IFOAM’s General Assembly successfully concluded: New World Board and Executive Board elected

The IFOAM General Assembly has evolved through tradition and experience, always remaining grounded in grassroots democracy unrivalled by other non-profit organizations. IFOAM, through its General Assembly, is the guardian of organic credibility and integrity, and that without this democratic platform, the development of organic markets and regulations would not have been possible.

The participants debated and decided on motions regarding various topics of concern for the International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements, and the new ten-member World Board was chosen in free and fair elections: 
  
Katherine DiMatteo from the USA, Jacqueline Haessig Alleje from the Philippines, Moses Kiggundu Muwanga from Uganda, Masaya Koriyama from Japan, Ong Kung Wai from Malaysia, Andre Leu from Australia, Urs Niggli from Switzerland, Fabio Piccioli from Italy, Vanaja Ramprasad from India, Roberto Ugas from Peru.

This truly international result is the best reflection of the diversity of the global network represented through the IFOAM membership. From the previous World Board three members ensure continuity: Katherine DiMatteo, Ong Kung Wai and Jacqueline Haessig Alleje. The new members have both strong roots in the organic movements of their home countries and regions as well as vision for the global movement and will bring a new spirit in the leadership of IFOAM for the next three years.

The new World Board elected amongst itself the new Executive Board: the two Vice Presidents are Roberto Ugas and Urs Niggli, and the new IFOAM President is Katherine DiMatteo. This is the second time that IFOAM members had elected a woman as a President.

A record attendance of 192 persons attended the General Assembly in Vignola, some of them had proxy voting rights, which represented a total of 344 members making a quorum of 60 %, the largest member representation of any IFOAM General Assembly in the past 36 years.

In a festive spirit, the Assembly thanked the outgoing World Board members: Gerald A. Herrmann, Antonio Compagnoni, Brendan Hoare, Johan Cejie, Prabha Mahale, Alberto Pipo Lernoud and Mette Meldgaard for their dedication in promoting the organic movement.

By majority vote, the participants of the General Assembly decided that the 17th IFOAM Organic World Congress and General Assembly will be held in South Korea in 2011. Other bidders were Taiwan and the Philippines.