Imperial Exchange Program Act, 1754

[Office of the Registry 2323]

ACT OF THE IMPERIAL DIET

 

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The Imperial Exchange Program Act of 1754

23 Horen’s Calling

Introduced in the Senate.

Passed in the Imperial Senate Session of 1754-1756.

 

A bill to establish a cultural exchange program between the provinces of the Empire for Orenian youths.

 

AYE

Christiansen

May

Pruvia

Stafyr

Rutledge

 

ABSENT

Callahan

Farlander

Helvets

 

INTRODUCTION

 

The many provinces of the Holy Orenian Empire are each characterized by a rich culture and heritage, and the people who reside within them are rightfully proud of their own local customs and traditions. However, many of the Empire’s subjects are blissfully unaware of those held by their neighbors. Furthermore, many of the Empire’s youths are filled with adventurous spirits, yearning to see more of the world around them beyond the provincial borders of their homes.

 

Therefore, in order to promote culture awareness and foster a greater understanding between the provinces, an education exchange program shall be established under the Imperial Office of Civil Affairs meant to offer Orenian youths the chance to study abroad and experience the cultures of their neighbors within the Empire.

 

SECTION I:

Establishing the Prerequisites of Participation in the Program

 

I.) All Imperial subjects that reside within the provinces of Helena, Haense, Kaedrin, and Curon between the ages of 9 and 17 and that are of good character shall be eligible for participation in the Imperial Exchange Program.

 

II.) Program participants shall be expected to adhere to both Imperial law and to the legal codexes of the provinces in which they are residing for the duration of their stays.
 

III.) Title holders, government officials, and civil servants shall not be allowed to partake in the Imperial Exchange Program. The purpose is the program is purely meant to educate the youths of the Empire, not to train or entertain its leaders.

 

IV.) Participants in the Imperial Exchange Program shall be required to tender a processing fee of 500 minae to the Civil Affairs official overseeing their stay.

 

V.) Violations of gentlemanly etiquette, honorable conduct, and common decency whilst studying in a province abroad on the part of the participants may result in termination from this most prestigious program.

 

SECTION II:

Implementing the Administrative Apparatuses of the Program

 

I.) The Imperial Office of Civil Affairs shall oversee the advertisement, implementation, and execution of the Imperial Exchange Program.

 

II.) The office of the Assistant Undersecretary for Education shall specifically be tasked with overseeing this program and all aspects of it. In the absence of one, the responsibility may be delegated to whatever official the Secretary of State for Civil Affairs sees fit.

 

III.) Processing fees received from the program shall be used to compensate participant families

 

IV.) An application shall be created by the Imperial Office of Civil Affairs for this program. Information that it is to require shall include:

• The name of the applicant
• The age of the applicant
• The sex of the applicant
• The applicant’s province of origin
• The interests of each participant
• The provinces in which each participant is interested
• Interest in an urban or rural dwelling
• The participant’s preference of living with a noble or non-noble family
• An essay which consists of at least a single paragraph describing why the youth in question wishes to participate in the Imperial Exchange Program.
   

V.) The Imperial Exchange Program shall be adequately advertised throughout the four provinces of the Empire. Pamphlets designed by the Imperial Office of Civil Affairs shall be ordered and posted across the land to inform youths of its establishment and raise public awareness of the program.

 

VI.) Every participating student in the program MUST be assigned to a province that they have expressed an interest in.

 

VII.) The duration of the program shall be that of a single year, or a Saint’s Week. Participants may write to the Imperial Office of Civil Affairs to request an extension of their term under special circumstances.

 

VII.) The Imperial Office of Civil Affairs shall reserve the right to accept or deny any application which is tendered to it.

 

SECTION III:

The Subsidization of Participating Host Families

 

I.) The Imperial Office of Civil Affairs shall issue another application alongside the application for program participants to allow for hosts to house those participating. It shall include:

• Name of the host
• The province in which the host resides
• Location of the dwelling in an urban or a rural area
• At least a one paragraph description of the household and the family that resides within it

 

II.) Each host family shall be compensated for providing food, lodgings, and other necessities to their hosted participant by the 500 minae processing fee received from filing an application.
 

III.) Applicants that possess a criminal record or are found to be in bad standing by the Imperial Government are to be disqualified from hosting youths in their households.

 

IV.) Proper lodgings must be available for program participants within applying households. 

• The term “proper lodgings” is defined as the allocation of a single room for the youth, complete with a bed, dresser, and trunk for the participant’s comfort.
   

V.) Hosts shall be required to teach their assigned program participants about the culture of their province, and encourage their further development and intellectual growth through exposure to local cultural activities and learning opportunities. It shall be the host’s responsibility to do this. 

 

VI.) Provincial governments may optionally province written resources to help guide program participants at their leisure, although they are not required to do so. 

 

VII.) Should they have the space, host applications may apply to host more than one participant, although they will only be allowed to do so if there is an excess of applicants and a deficit of hosts.

 

Introduced by Sir Konrad Stafyr KM on the 13th of Godfrey’s Triumph, 1754

 

Cosponsored by Sir Terrence May GCM

 

Issued and proclaimed,

HIS IMPERIAL MAJESTY, Peter III Anthony, Holy Orenian Emperor, King of Curon, Renatus, Salvus, and Seventis, King-Elect of Kaedrin, Prince of Malinor, Protector of the Heartlanders, Highlanders, and Farfolk, etcetera.