MARCH 2003 - Table Of Contents In this issue you will find: • • • • • • •
Calendar Rotaractors’ Training Seminar in Poitiers What is TTBT? Remember Last Year? Music for a poliofree world Ryla Camp by Rotary District 2450 - Sharm el Sheik News from Evanston
Calendar
April 4 – 6: District 2241 Conference (Romania - Republic of Moldavia) in Vaslui, Romania. For more information please contact the DRR at drr@rotaract.ro. 11-13 District 2200 Assembly (Southern Spain) Algeciras. Contact fegarde@wanadoo.es 11 - 13 : DEUKO 2003 in Mainz (D 1860), German National Convention. For information visit http://www.deuko2003.de/. 18 - 21: British National Convention in Birmingham. For more information surf http://www.rgbi2003.com or write to Julie Farrell at juliefrazz@hotmail.com. 23 – 27: EUCO 2003 in Amsterdam, The Netherlands. Info: www.rotaract.nl/euco, contact: euco2003@rotaract.nl. 24 – 27: XXIInd Italian National Convention in Castellaneta Marina, Italy. For information visit www.rotaract.it/nazionale2003 or write to infonazionale2003@rotaract.it.
May 7 – 11: The Istanbul Legend – Discover Istanbul by Treasure-hunting. For more information visit www.rotaract2420.org/istanbullegend or contact uhk@rotaract2420.org, aaakalin@masterguard.com.tr or erhan@astam.net. 11 – 18: Poland Trip. Want to know Poland better, want to know it at all?????????? Here is something for YOU: the Poland TRIP. Contact: polandtrip@rotaract.pl. For more information visit: http://www.2230.rotaract.pl/index.php?page_id=22. 23 - 25: W.I.P. Week end International de Paris. For information visit www.rotaract.org/paris. 30 - 4/6: Brisbane, Australia: Rotaract Pre-convention and Rotary Convention. Info: www.rotary.org. June 6 – 8: International week end in Milan & Fashion Gala in Como, Italy. For information visit http://2040.rotaract.it. 27 – 29: 4th National Week end in Metz, France. For information visit www.rotaract.asso.fr.
Rotaractors’ Training Seminar in Poitiers Challenge taken up !……What a pleasure for us to be chosen as organising Club for the first Rotaractors’ Training Seminar (RTS) ! On the occasion of the 98 years of Rotary, this RTS, which gathered about fifty rotaractors coming from different regions of France, took place in Poitiers on the 21, 22 and 23 February 2003. The objective of this week-end was to train Rotaractors on the running of a Rotaract club, the role of the District and of his representatives. It aimed also at giving them an insight in how to manage public relations and in the structure and actions of Rotary International. After a training-focused-morning, the week-end was punctuated with major events : the welcoming evening and its delicious buffet with local specialities and a guided tour of the Futuroscope Parc with a VIP access to the main pavilions. Last but not least the Gala evening with the presence of Rotarians gave us the opportunity to celebrate fittingly the 98 years of Rotary.
Friendliness, happiness, friendship between Rotaractors….and a beautiful sun played a large part in the smooth running of this week-end, leaving us with excellent memories Eleonore Maltier, Poitiers Rotaract club in charge of the RTS week-end seminar (minutes dated 03/03/2003).
Feedback from the week-end : “I would like to thank you once again for the wonderful week-end you organised for us. Truly magic” ! Hervé Piglowski (Rotaract France MDIO Chairman 2002-2003). “Congratulations on the organisation of this great week-end! The Gala evening was a true success”. Florent-Denis COLIN, vice-president 2003-2004, Lyon International Rotaract Club. “What a wonderful day we had on Saturday. The Gala evening was a true success ! Once again thank you for this truly successful we!” Susanne STUBINGER, Paris Hauts de l’ouest Rotaract Club. “I would like to thank you once again for your fruitful efforts so that this RTS weekend be as great as possible for all of us. I really intend to stay in contact with your club!” Sébastien JOVER, Bordeaux Rotaract Club.
WHAT IS TTBT? A Beginner's Guide to TTBT According to Webster's Dictionary of English Language TTBT stands for....well....nothing, actually:) However, many Rotaractors from our district are more than familiar with this term. It stands, of course, for Tour The Borders Together-a project first thought of by Hungarian rotaractors, as the legend says many years ago, but only realized for the first time last year. Because of the unique situation of having five countries within the district, the basic idea of TTBT is to spend a few days every summer getting to know all the countries and cultures of the district, having fun and bringing people from five different countries together. So, after the Cro and B&H RECON, where the idea of TTBT was officially introduced for the first time by then the DRR Szasza Kiss, a group of really enthusiastic people got together to make it happen. Some amazing organizing board meetings were held (like the one in Budapest last February), and finally TTBT was announced to be the first official District project at the Innsbruck conference. And it turned out to be a major success! That's why we decided to do it again this year, and try to make it even better. TTBT2003 will bring many news: we'll have
different Divisions of the Board (route organizers, marketing & finances), guests from other Districts, a newsletter and a website, and a brand new Rotaract country as a part of the route:-) Anyway, I hope that you will get interested in what we're doing and that we'll manage to persuade you to join us in doing it. Any kind of help, useful comments or suggestions are more than welcome! The TTBT Newsletter will be issued by the Organizing Board once a month until the actual TTBT (5 issues altogether), and all of you interested in participating in TTBT2003, or only in reading about it, will have a chance to subscribe. The rest of you will be regularly informed about TTBT2003 by your Presidents and by the RCOs. For subscription just send an empty email with the subject 'TTBT newsletter subscription' to TTBT2003@hotmail.com or bedka@hotmail.com . Ivana Bedenikovic
REMEMBER LAST YEAR? An insight of TTBT 2002 Unfortunately, the number of TTBT participants is limited, so for those of you who didn't get the chance to participate in the last year's TTBT, here is an article written by our very own Maria, when the experience was still pretty fresh, and see if her enthusiasm about it makes you want to join us. I'm sure you will be at least intrigued: Rotaractors come together This August 27 rotaractors travelled through Hungary, Austria, Slovenia and Croatia and got to know the countries as well as each other. Does the name Apatistvanfalva tell you anything? I didn't have any idea where this tiny village was. But after TTBT I sure know where Apatistvanfalva is and I can even tell you who has the largest feet in town. Now you wonder what I am talking about? This is about TTBT-Tour the Borders Together, a four-day trip for rotaractors as well as non-rotaractors through the district 1910. The idea of a short trip for members through their district was realized by Szabolcs Kiss, Wolfgang Vasicek, Misela Mavric and Nikola Fosnar, rotaractors from Hungary, Austria, Slovenia and Croatia.Together they organized a great journey. It started on the 15th of August in Hungary where everybody was welcomed in Apatistvanfalva and given a traditional hungarian dinner. Making friends Being open and talkative 27 rotaractors and their guests, aged 16 to 28, became friends within a night sitting around a barn fire. An awesome start was given and the following days were a blast. Friday we enjoyed a village game in Apatistvanfalvathat's how I know the guy with the largest feet-and moved on to Austria. There we had a guided tour through the famous Castle Riegersburg and a chance to cool off in a small lake near by. The evening we spent in the town Bad Radkersburg, where we tried the great "Zirbenschnaps "(any questions?-contact Hermes Jesus Perez). The trip continued on Saturday and we embarked on boats in Gornja Radgona, Slovenia.
On the river Mura we crossed Slovenia and after a delicious lunch at the Island of Love, reached Croatia. This was the last stop of our journey and we celebrated it with a great dinner party at the country tourism "Goricanec ". Everybody enjoyed the outrageously good Croatian dinner and wine and the big party-animals went to bed in the morning. This whole trip was about different countries, cultures and friendship and in the beginning I was told it is an experiment-nobody knew if it would turn out to be a success. And it did! New plans The four days were partly sponsored by Rotary clubs and for the participants the fun cost 70 euro. The program was eventful, everybody enjoyed it and we know we have gained a lot of experience and friends through TTBT. Because of that another TTBT is already being planned. As soon as everything is fixed you will be informed. Until then-take a look at the TTBT homepage: http://www.surf.to/ttbt2002 and get an idea of how great these four days were. Maria Schoiswohl
Music for a poliofree world
On the 11th of March Rotaract launches in association with Music Power a remarkable initiative to help create a poliofree world. On the special website www.rotaractmusic.com you can create your personal music-cd with your favourite songs. You can choose from ten thousands of songs, from house-anthems to jazz and classical. And with that you help eradicate polio from the world, because for every cd you buy, around five Euro will go to the Polio Eradication Program. You will not have to download the music, but your music-selection will be burned on a cd which will be sent to you. Delivery is possible within the European Union, so it also makes an ideal gift to that special faraway friend. The final efforts to a poliofree world! We're close to freeing the world of polio. Since the 1980's Rotary International and the World Health Organisation (WHO), Unicef, US Centre for Disease Control are working together in the battle to eradicate polio. Already two billion people are vaccinated against polio, four million contaminations were prevented and there is a spectacular decrease in the number of known cases of polio (from 350.000 to 500). We're close, but there is still work to do! In the last efforts there is still funding needed of around 275 million Euros. Rotary International has committed itself to raise 25% of this amount. Various fundraising initiatives are carried out as you read this. With www.rotaractmusic.com Rotaract is also contributing to help create a poliofree world. For more information on the Polio Eradication Program visit the following website:
www.polioeradication.org For more information you can contact: Steven Kraal PR-coördinator Rotaract The Netherlands steven@rotaract.nl / +31 (0)6 - 47 57 43 39
<![endif]> Italian Rotaractors for Polioplus
The 22th of March has been declared “Italian Rotaract Day for Polioplus”. On this day the 7000 Italian Rotaractors have organized sales, conferences, parties and many other activities to make Italian people know Polioplus and to help the fundraising. Since 1985, when Rotary International launched the Polioplus Program, great progress has been made. Fewer than 10 countries (Afghanistan, Angola, Egypt, Ethiopia, India, Niger, Nigeria, Pakistan, Somalia, Sudan) still have polio. The number of cases worldwide has decreased 99 percent. Our only obstacle in this important challenge is adequate funding. For this reason Italian Rotaractors will work together to give their contribution and to help Rotary to maintain the promise of a polio-free world. For any further information please contact us at www.rotaract.it
Francesca Accornero
Ryla Camp by Rotary District 2450 - Sharm el Sheik
Important steps for a better World. A month passed since the conclusion of the Ryla Camp, organized by the Rotary District 2450 in the charming Sharm el Sheik in Egypt, September 19th-24th 2002. I intentionally let some time pass before drawing up a report which could highlight the multifarious aspects of such an interesting experience. I intentionally let pass the emotions of those moments in order to give more space to precise objectivity. In the first place the very first impression of the Egyptian Ryla Camp was very good thanks to the perfect organization and to a warm welcome. In the following days the participants could also admire the excellent preparation of the various speakers who masterfully combined didactic and social aspects. Therefore splitting the participants in work groups and making them compete with each other was an even greater incitement to learning and to reworking the concepts explained by the speakers, thus
enhancing the mutual acquaintance among the attendees. However games and fun didn´t lacks: safari in the desert, boat trips, cooking competitions, dinners in the desert, dramas played by the participants, which greatly helped in creating team spirit among the Rotarians of the organising committee, the Rotaractors and the guests of the meeting. The group of the attendees of the Camp included both Rotaractors and non rotaractors from various countries: the major part was from Egypt, Lebanon, Jordan, Turkey, while there were small delegations from Cyprus, Hungary, Switzerland and Austria, and finally just one Italian, the author of the article you´re reading right now. Of course there was a strong presence of the Arabic and Muslim world which nevertheless welcomed the small presence of the European world. Most amazing was the atmosphere of western culture which could be breathed during the Ryla, so that the differences between Arabic and Western World only seemed a vague recollection swept away by the enthusiasm of knowing each other, of comparing experiences and of enriching ourselves in such a special occasion where different worlds and cultures were meeting. Obviously an event as RYLA can only help the new generations, which are tomorrow´s ruling class. Moreover all this shows that, notwithstanding the communication and knowledge problems which are currently the hallmark of the relationship between the Muslim world and the Western world, young people can climb this enormous obstacle with their enthusiasm and the great will to get acquainted with each other and to learn how to know "the great travel of life" from each other´s experiences. I´d like to thank the district 2450 Rotary Governor, Dr. Mohamed Delawar, and his wife, Dr. Neamat Gouda for the hospitality. Moreover special thanks are addressed to the members of the organising committee for their excellent job, among which Dr. Nayla Eltahry; Dr. Gasser Awad; Dr. Wagdy Messiha; Dr. Mohamed Hegazy and Dr. Omayma Hamdy and to all the speakers which gave their precious cultural contribution to this special and important event: Dr. Sherif Waly; Dr. Margaret Zohni; Dr. Rafik Nakhla; Dr. Essam Roushdy and Dr. Ayman Metwaly. In conclusion I´d like give an incitement to both rotaractors and non rotaractors: don´t miss unforgettable experiences like RYLA, because they can only enrich your life, your culture and you social skills. Massimiliano Cangenua District 2090, Italy
News from Evanston
The Rotaract Program has a new coordinator in Evanston, at the RI World Headquarter office. Katie Lakey is replacing Billy Jo Baker who resigned her position as Rotaract Program Coordinator last January.
Katie is originally from Bend,Oregon(USA) and lived in Oregon until graduating from University. As an undergraduate she studied abroad in Avignon, France during 1997, and lived in London during 1998 while interning for the British Labour Party. The past 4 years, she lived in Washington, DC. In December 2002, she completed a Master of Arts degree from The George Washington University, in International Education. Her focus was on cross-cultural exchange programs and study abroad. " Rotaract is a perfect fit with my desire to be involved with young people and an organization that works to better the world." Katie said. Rotaractors and Rotarians are welcome to contact Katie with any Rotaract questions. She can be reached at (847)866-3315, and via email lakeyk@rotaryintl.org.
This service was brought to you by E.R.I.C., the European Rotaract Information Center. Please visit our website at http://www.rotaract-eric.org and especially the webpage about our sponsors at http://www.rotaract-eric.org/sponsors.