MINUTES OF THE ORDINARY GENERAL MEETING OF THE IONA HELD ON 28 MARCH 2020

GENERAL DECLARATION

The General Meeting of the IONA approves the following resolutions:

1. A. In the face of the pandemic caused by the Covid-19 virus (coronavirus) and in view of the worldwide health and social emergency that requires effective and immediate action by governments, individuals and organizations in general, as set out by the World Health Organization (WHO) in its Declaration of 16 March 2020, the International Organization New Acropolis recommends that all its member associations follow the guidelines of the World Health Organization (WHO) and national governments in the fight against this pandemic.
2. The General Meeting recalls that the International Organization New Acropolis (I.O.N.A.) is present through thousands of volunteers and associates in over 50 UN member states. It therefore joins the call of the UN to achieve the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) included in its Agenda 2030 and to promote the need for a greater awareness of unity and solidarity to ensure that they are met.
   Accordingly, it notes that the programmes carried out by the IONA are related to the following Sustainable Development Goals: No. 4, on Quality Education; No. 13, on Climate Action; No. 16, on Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions; and No. 17, on Partnerships to Achieve Objectives. Thanks to the wide variety of programmes implemented by its national member associations, the I.O.N.A. also contributes to other SDGs, in addition to the ones already mentioned. By way of example we can mention: soup kitchens for destitute people (SDG 2); actions to provide accessible and non-polluting energy in several rural locations across Europe and America (SDG 7); and educational programmes for health and sports that help to improve lifestyle (SDG 3).
   Accordingly, the General Meeting recommends to its members that they draw up plans to raise awareness about the SDGs and define specific targets for continuing to contribute to the SDG indicators over the coming years.
3. The General Meeting reaffirms its commitment to continue with the activities carried out in relation to World Philosophy Day, which was instituted by UNESCO in 2002 and for which the International Organization New Acropolis (I.O.N.A.) has been organizing events uninterruptedly for more than 12 years in its different centres around the world. The General Meeting therefore recommends continuing with the same programme of lectures, meetings, symposia and conferences in 2020 in connection with this important event.
4. The General Meeting unanimously approves the resolution to become a sponsor of the Delia Steinberg International Piano Competition in honour of its founder, Delia Steinberg, who has been the President of the Organizing Committee for so many years. This annual competition, which takes place in Madrid, was instituted in 1982, with the aim of promoting new values in music and furthering the artistic careers of young pianists. Accordingly, it resolves to provide an annual endowment to the said competition for a sum to be determined each year by the Organizing Committee, on the motion of its President according to the needs of the International Competition.
5. The General Meeting of the IONA congratulates its volunteers and associates for the success of the many activities of Philosophy, Culture and Volunteering that have been held over the last year (2019) in over 50 countries where New Acropolis centres affiliated with the I.O.N.A. are established, through the action of almost five hundred centres around the world.
6. The General Assembly recalls that the I.O.N.A. is committed through its Founding Principles to encourage respect for human dignity in its different activities, in a collective effort to achieve fraternity among all human beings and nations.