Preamble

This vision statement outlines the vision and values of our organisation.

As every mountain climber knows, reaching the peak is that much easier the more precisely and concretely one knows the destination and the route. While it may be useful to know what the mountain is called, its height and geographical position, and while the plan of approach is important, staying focused on the inner vision of reaching the goal is crucial. As Christian Morgenstern put it: “There’s no knowing the way without knowing the destination. ”

A vision statement goes beyond outlining guidelines and policies. Rather than specifying and delimiting, it is intended to establish our self-understanding and where we are headed as an organisation. Having visualised who we are and want to be empowers us to forward in the manner of our choosing.

Our organisation is named after ARTABAN, the fourth of the Magi, and inspired by his life story as told by Henry van Dyke.

Our vision

Responsible individuals coming together of their own free will and decision to form a community, within the framework of an organised society. The society framework allows for concerted social action on the basis of individual motivation and commitment.

The society respects the uniqueness and independence of the individual, upholding his or her sphere of privacy. The individual acknowledges the aims of the society and contributes to their implementation out of an active interest in his or her fellow human beings.

To quote Rudolf Steiner: “Society must shape itself so as to reflect the human soul, and the power inherent within the soul of the individual must be vibrantly expressed in society. ”

The aims of society formation are to

• promote social security, and
• improve living conditions within the framework of a cooperative society, in the interest of the individual's path of development.

Social security arises through human solidarity expressed in deeds. When one person considers the welfare of another, taking an interest in the other, an awareness arises of situations of need. In becoming more aware of situations of need and successfully overcoming them through joint action, we foster trust and confidence. Being part of a society founded upon trust in turn empowers us to follow our chosen paths.

“The strength of a society is reflected in the welfare of its weakest, most needy members. ” The society provides assistance where assistance is needed, performing what the affected individual is unable to perform by him or herself. The only actions taken by the society are those democratically co-determined by each of its members.

This process requires regular interaction and discussion by the members. Individual societies are formed in a manner (small, regional) ensuring that all members sufficiently know each other personally. This is even true of multi-regional societal alliances.

Emergency assistance is provided in the form of demonstrated concern, help and voluntary gifting. Security arises from an individual’s trust in the society’s ability to help him or her (not from insurance or financial contracts).

“People are there to help each other, and when help is legitimately needed, help should be asked for. It is this way all over the world, and asking by no means amounts to begging. ” Jeremias Gotthelf

Health is essential to life. ARTABANA distinguishes between individual, personal health and general, public health, addressing these two different areas separately.

ARTABANA societies create legal and economic conditions allowing individual, personal healthcare on the basis of free choice, and an individual path to health.

In specific:

• Recognition of the uniqueness of the individual, i.e. the fact that illness is inherently individual in nature, therefore requiring an individual treatment and recovery approach.
• Illness is an expression of the individual's karma, the shaping of destiny on his or her life path. The society never provides unsolicited advice regarding an individual's health issues.
• Free choice of healthcare practitioner, practice or institution and treatment options for illness.
• Voluntary financial support to provide access to the desired treatment options.
• The possibility for the patient and healthcare practitioner (or group practice/institution) to freely enter into individual financial agreements.

ARTABANA societies raise awareness (consciousness) of ways to promote general, public health. This extends to the preserving and creating of a healthy environment, and to healthy forms of social interaction and living. The societies support, promote and sponsor these through the appropriation of financial resources based on democratic decision-making processes.

Legal relationships

Legal relationships within ARTABANA societies are conceived so as to uphold respect for the sphere of privacy of the individual, to demonstrate the principle of human equality in action on a day-to-day basis, and to guarantee personal freedoms.

Mutual respect for otherness and individuality, and for the personal and lifestyle decisions of others, are the fundament upon which these legal relationships rest.

Individuals gathering and meeting together gives rise to community.

This community then establishes the framework of a society based on agreements freely concluded between and among members. Individual societies are entirely free with regard to the choice and structuring of these legal relationships, which must be consistent and conform with applicable laws.

Respecting existing law provides a framework for legal concepts implemented internally within the societies. The principle governing internal legal relationships between individuals is respect and recognition of the other.

ARTABANA societies make resolutions by consensus, forgoing the application of external law to matters concerning internal relations. In cases where a consensus cannot be obtained regarding a resolution, individuals representing minority opinions must be heard, allowing the decision of the majority to be respected in turn.

An ARTABANA-internal consensus-building committee is elected to address any disputes. The committee conducts arbitration efforts in a spirit of consensus-building.

The goal is to achieve a maximisation of democratic determination rights – the right to participate in the governance and shaping of the society with regard to its structures and activities, extending to issues of voting, appointments, review privileges, privacy and data protection.

Administration is to be kept streamlined and tasks apportioned among members so as to permit self-management on a voluntary basis.

The prerequisite for membership in an ARTABANA society is declaration of acceptance of this vision statement. ARTABANA societies are formed on a local level (chapters), which may voluntarily combine with other local societies to form regional solidarity alliances, or become a member of an existing regional society.

Local ARTABANA societies comprise the backbone of the national ARTABANA movement and are its bearers.

Financial policies

Financial policies are designed with the aim of channelling financial resources in a way that is beneficial and healing from a social standpoint.

The ultimate source of economic resources set in motion by ARTABANA lies in the will of the individual to give to others who have fallen on hardship or are in need – individuals who are faring worse than oneself (Declaration of Intent/Contribution Pledge). ARTABANA societies are solidarity communities organised to help people in any kind of accident or illness situation.

Out of knowledge of and a concern for the needs of other individuals (ARTABANA members or others) members individually make regular or one-time binding contributions by way of gifting in amounts reflecting their own priorities, the significance they attach to health and the means and resources available to them. Gifts go to the direct benefit of those in need, or are deposited to the society's solidarity fund.

Members are free to structure financial arrangements with healthcare practitioners or practices at their own discretion.

The societies jointly determine how the resources in the solidarity fund are to be used. The following usage purposes are allowed:

• To cover healthcare or health maintenance expenses up to a certain percentage of the solidarity contribution made by the individual member on a voluntary basis. ARTABANA members are thus self-payers.
• Gifts or loans provided by the society to members or non-members as support in situations of need
• Gifts or interest-free loans provided to promote general, public health. In this manner ARTABANA societies financially support the institution of public healthcare.

The society provides assistance to individuals in need in view of what is required and the amount the individual in question is unable to come up with on his or her own. The individual may in such case petition for assistance, or the society may approach the individual in need of its own accord.

In providing assistance the society’s aim at all times is to remedy a specific, individual situation of need. ARTABANA societies do not employ a schedule of payable benefits implying any payment obligation; there are no reimbursements, no invoices, no premiums.

Assistance may be provided from the national society level and national solidarity fund for need situations exceeding the capacity of a regional society.

– Issue August 2010 –