Co-chairs Foreward
Dear members,
We have been working together over the last two months since Marit Joffe-Milstein resigned from the role of co-chair during the Management Committee meeting on 22nd of June. The timing of Marit’s resignation was unexpected, coming only three months before the end of her second term as a trustee. Understanding the stressful and traumatizing situation of living in a war, the trustees accepted Marit’s resignation.
Sanja Janovic was unanimously voted in as co-chair during June’s MC meeting, and we are working together in order to prepare the Annual General Meeting that will be held on 15th September.
In addition to the many issues and reports for the AGM, since June the office has been receiving applications for membership renewals.
As previously advised in the reminder letter for GASi membership renewals, we would not be accepting renewal applications after 31st March. We acknowledge that some renewals were accepted after this date, which has caused confusion. Going forward the renewal cut off of 31st March will be adhered to.
However, words matter, and we have to pay attention when receiving or saying or writing them. An open letter from some members received in November 2023 clearly stated: ‘we will withdraw our membership and declare that in 2024 we will not resume our membership’ if certain conditions were not met. Despite the reminder letter these memberships were not renewed by 31st of March. Therefore, we can only respond as their letter indicates and accept these memberships have not been renewed. Memberships which were renewed after the 31st March date had not put any intention to withdraw in writing to us.
Previous members who wish to rejoin become new applications and not renewals. All new applications will be considered after the AGM on 15th September.
The Code of Behaviour and the Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion statement (EDI) have been uploaded on the website. The two groups began their work in the spring and have now completed these significant and complex tasks through close collaboration and adherence to tight deadlines.
The co-chairs and the Management Committee would like to express their gratitude to the members of both working groups, thanking them for their hard work and dedication to the Society.
Below is the composition of the working groups.
Code of Behaviour working group
Alfred Garwood
Anando Chatterji
Andie Lloyd
Avi Berman
Bruce Oppenheimer
Domenico Agresta
Frances Griffiths
Francesca Bascialla
Marit Joffe-Milstein
Viv Harte
Equality, Diversity and Inclusion statement (EDI) working group
Ayesha Sharma
Brian Solts
Dick Blackwell
Farideh Dizadji
Francesca Bascialla
Maria Puschbeck-Raetzell
Reem Shelhi
Sanja Janovic
Vaaruni Sundar