Historical European Martial Arts Alliance

The HEMA Alliance (HEMAA) is a martial arts federation dedicated to the study of Historical European Martial Arts. Comprised of dozens of independent martial arts schools and clubs throughout the world, the Alliance provides its affiliates with liability insurance, curriculum assistance, educational accreditation, and other services. It is incorporated as an educational non-profit in order to provide a wide range of services from a stable core whose educational mission is legally bound by open bylaws and democracy.

Governance

The Alliance is directed by three democratic bodies with counterbalanced responsibilities. The Board of Directors watches over the mission. The Governing Council, elected by the membership, manages the day-to-day operations. The Curriculum Council manages research and training programs.

Operating Philosophy

The Alliance is dedicated to excellence as well as freedom and variety in the pursuit of Historical European Martial Arts. The Freedom of Study Policy built in to the bylaws guarantees that the membership will always have freedom of association in their training and that the product of the Curriculum Council will never be presented as a mandate. The Financial Policies guarantee that member dues will serve the full membership and not select individuals or clubs. The HEMAA is an all-volunteer organization, and if with future growth it makes sense to have employees, those employees will be office staff and the leadership will remain volunteer.

Programs and Services

Programs and Services will grow as the HEMAA grows. The founding documents anticipate the following activities as a non-exhaustive list:

• Fostering new HEMA clubs and bringing existing clubs together for training events and symposia.
• Developing and publishing curricula and original research.
• Forging bonds with educational institutions.
• Providing an optional ranking and instructor certification system.
• Development of HEMA equipment.
• Support of HEMA research, teaching, and equipment services as professions.
• Operating services for teachers and clubs, including insurance.

Membership

Membership is a method for directly supporting and having a say in the growth of the HEMA Alliance. Membership is not a system of exclusion. The curriculum and research of the HEMAA will be freely available, and membership will not be required for participation in most events, though it will discount the cost of those events.

The Alliance offers a range of individual and club memberships depending on the services desired. Please see the Membership section for specifics.