Statutes for Sami Writers Association (SGS)

§ 1       Name

The association’s name is Sámi Girječálliid Searvi / Samisk Forfatterforening / The Sami Writers’ Association

§ 2       Purpose

·         to promote Sami language literature, published as paper editions or electronic publications

·         to establish grants, funds and other financial arrangements

·         to work for good opportunities to publish Sami language literature and ensure that Sami language literature receives as good terms as other literature in the Nordic countries, in the world              and especially for indigenous literature

·         to provide professional support to anyone who wants to write or achieve membership in SGS

·         to present and highlight its members and their literary products

·         to work to establish professional cooperation with Sami, Nordic and other artist organisations

§  3      Membership

Eligible as a member of SGS:

-a Sami-language writer who has published a fictional product in Sami with a publishing house as a book, a text in a journal or in another publication.  The text should be at least 50 pages long. This does not apply to children’s books, song lyrics, joik texts and texts published as electronic audio files
-a Sami-language translator who has translated fiction into Sami or from Sami that a publisher has published. The text should have at least 50 pages. This does not apply to children’s books, song lyrics, joik texts and texts published as electronic audio files
-a Sami-language writer who has had his manuscript accepted by a publisher with a view to publication. The text should have at least 50 pages. This does not apply to children’s books, song lyrics, joik texts and texts published as electronic audio files
-a Sami language traditional narrator or joik poet, who with a publisher, has published texts electronically with a duration of at least 20 minutes or where a publisher has approved texts for publication.
The board decides applications for membership of SGS. Applicants who are rejected by the board may lodge a complaint at the annual meeting, which then appoints a special committee to consider the matter.

The membership fee is determined by the annual meeting.

Applicants who have reached the age of 65 become honorary members and do not have to pay membership fees.

Members may lose membership if they have violated the organisation’s statutes or the annual meeting considers that they have harmed the organisation.

Membership ends if the membership fee is not paid by the end of October. Members who have lost their membership may apply for a new membership.

§ 4       Annual meeting

The annual meeting is the organisation’s highest body and elects a board of directors. All members may be elected as board members. Notice of the annual meeting with a preliminary agenda shall be sent to the members 6 weeks before the annual meeting. Matters that the members wish to be dealt with by the annual meeting shall be sent to the board 4 weeks before the meeting. The agenda with all case papers must be sent to the members at least 2 weeks before the annual meeting. Only cases raised in this way can be dealt with by the annual meeting.

Matters for the annual meeting:

1.      election of a leader(s) and secretary(ies) for the annual meeting and two members to sign the protocol

2.      approve the board’s annual report

3.      approve accounts

4.      membership fee

5.      approve action plan

6.      approve budget

7.      handle incoming cases

8.      election of chairman, board members with deputies and committees

9.      annual meeting statements

§ 5       The board

The board is the organisation’s executive body and shall follow up decisions made at

The annual meeting and implement the action plan. The board is quorate when the chairman or deputy chairman and two board members are present.

The chairman and deputy chairman are signatories for the organisation. The board may adopt a procurator fiscal.

The board shall hold at least 4 board meetings a year. These can be regular meetings or phone meetings. Board members shall receive board documents before the meeting.

The board consists of leader and three (3) ordinary members and deputies who are

elected for 2 years at a time. Each annual meeting can elect two (2) board members, and one (1) leader when the leader is up for election.

Deputies shall not be elected as personal deputies to the board members, but as follows: 1st deputy, 2nd deputy, 3rd deputy.

§ 6       Working groups, committees and councils

The annual meeting or the board may appoint special working groups, committees and councils. The board has the right to negotiate on behalf of the Association.

§ 7 Decision-making

The board’s, members’ and annual meeting resolutions are decided by simple majority. In the event of vote equality a new vote shall be held. Members and annual meeting votes shall take place in writing if demanded by anyone.

§ 8 Members’ meeting

A members’ meeting shall be held when the board or 2/3 of the members demand this.

§ 9 Extraordinary annual meeting

The board or 1/4 of the members may demand an extraordinary annual meeting. The notice and agenda for an extraordinary annual meeting must be sent 2 weeks before the meeting. The meeting shall only deal with the cases listed on the agenda.

Section 10 Amendments to the statutes  

Amendments to the statutes take place if at least 2/3 of the annual meeting requires it. The proposed amendments shall be sent to the board within the deadlines for matters at the annual meeting and the case documents shall be sent out together with other annual meeting documents.

§ 11 Dissolution

SGS may be dissolved as an organisation if at least 3/4 of the members approve this in a written vote. If the organisation is dissolved, members shall elect a liquidation board of 3 persons to manage assets and debts. Remaining funds shall be used to promote Sami fiction.