The IOPD Presidency and the Technical Secretariat are the two basic bodies that have existed since the IOPD network was constituted. Both offices are held by associate members of the network, i.e. by cities or local governments that belong to the IOPD.
The internal regulations affecting the operations of both offices were drawn up to provide the network with a clear, objective structure. The relevant protocols establish the responsibilities of the Presidency and the Technical Secretariat and the procedures for electing them to office:
Presidency
PresidencyThe Presidency is held by the city which, after submitting its candidacy, is elected to host the annual IOPD conference by consensus of the internal annual assembly of associate members of the network. Following the principle of alternating conference sites, the conference is hosted by a city on a different continent each year. IOPD Presidency is held for one year. The following cities have held the Presidency since 2001: Barcelona (Spain), Quezaltenango (Guatemala), Lille (France), Buenos Aires (Argentina), San Sebastián–Donostia (Spain), Nanterre (France) and La Paz (Bolivia). Reggio Emilia (Italy) currently holds the IOPD Presidency until November 2009.
Technical Secretariat
Technical Secretariat
The Technical Secretariat is held by a city or local government for a renewable period of 3 years. As with the Presidency, the decision to appoint a candidate city to hold this post is reached by consensus at the annual assembly. Barcelona City Council has held the office of IOPD Technical Secretariat since the network was created.
The Technical Secretariat is responsible for carrying out the daily work of the network, managing the website and the media library, issuing publications, preparing, organizing and promoting the IOPD’s own initiatives, and helping to organize the annual international conference, as well as representing the IOPD before the different institutions with which the organization maintains relations.
A further body was created in 2004 to improve network efficiency:
Coordinating Committee
Coordinating Committee
The Coordinating Committee. This committee is made up of the most active, committed associate and collaborating members of the network. It meets several times a year and takes advantage of the framework of the annual conference and other events to follow up projects and initiatives and to contribute proposals and suggestions for the improvement and development of the IOPD
