1. The objectives for holding the Area Forum are:
    • Promoting the principles and objects of Lions Clubs International.
    • Training, educating and motivating District and Club Officers.
    • Promoting membership and leadership development.
    • Providing for exchange of information and discussion of service activities including opportunities for cooperative service projects.
    • Promoting the interests of the Lions Clubs International Foundation.
  2. i) The Forum shall be held in countries of the following locations (hereinafter referred to as National Areas) of the Constitutional Area preferably by rotation: 
    • India
    • Any country of South Asia other than India,
    • Any country of the Middle East-

ii) Rotation of hosting of the Forum shall be done by India on alternate years, while any country of South Asia other than India and any country of Middle East will host the Area Forum the next alternate year after India. In effect in 4 years, India will host 2 Area Forums, any country of South Asia other than India and any country of Middle East will host 1 Area Forum each.

 
  1. All Lions in the Constitutional Area shall be invited to participate at the Forum.
  1. At the said Forum, two Consultative Assemblies shall be held of registered delegates, hereinafter called “The Assemblies”. The First Consultative Assembly shall be held at the commencement of the Forum and the Second immediately before the formal closing session. The voting on any proposals including the amendments to the Area Forum Agreement shall take place at the Second Consultative Assembly.
  2. Following shall be the voting delegates at the said consultative Assemblies:
    • “One representative from each sub-district of all Moltiple Districts of the Area and one representative from each single district of the Area. The said representative shall be the District Governor of the respective District and in his absence the 1st or 2nd Vice District Governor authorised in writing by the District Governor and if the Vice District Governors are not attending the District Governor may authorise any Past District Governor in writing to represent him”.
    • Executive Officers and International Directors current and past from ISAME.
  1. Voting delegates and all other registered delegates may attend both Consultative Assemblies.
  1. At the Consultative Assemblies, two separate seating areas shall be provided and shall be marked one for voting delegates and the other for non voting delegates. Only the voting delegates shall take part in the deliberations of the Consultative Assemblies.
  1. The official language for the Assembly shall be English. Requests for translations to any other language shall be entertained provided the relevant cost of such facilities shall be paid in advance by the District/s requesting the same.
  1. The Forum shall be held annually, preferably in November or December, and the date shall be scheduled in consultation with and the approval of the International Activities & Program Planning Division of Lions Clubs International. The Consultative Assemblies shall be chaired by the Planning Committee Chairperson of the said Forum. The minutes of the Forum Consultative Assemblies shall be prepared by the Presiding Officer and circulated to all individuals as per Clause 5 within 60 days of the conclusion of the Area Forum. The various sessions of the Area Forum shall be chaired by the following individuals:-
    • Opening Session as well as the First Consultative Assembly shall be chaired by the Planning Committee Chairperson.
    • The Second Consultative Assembly and Closing Session shall be presided over by anyone of the 2nd year Directors.
    • The First Plenary Session shall be chaired by one of the 1st year International Directors.
    • The Second Plenary Session shall be chaired by one of the 1st year International Directors.
    • All Seminars of the Forum shall be organised under the Chairmanship of one of either the 2nd year or 1st year Directors.

In the absence of any one of the Directors to chair the above meetings, the Planning Committee Chairperson shall preside over.

  1. The Forum may be hosted by any fully recognised Single District or SubDistrict of the Constitutional Area. However, any Multiple District may host in any of its Sub-Districts.
  1. The bid to host the Forum shall be approved by the Consultative Assembly, two years in advance. The prospective host district shall forward the bid to the Planning Committee Chairperson at least 60 days before the Forum at which the bid shall be considered. The bid shall be in the prescribed format as per Annexure – “C‟. The host district whose bid is approved shall nominate the Forum Host Committee that shall work closely with the Steering Committee as defined in clause 12 for all arrangements for the Forum, including promotion and actual conduct. In the event no appropriate bid is received, a suitable proposal shall be formulated by the Area Leadership consisting of the current and past International Directors, current and past Executive Officers present and approved at the Second Consultative Assembly.
  1. At any time before a Forum commences if the Area Leadership perceives that the conditions prevailing at the proposed venue are unacceptable for the safe and effective conduct of the Forum, the Directors in office in consultation with the present and past International Presidents shall decide to change the venue and inform the other members of Area Leadership immediately after the decision is made. In that event the original Host Committee shall transfer all funds collected as registration and other fees to the new Host Committee appointed for conducting the Forum at the new venue.
  1. All Forums shall be financially self-supporting, and any deficit shall be the sole responsibility of the host District / Multiple District of the said Forum. Each Forum shall have the authority to collect appropriate registration fees as may be approved. The registration fee for the local delegates may be paid in local currency. The registration fee shall be the amount designated in terms of US$ that is approved at the time of approval of the bid for hosting of the Forum. Such amount shall include the cost of the meals during the Forum, a banquet to be hosted in honour of the International President, and a registration kit to be presented to each delegate.
    The Host Committee shall also be responsible for providing accommodation to the Planning committee Chairperson during one official visit in the said capacity for the purposes of planning the Area Forum,
  1. The conduct and operation of the Forum including, but not restricted to, planning, agenda and program content, shall be the sole responsibility of the four elected members of the Board of Directors from the Constitutional Area. These Board members may delegate the Forum operations to such committee/s which are necessary, but shall be responsible to see that the objects of the Board Policy are implemented. One International Director shall be appointed by the International President to serve on the respective Forum Planning committee as Chairperson. The Chairperson of the Planning Committee shall constitute a Steering Committee which shall oversee the operations of the Forum Host Committee. The Steering Committee shall consist of the following:
    1. International Director serving as the Chairperson of the Planning Committee who shall also serve as Chairperson of the Steering Committee.
    2. Other Directors in office from the Constitutional Area.
    3. Executive Officers Past and Current on the Board from the Constitutional Area.
  1. The Steering Committee may meet at least once a year, or more often, at a venue to be decided by the Chairperson of the said Committee without any costs to the Area Forum Host Committee. The said Steering Committee shall ensure that the purposes of the Forum are accomplished and that the program of the Forum includes seminars and / or educational workshops that would provide value to the attending delegates. The program of the Forum, including the seminars and / or educational workshops, with full details, shall be circulated to all Districts of the Constitutional Area not later than 30th April of the Lions fiscal year preceding the fiscal year in which the Forum is to be held.
  1. The President of Lions Clubs International shall participate as the Chief Guest at the proceedings of each Forum. He should designate another Executive Officer to represent him if he is unable to attend. The respective Forum shall provide for the International President or his designee, as well as other Executive Officers to:-
    • Address all Lions in attendance;
    • The International President to address at a separate meeting all current District Governors, in attendance.
    • The First and Second International Vice Presidents to address respectively the First and Second Vice District Governors in attendance at separate meetings.
  1. During the Area Forum, Seminars should be held on subjects as may be decided by the Planning Committee, and experts, Lions or non Lions, may be invited to address the seminars where their papers will also be circulated. Every attempt shall be made for the Forum to be educative and informative in the interest of the Association.
  1. Each district (single or sub) of the Constitutional Area shall be entitled to one vote per voting delegate as mentioned in Clause 5 on any decision requiring voting. All amendments to the Area Forum Agreement shall require 2/3rd votes of the total votes cast by voting delegates of the Second Consultative Assembly.
  1. Any proposal for the consideration of the Assembly requiring a Formal Resolution shall be forwarded to the Presiding Officer of the said Assembly at least 120 days before the commencement of the Forum by any person referred to in clause 5 above. The said Presiding Officer shall circulate the proposals received which are to be placed before the Assembly for consideration by 31st October of the year in which the Forum is to be held to all Multiple Districts, Single Districts, Current and Past, Executive Officers and Directors of the ISAME Constitutional Area.
  1. A copy of the detailed report of the Area Forum shall be sent within 60 days of the conclusion of the Forum to all members of the ISAME leadership and to the Chairperson Planning Committee of the following Forum and it shall be the latter’s responsibility to get it printed and circulated to all attending delegates at the following Forum.
    A copy of the report of the Area Forum to be submitted by the Chairperson Planning Committee at the International Board Meeting immediately following the completion of the Forum shall be circulated to all members of the ISAME Leadership, prior to submission at the International Board Meeting.
  1. The election to the Office of International Director shall be on a rotational basis as stated in Annexure – “A”‟ to this Agreement.
  1. The criteria for eligibility of candidates for office of International Director shall be as per Annexure – “B‟ of the Agreement, and will be required to be complied with by prospective candidates and their single / sub / multiple districts, will be held responsible for their compliance.
  1. The meeting of the Area Leadership consisting of the current and Past International Presidents, current and Past International Directors of the Area should be held at least thrice in a Lionistic year as follows:
    • Coinciding with The Area Forum (November – December);
    • Between The Area Forum and International Convention (Feb / March);
    • Coinciding with The International Convention (June / July).

The said meeting shall be chaired by a currently serving 2nd year Director from the Constitutional Area who is not serving as the Planning Committee Chairperson of the Area Forum for the said fiscal year. It will be the duty of the Presiding Officer of this meeting to ensure that the notice of the meeting, including the agenda, is mailed to all the members of the leadership committee of the Constitutional Area at least 45 days before the said meetings.

  1. Audited Accounts of the Forum shall be printed and circulated to all the delegates at the following Forum.
  1. Amendments to this Agreement can be made only if;
    • Proposals for the same are submitted for discussion and approval by the Area Leadership. At least 120 days before the commencement of the Forum at which such proposals are to be discussed and voted upon.
    • It shall be the responsibility of the Planning Committee Chairperson of the Forum at which these amendments are to be considered for approval to get them circolated to each Multiple District and District in the Constitutional Area and members of the Area leadership at least 60 days before the commencement of the Forum.
    • 2/3rd votes of the total votes are cast at the 2nd Consultative Assembly in favour of the said amendments.
  1. The Agreement and amendments thereto shall become effective upon the close of the Forum at which they are adopted.
  1. The Area Leadership, as defined in Clause 23 of the Agreement, shall hold a meeting with the prospective candidates, who have been endorsed by their Multiple District or single District for International Director, and / or International Vice President, at the Area Leadership meeting to be held during the Area Forum and / or during the International Convention.
  1. Quorum: Presence of at least 50 registered delegates shall constitute the quorum. In case of voting on any matter, presence of at least 25 eligible voters shall constitute the quorum.
  1. Area Forum shall not:-
    • Contravene the International Constitution and By-Laws;
    • Collect dues. However, each Forum shall have the authority to collect registration fees in an appropriate amount;
    • Involve participation on other than a voluntary basis;
    • Superimpose or create any governing structure over and above the regular district and multiple district organisation;
    • Involve themselves in any non-Lionistic activities.