by Sergey Loktev, Russia
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In the April, 1997 AIS Bulletin there was an article by Lech Komarnicki where he noted several potential problems to the concept of a World Iris Association. As a person favoring WIA, I offer my response.
The formation of the World Iris Association (WIA) deals with two basic questions:
The concept of a WIA formation means countries and people converging for an united iris world in which individual and national identities are maintained. There are many precedents for this concept. The Olympics, the World Health Organization, United Nations, Interpol are a few. They are all avenues for international communication and cooperation for the mutual benefit of their participants.
In the iris world there are many questions of terminology, classification, culture, breeding and promotion of irises. Coordination of efforts on an international scale is the best way to achieve these results.
It is impossible to replace the WIA with one national society even though it [The American Iris Society] has the largest membership and the strongest financial base. Each society has geographically unique objectives. However, AIS already performs one international function-iris registrations.
I have no doubt the problems noted by Lech Komarnicki can be resolved; we should at least make a start.
I am opposed to individual membership in WIA as there would be duplication with national organizations' functions. International decisions need to be dealt with by national representation. Countries without a national organization should be encouraged to participate, and future membership is always a possibility. In the beginning there may only be a few participants.
I see the first step as contacting each national organization to see if there is interest. (AIS Bulletin Editor - AIS President Dave Niswonger has already done this.) For those who respond in the affirmative, an organizational meeting needs to take place to discuss formation. This information then needs to go back to the national organizations for their ratification. Once this step is achieved, then we can proceed to discuss other issues.
This should be resolved at the organizational meeting. My suggestion would be organizations with less than 100 members should pay 10% of their dues; memberships with 101 - 1000 pay 5%; and over 1000 members should be 1%. With any version, WIA Bulletin copies sent to national societies should correspond to the sum of its dues. A newsletter would at least be a good start.
On the basis of percentage of participation, most likely English would be most practical. Dealing with translations would be each country's responsibility. It would be most practical for AIS or BIS to publish the WIA Bulletin, but other options can be considered.
Perhaps we don't need such a facility--AIS functions this way. The WIA Board of Directors could meet at different national conventions. International Iris Festivals can take place in conjunction with different national conventions.
An International Symposium could happen right away. Iris promotion through international awards could include "World Champions". An unified method of judging and classifying would be necessary.
Perhaps the most important function of WIA for me is legislative efforts for terminology and classifications. I think it would be helpful for irisarians in all countries to follow standardized classifications. Whether individual countries follow these standards internally or not is their option.
The bulk of WIA tasks may fall upon the larger organizations such as AIS and BIS, but others will participate where skills can be found. Getting started is the major challenge. The European Iris Association has already issued its first newsletter, and I hope to see a World Iris Association publication for the iris world as a whole.