SEA AGM – SUNDAY 6th JULY 2025

The Society for Existential Analysis Annual General Meeting 2025

Date & Time: Sunday 6th July 2025, 11am UK Time.

To be held online via Zoom.

OPEN TO MEMBERS ONLY

We warmly invite all members of the Society to attend this year’s Annual General Meeting on Sunday 6th July 2025 at 11am.  The AGM will once again be held online via Zoom.

Attending the AGM is free.  However, since it is ‘members only’, we ask attendees to book online so that we can monitor numbers and grant ‘dial-in’ access.  Please book your place using the link at the end of this notice.  Details for the Zoom meeting will be distributed to registrants the day before the AGM.

This notice sets out relevant information with respect to the following points of business for the upcoming AGM:

• Election of Chairperson of the Society

• Nominations to membership of the Executive Committee of the Society

• Request for volunteers, notably to join the Hermeneutic Circular Subcommittee

• Request for motions

• Request for topics for the Open Forum

• Procedural details on how to make nominations, propose motions, etc.

Election of Chairperson

As previously communicated, this year’s meeting is of particular importance as it will see the election of the Chair of the Society’s Executive Committee.  Under our Constitution, the Chair serves a term of three years, and election of a new Chair takes place at the beginning of the third year of that term.  As this will be the final year of the second term as Chair for our incumbent, Paola Pomponi, she will not be seeking re-election.  There is more to say, but for now the Executive Committee would like to offer its heartfelt thanks on behalf of the whole Society to Paola for the compassion, thoughtfulness and dedication that she has brought to the role of Chair of the Society these past years.  

Nominations from the membership of the Society for Chairperson therefore are sought.  In accordance with our Constitution, the elected individual will serve as Chair-Elect for one year until Paola steps down and they take over as Chair at next year’s AGM.  Nominations for the position of Chair may only be made for individuals who have been members of the Society for at least one year.  All nominations must be received by the Secretary not later than 21 days before the AGM and must be seconded by another member of the Society.  Please see the end of this notice for further information on how to make the nomination.

There will be a need to introduce the candidates to members so that they may make an informed decision when they vote.  As such, nominees are asked to provide additional information that will be disseminated to members as part of the voting process.  This must include:

• A short personal statement (no more than 350 words) setting out why the nominee would be suitable for the position and what they would bring to the Society if elected Chair.  This statement ought to include any relevant experience (such as work as a psychotherapist, previously-held trustee positions, and so on) and address the key responsibilities of the role of Chairperson (per the attached description);
• An appropriate, clear and recent photograph of the nominee.

In addition, the nominee may also provide a short (of not more than two minutes) video introducing themself and sharing their vision for the Society.

Further information on the role of Chairperson is available here.

Nominations to the Executive Committee

Nominations for membership of the Society’s Executive Committee are also invited, as we continue seeking to broaden the range of voices contributing to the Society’s management.   Being a member of the Executive Committee offers an opportunity to work on the Society’s various projects and to influence its future direction, so please do come forward if you wish to be involved.  

In particular, we are seeking nominations for the position of Membership Secretary.  The role involves providing friendly customer support to our members and managing membership records via our website. Ideal candidates will be comfortable with digital platforms, detail-oriented, and committed to supporting our vibrant existential community.  The Committee would like to thank the incumbent, Serena Fianco, as she steps down from this position, for her hard work, tenacity and commitment in supporting our members over the years.

Please read the details below on how to nominate someone to the Executive Committee, and if you would like more information on what’s involved in being a member of the Executive Committee, please email the Secretary at the address below.  Note that nominations for membership of the Executive Committee (including the position of Chair) may only be made for individuals who have been members of the Society for at least one year.  Nominations must be received by the Secretary 21 days before the AGM and must be seconded by another member of the Society.  Such nominations will be subject to a vote at the AGM. 

Voluntary positions

Beyond membership of the Executive Committee, we are always looking for volunteers to be involved in other ways, such as being part of subcommittees that carry out the work of the Society on specific projects or areas of special interest.  We are currently looking for someone to join the Hermeneutic Circular Subcommittee, with the aim of taking over the editorship of that publication when the incumbent, Andrew Miller, steps down over the coming months.  Any new joiner would of course be supported appropriately as they take on this role.  A summary of the kind of duties and skills involved is available here.  The Committee would like to thank Andrew for the decade of his thoughtful and committed stewardship of this rich, vibrant and much-loved publication.

Proposals for motions

Alongside nominations to the Executive Committee, proposals for motions to be discussed and voted on at the AGM are also requested. Again, details on how to do this are provided below.  Proposals for motions carry a deadline of being received 21 days before the AGM and must be seconded by another member of the Society.

Open Forum Topics

Following the formal AGM proceedings, an Open Forum will take place where members can pose questions and challenges for broader discussion.  Members are invited to forward topics they would like raised during the Open Forum in advance to the Secretary (the deadline and guidance on how to do this is provided below).  

All communications relating to the AGM, including proposed motions, nominations, and open forum topics, should be made to the Secretary at:

secretary@existentialanalysis.org.uk

 WE LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING YOU ON THE DAY – PLEASE BOOK USING THE LINK BELOW

Further information now follows on nominations for Chairperson, the Executive Committee, proposing motions, and proposing topics for the Open Forum:

NOMINATIONS FOR CHAIRPERSON: If you would like to make a nomination for Chairperson, please send the Chairperson Nomination Form (link below) to the SEA Secretary, to arrive no later than 11am on Sunday 15th June 2025.   Please include the short personal statement and photograph as described above.  Note that nominees must have been members of the Society for at least one year, and require both a nominator and seconder.  Nominations will be voted on at the AGM.  Should you wish to nominate someone and would like to know more about what’s involved, you are invited to email the SEA Secretary for further details. 

Link to: Chairperson Nomination Form

NOMINATIONS TO THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE: If you would like to make a nomination for membership of the Executive Committee, please send the Nomination Form (link below) to the SEA Secretary, to arrive no later than 11am on Sunday 15th June 2025.   Note that nominees must have been members of the Society for at least one year, and require both a nominator and seconder.  Nominations will be voted on at the AGM.  Should you wish to nominate someone and would like to know more about what’s involved, you are invited to email the SEA Secretary for further details. 

Link to: Executive Committee Membership Nomination Form

MOTIONS: If you would like to make a motion for discussion at the AGM, then please send the Motion Form (below) to the SEA Secretary.  The motion will need to be seconded by another SEA member, and will be set as an agenda item for the AGM. The deadline for receiving motions for the AGM is 11am on Sunday 15th June 2025.  

Link to: Motion Form 

OPEN FORUM: A members open forum will follow the AGM.  If you would like to discuss a specific topic, please send brief details to the SEA secretary by Sunday 15th June 2025.

PLEASE BOOK YOUR PLACE USING THE LINK BELOW