefit.

Article VI: Regional Chapters & International Liaisons

Section 6.1: Establishment of Chapters

Regional chapters and country liaison desks operate under a direct charter issued by the Executive Board. They have no legal authority to bind the Council financially or contractually without explicit written approval from the Secretariat.

Section 6.2: Reporting & Accountability

All regional chapters must submit an annual operational and financial report to the Secretary General detailing completed academic events, collaborative field surveys, and membership records.

Article VII: Financial Administration

Section 7.1: Fiscal Year

The fiscal year of the Council shall commence on the first day of January and terminate on the thirty-first day of December of each calendar year.

Section 7.2: Revenue & Funding Sources

Council activities are supported by membership dues, voluntary academic contributions, institutional research grants, conference registrations, and corporate sponsorships aligned with heritage conservation ethics.

Section 7.3: Financial Integrity & Auditing

All funds received are deposited into authorized institutional accounts. Annual financial statements are maintained with strict ledger controls and made available for review by the Executive Board.

Article VIII: Amendments to the Constitution

Section 8.1: Amendment Proposal

Proposed amendments to this Constitution may be initiated by the Executive Director, by a formal petition signed by at least one-third of the Executive Board, or by the International Advisory Council.

Section 8.2: Adoption Threshold

Amendments require a two-thirds affirmative vote of the Executive Board and formal concurrence by the International Advisory Council to become legally binding under the Council’s operating framework.

Secretariat Inquiries & Governance Records

For official interpretations of these bylaws, institutional verification, or to request certified copies of Council charters, contact the legal desk:

• Office of the Secretary General International Council for Culture, Heritage, Archaeology and Civilizations (ICHAC)Governance & Policy Division ✉ secretariat@irchac.com / director@irchac.com🌐 Official Portal: https://irchac.com