Charter

CHARTER VIRTUS – draf 2 (2009)

Virtus

Virtus is a latin word which mean “courage”. By extention, it is the moral courage to obtain wisdom. The root of the name is also connected with the latin medieval term virtualis, that evolves in « virtual ».

Virtus is a non gouvernmental and non profit organization located in Second Life. It has a SL group to communicate with its members.

The goals of the NGO is the development of activities connected to diffusion of culture, art and scientific knowledge. It is a non-religious and a non-ideological group.

The Virtus Group finance its activities through donations, patronages, sales, land fees. All benefits are invested in management and projects.

Virtus can collaborate with any other SL group or RL entity.

The Monastery

To reach is goals, Virtus develops a place in SL named « Monastery». This place can be on a plot bought to a estate owner or on its own sim (homestead or full sim).

During the Middle Age, monasteries have played an important role in the transmission of texts written in the Antiquity. Monasteries are a symbol of knowledge conservation and transmission. This is the reason why Virtus has choosen this kind of building.

The Monastery has four four parts :

• a courtyard with a fountain and a peristyle
• a Library
• a former Chapel with a tower
• a meeting room

Optional are :

• a crypt
• a outdoor garden
• rooms or cottages to rent to artists or designers interested to work in the Monastery

The Monastery is a privately owned building, but open to everyone, even when there is no activity. Visitors are not allowed to build without the authorization of the Curator.

The the names of the builders of the Monastery must be honored on a marble textured inscription.

The Curator

The Curator of the Monastery is responsible for :

• management of the Monastery
• organisation of exhibitions or events, in collaboration with artists or designers
• management of the Library
• fundraising
• communication
• owner of the land where the Monastery is (and responsible for fees in regard of any estate owner)

Membership

Virtus has several type of members. Here are the titles of the different members :

• Curator(s) : the Monastery can have one or more curators. If there are several curators, they have to share the tasks and co-own the land. They form the Board of Curators.
• Artists : they can work in the Monastery. They have the right to build in the Monastery, when they have a project. They can rent the plots of the Monastery if there are availability. But it is not an obligation. They don’t have any financial responsibility for the Monastery land itself.
• Builders: they work on the construction and the emprovement of the building.
• Friends of the Monastery : they are are interested to participate to activities and to be informed about the projects of Virtus. They don’t have any financial responsibility for the Monastery

Activities

Virtus organizes activities conform to its goals. There are several types of activities :

• exhibitions
• artistic contests
• events : music concerts, singer or musician performances, storytelling, conferences
• debates and discussions
• regular activities : cycle of conferences, courses, meditation groups, …

Projects

Everyone, member or not of Virtus, can propose a project to be held in the Monastery. The projects must be adressed to the Curator. The curator decides if the project can be accepted. If a project is accepted, the Curator help to realise it. Virtus does not have to finance projects proposed by others. Virtus can collaborate with RL institutions for projects.

The Monastery can host artwork exhibitions, but the artworks cannot be sold in the Monastery.

The Library

The Library shows how the texts were transmitted from the Antiquity to the Middle Age. It has a scriptorium.

Communication

Virtus and the Monastery use new technologies and Internet for their communication. The Monastery has a blog, a Flickr group and a Facebook page. Websites can be built for exhibitions or projects. The Monastery manages also a SL group named Virtus.

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CHARTER VIRTUS – draft 1

Virtus

Virtus is a latin word which mean “courage”. By extention, it is the moral courage to obtain wisdom. The root of the name is also connected with the latin medieval term virtualis, that evolves in « virtual ».

The NGO

Virtus is a non gouvernmental and non profit organization located in the Confederation of Democratic Simulators (CDS). The aim of the NGO is the development of activities connected to wisdom, meditation, knowledge. It is a non-religious and a non-ideological group. These activities can held in the different places of spirituality in the CDS sims : the Church of Neufreistadt, the roman temples of Colonia Nova and the Monastery of Alpine Meadow. The Monastery is owned by Virtus and is also its main place.
The Monastery
The Monastery is a public building, open to everyone, even when there is no activity. People can met there, explorate, relax. Members of the Virtus group are encouraged to spend time in the Monastery to welcome people.
The land where the Monastery is located was bought with donations. It is owned by the group. In case of dissolution of Virtus, land and building go to the CDS. The building of the Monastery is under the protection of the Chancellor. That means that the building, even owned by others, cannot be removed or modified without Chancellor’s assentiment.

Membership

Everyone who accepted the goals of the Monastery can be member of Virtus, Virtus has several type of members. Here are the titles of the different members (with a greek terminology)

- Bouleutes (advisers): the bouleutes have accepted to pay regulary a part of the fees for the land where the Monastery is based.
The fees for the land are divided in 12 parts. The bouleutes can have several parts. When leaving the NGO (or changing the statute), the bouleutes try to find a new member. All the Bouleutes form the Boule (or Council)
- Demiourgoi (workers): the demiourgoi are the builders involved in the building and improving of the Monastery.
- Sophistes (wise people): the sophistes are involved in Virtus as project or activities organizers.
- Philoi (friends): the philoi of the Monastery are interested to participate to activities and to be informed about the projects of Virtus.

Boule or Council

The Council has three or more members, it has to elect :

- a chair : responsable for the agenda and the promotion of Virtus and the Monastery
- a treasurer : responsable for the finance
- a secretary : responsable for information and archiving of activities

They meet regularly in the meeting room of the Monastery. The Council meetings are held in english with chat (no voice).

Tasks of the Council:

- programm of activities
- finances
- promotion and information
- improvement of the building (in collaboration with demiourgoi)
- dissolution (if 2/3 of the members agree)

Activities

Virtus organizes activities conform to its goals. There are several types of activities :

- exhibitions
- events : music concerts, singer or musician performances, storytelling, conferences
- debates and discussions
- regular activities : cycle of conferences, courses, meditation groups, …

Projects

Everyone, member or not of Virtus, can propose a project to be held in the Monastery. The Council decides if the project is conform to the goals of Virtus and provide the space and the time for the project.
The Council can also propose its own projects and has to find financement for them. It can also accept project that are financed by others. Virtus does not have to finance projects proposed by others. Virtus can also collorate with RL institutions for projects.

Financing

- Members fees (only for land fees)
- Donations (for activities)
- Sales (for activities)
- Subsidies (for activities)

Virtus Assembly

Alle the members of Virtus can take part to the Assembly. They meet twice a year, near the date of the solstice.

Tasks of the Assembly:

- verification of the financial activities
- discussion of the programm of activities
- discussion about the building