Our paramount decision-making body is the IFM-SEI Congress, convened every three years. Every member organisation dispatches delegates to the Congress, creating a platform to share our accomplishments, deliberate on our priorities, make decisions regarding policies, programmes, finances, and elect the leadership of IFM-SEI. Additionally, the Congress adopts the strategic work plan, outlining our priorities and initiatives for the subsequent three-year cycle.

While the XXVII Ordinary Congress of IFM-SEI took place in Tbilisi, Georgia, in June 2019, we convened an extraordinary Congress in February and May 2023. During this extraordinary Congress, a new Presidium was elected, marking a significant milestone in the evolution and governance of IFM-SEI.

In the years without a Congress, the focus shifts to our International Committee meetings. These are essential smaller international assemblies designed to discuss the progress of our movement, conduct any necessary by-elections, and provide a conducive environment for mutual learning and decisive political actions. Typically, within each three-year cycle, one International Committee meeting is held inside Europe, and another takes place outside the European region.

The recent historical roster of International Committee meetings includes Brussels, Belgium (2018), Portorož, Slovenia (2017), and Lima, Peru (2015).

Significantly, the upcoming International Committee meeting is scheduled for Vienna in September. Notably, this will be our first in-person gathering after the Covid-19 pandemic, marking a poignant return to physical meetings and reinforcing the strength and resilience of our movement.

Regional networks are the lifeblood of our movement, offering spaces for close collaboration within each region and allowing members to support one another. From 2020, each region began holding its annual regional network meeting, rotating every three years between the regions of Asia, Africa, and Latin America. Currently, we have four active regional networks:

The European Falcon Network (EFN) organizes an annual regional seminar and also conducts smaller gatherings alongside other events. The last memorable EFN seminar occurred in late 2016, spanning Helsinki, Stockholm, and included a ferry ride connecting these cities. The subsequent EFN youth exchange was slated for July-August 2019.

Our Middle East Cooperation brings together many of our affiliated organizations in the Middle East. It’s a symbolic cooperation, especially given the collaboration between its Palestinian and Israeli members. Regular meetings are conducted at the Willy Brandt Centre in Jerusalem, where the focus is on combined educational activities and partnership discussions.

The Latin American Falcon Network is in a phase of strategic evolution, defining its future direction and commitments. The previous significant gathering for this network was in Lima, early 2018.

Lastly, the African Falcon Network convened in November 2017 for its last face-to-face meeting. This gathering saw the establishment of a steering committee. The primary focus for this region is on the critical and contemporary subject of migration.

Through these networks, our commitment to regional cooperation is evident, ensuring that members remain interconnected and driven by shared experiences and objectives.

The Presidium, Control Commission are the main elected bodies that govern IFM-SEI. These bodies are responsible for the strategic and political direction of the organisation. The IFM-SEI secretariat supports their work and is responsible for the day-to-day running of the organisation. You can find more information about all of our governance bodies and secretariat by the  Our People page of our website.