AGM: General Secretary Congratulated on Busy Year

Delegates at the Celtic League's AGM in Kernow (Cornwall) last weekend (17th to 19th July 2009) congratulated the League's General Secretary (GS) on the quality of his report and the volume of work that he had undertaken over the past year.

Speaking during the AGM, Convenor, Cathal O Luain, said that it is always minteresting to see how each of the Celtic countries had developed since the last AGM and that the GS had provided a comprehensive account on each nation progress, covering many issues that would not be widely known about outside of that nation. In addition to providing a `progress report' on the political and cultural development in the Celtic countries the GS, Rhisiart Tal-e-bot, also outlined the activities that he has been engaged in on behalf of the League over the past year. These included following up resolutions, additional campaign work, the development of the Celtic League website, developing the League's online community, helping to set up a Branch of the League in Patagonia, applying for United Nation consultative status and developing links with Nova Scotia.

In the concluding remarks of his report, the GS said:

"This year has been very busy for me in terms of League work. Since my work finished for the European youth organisation that I was President of in March 2009, I have been able to put more time into the League than I was able to do previously in my role as General Secretary. This has enabled me to see more clearly the potential for the development of the League as an organisation as a whole and also how its aims can be furthered.

Three of the biggest time consuming aspects of my work this year has been the organisation and follow up of the General Council vote on motions not passed at mthe 2008 AGM, the writing of content for the new Celtic League website and working on its development and the United Nations application. This work has required significant blocks of time and working to deadlines.

Of course the following up of resolutions and undertaking research related to this activity is also time consuming, but can be spread out. I have also contributed news items to the Celtic League news site on a weekly basis and continued to work closely with the Kernow Branch, of which I am a member and the League's DoI and the Convenor on different issues.

Regarding campaign activity, three of the biggest specific undertakings have been the campaign to transfer prisoner Noel Maguire from Whitemoor Prison, England to Portlaoise prison in Ireland, the campaign for a dotker domain name and the creation of a bilingual Cornish/English preschool movement and school. All of these campaigns relate to resolutions passed at Celtic League AGM's and I have worked with a number of people on these campaigns, most of whom have been League members. The latter campaign has been the biggest personal success for me this year, although it still needs pushing forward. I will be in a better position to do this when I move back to Kernow permanently in August 2009.

Another matter that was successful was the submission of an observation to the United Nations Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights 42nd session (4 - 22 May 2009) in Geneva regarding the 'United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland: Crown Dependencies' report. Our observation was taken into consideration by the Committee and two recommendations were made to the UK Government by the Committee that was linked specifically to our observations, regarding self determination and the consultation of NGO's.

Considering the size of our organisation and the very limited resources that we are able to draw on, we are still capable of tackling relatively big issues successfully, which we do on a yearly basis. Of course none of this cannot be done without all your help and I would like to thank you all again for the hard work that you put in to the League."

Each branch and general officer of the League is required to submit a report at every AGM outlining the work that has been undertaken throughout the course of the year.

J B Moffatt Director of Information Celtic League

21/07/09