October 8, 2005
Newsletter Bringing people together! Issue #1
Dear Rotaract friends from all over Europe, It has been a long time that we have sent out a newsletter, but I am very happy to present you this one, which is actually the first newsletter of the new Rotaract Europe organisation. The purpose of this newsletter is of course to inform you about the Rotaract Europe organisation and besides this to promote the international spirit of Rotaract. You can find here the information on projects and events from different European countries. In this way you can learn about other projects and cultures and that will for sure motivate your club to set up an international cooperation with another club or district. We are planning to issue this newsletter three to four times per year and to be able to do this we need input from all of you. You can send your article about whatever you want to share with the rest of Europe – your ideas, projects, experience and achievements! To conclude I want to thank Julia Kurbaka, the Marketing&Communications officer on behalf of Rotaract Europe for her big effort in making this newsletter!
Yours in Rotaract,
Edgar Visscher President Rotaract Europe 2005-2006
SERVICE ABOVE SELF
BRIDGING THE WORLD! Rotaract Preconvention Meeting Malmo–Copenhagen 11-14 June 2006 Have you already booked the dates June 8-11th in your calendar for next year? And booked your ticket to Scandinavia? If not then it is about time! The Rotary International Convention 2006 is being held in Malmo and Copenhagen from June 11-14th 2006. The first intercountry RI Convention and the first in the new century of Rotary’s history – it is going to be innovative, it is going to be the essence of the organization, it is going to be grand! Rotaract in Denmark and Sweden have been working together for two years to make this an unforgettable event not to be missed. The programme, which is pretty much planned, offers a good mixture of what Rotaract is all about: professional development, service projects, business exposure, international understanding and network development – and last but not least – lots of fun experiences with old and new friends. You can sign up for the preconvention day-programme and convention itself at www. rotary.org. The price for Rotaractors is US$ 75 if you sign up before December 31st 2005. The social programme including wel-
come reception and “lounge night”, international night and a traditional Gala party, brunch etc. will be available online later in the year. You can sign up for information about the Rotaract social programme in Malmo June 8-11th and in Copenhagen June 1114th at www.riconvention2006.org/preconvention . The price for the full social package will be announced online as soon as possible – we aim at making it cheap enough for all Rotaractors to attend! To make attendance more affordable we will be offering accommodation during the preconvention in a school hall in Malmo June 8-10th at minimum expense and arrangements with budget hotels will also be made.( If you need more luxury we can help you find what you need.) During the RI Convention June 11-14th Rotaractors are offered a post-preconvention programme! This includes activities at the RI Convention centre, sightseeing tours, company visits and focus tours to organizations unique for the Scandinavian society. Home hosting with local Rotaractors in Copenhagen will be offered according to capacity. Spread the word and book the dates – it is going to be a lifetime experience you don´t want to miss. See you in Malmo and Copenhagen June 8-14th 2006. For more information contact us on ir@rotaract.dk
Best European Service Project 2004 The thing which is uniting millions of people all over the world into a big Rotary family is service. Each year Rotaract Europe organizes the annual contest for the Best European Service Project (BESP). The contest helps to create greater awareness about the diversity of European service projects, share experience gained during the projects’ realization, provide Rotaract Clubs with possible projects and encourage discussion on an international level. The club that wins the contest receives one free participation at the European Rotaract Convention. Last year eleven applications were received from eight countries. Three projects were involving international cooperation, one project was raising money for another country, eight projects were dealing with children.According to the voting during the
for Our Future” (Turkey). The project “Service above Self,” conducted by Rotaract Club Kyiv-Centre (District 2230, Ukraine), was recognized to be the Best European Service project 2004. The project was awarded during the EUCO 2005 in Paris (April 27 – May 1, 2005). “Service above Self” is a longterm service project that deals with different activities with blind children. This is the main and the oldest project of Kyiv-Centre Rotaract Blind children reading new books in Braille winter meeting in Prague the top five places Club that dates back to the beginning of were divided between the projects “Service November 2003 (the Club was founded in above Self” (Ukraine), “Hepatitis B” (TurOctober 2003). At one of our first meetings key), “Premio Maturita” (Italy), “Burnt we decided to take care of blind children Treatment Standards” (Poland) and “A Stage from the local boarding school. At that time
we had no experience dealing with service projects, fundraising etc. and didn’t know how we could be useful. School administration proposed us to teach English for a group of children and gave us one hour and a half per week. So, every Saturday several members from our Club go there and teach English for an hour and then half an hour more we read them books (as they are not able to read a lot themselves), sing, play, talk etc. Our lessons had a great success. In some months our lessons were included into the School Curriculum of optional lessons. We were given a separate classroom and the number of children attending our lessons has grown from five to fifteen. Soon we decided to develop our project and started to conduct various activities devoted to all 180 children of the school. We are raising funds, organizing festive concerts and making presents to all children or to the school on different holidays like St. Nicolas Day, New Year, Christmas, Easter and others. For these several years, children have become an essential part of our club. We can’t imagine our lives without these children now. We know for sure that every weekend they are waiting for us, and they know that our members will bring something new and interesting for them. We are giving them something more than knowledge of English, presents or funds. We are giving the things that are more precious – our love, human warmth, kindness, attention and time. And that is the real embodiment of the Rotarian notion of “Service above Self”! Thanks to the project we became very concerned about the problem of the blind
Awarding the prize (Paris, April 30, 2005) Eros Balint Chairman of BESP 2004 Committee, Julia Kurbaka RE Representative for Ukraine, Edgar Visscher RE President in Ukraine. It happened that children were taught by books that date back to the 70’s or maximum 80’s and which are ideologically and methodologically old. The matter is that Braille textbooks were printed only in Moscow during Soviet times. After the collapse of the Soviet Union Braille books almost hadn’t been printed in Ukraine. That is a real catastrophe as for a blind person book is almost the only mean of the access to the outer world. Kyiv-Centre Rotaract Club has raised
this problem on the level of Ministry of Education of Ukraine, National Blind Association and other institutions that could solve the problem. And we were heard by them – at the beginning of this year Braille textbooks started to be printed in Ukraine and distributed to the specialized schools for the first time for the last 15-20 years. Julia Kurbaka Charter-President 2003/04 Rotaract Club Kyiv-Centre
Rotaract Europe is announcing about the beginning of the Contest for the Best European Service Project 2005. Contact Kristine Binzer Service project officer for more detailed information (ir@rotaract.dk).
Newsletter
October 8, 2005
Rotaract Italy Italy is divided into ten districts with 5482 members, quite a lot of people willing to pursue Rotaract main aims! For this year there are a lot of international projects or events going on and I think it is very important the support as many people as possible. Just a short outlook over some of them!
ROTMED Mediterranean People “united in diversity”
“Water and Education are essential elements to an acceptable existence, but WATER is yet needful”. Carl-Wilhelm Stenhammar Rotary International Chairman Today, according to the United Nations, 1.2 billion people do not have access to drinking water and 6000 children die every day because of it. WATER FOR LIFE is the slogan of the International Decade For Action - Water for Life (2005-15), which aims to double by 2015 the number of people who have access to drinking water. It is within this framework that Rotary Club Roma Est has developed a project “Mediterranean Together” which is now been carried on by the International Service Committee of Rotary and Rotaract of District 2080, Italy. This project perfectly fits the ambitious aims of the Rotarian family: to promote the acknowledgement and the understanding of human needs, to pursue fellowship and cooperation among people, so that diversity is no longer an obstacle to interaction, but rather a source of promotion of international tolerance. For this, ROTMED has been created, a network for Rotary, Rotaract and Interact Clubs of the countries bordering the Mediterranean Sea. The first part of the project consisted in the development of the website www.rotmed.com to ease communication and to promote a cultural exchange among the countries in the Mediterranean area, in order to carry out educational, cultural and social projects.
the development of Water for Life Project. Rotary, Rotaract and Interact Clubs of the Mediterranean Area, sponsored by United Nations, can contribute to the success of this important initiative. It is very important to underline that ROTMED does not want to be just a District or an Italian Project, we’d like it to be a Mediterranean project, so please join us by subscribing to the website www.rotmed.com.
Italy (guests and hosts)
Rotarians talk about the “Rotary Family”, a phrase used to mean both involving members of a Rotarian’s family in Rotary activities, but also the way that Rotary is made of many parts – Rotarians, members of Inner Wheel, Rotaract, Interact, and even all the people who take part in Rotary’s programmes: Ambassadorial Scholars, GSE team members, and RYLA participants, to name a few. Rotary District 1110 took a step further in integrating three parts of the Rotary family at this year’s Rotary Youth Leadership Award (RYLA) July weekends in the New Forest. Two weekends each took around 20 young people aged 16–17 chosen for their leadership potential by their school, college or youth group.
Valeria Cicola Rotaract Club Civitavecchia
Paralympic Winter Games District 2030, Torino will host in March 2006 the Paralympic Winter Games. The district set out a partnership with the organization to promote Rotaract! They really did a great job! But there is more to come! They are organizing the Rotaract Paralympic Weekend (March 17th to 19th) so what a great way to celebrate Rotaract’s Birthday! Go for it!!!
Rotaract Roundtrip In Piedmont 2005
2005”. Usually open for Rotaractors from all over the world the project was organised in 2005 just for the representatives of new
RYLA 2005 – An Opportunity to…
Only with the commitment of all of us, will it be possible to win the great challenge we have ahead: to safeguard water for a better future!
The second part of Rotmed consists of
On April 1-9, Italian District 2030 organized “Rotaract Roundtrip in Piedmont
Rotaract Great Rotaract Britain and Ireland Belgium
countries of the United Europe: Hungary, Latvia, Estonia, Poland, Slovenia, Slovakia and Cyprus. The program was so interesting and well organized: we visited cities of the northern part of Italy (Turin, San Remo, Genova, Alba, Casale Monferrato, Novara, Biella and Stresa), were excited by beautiful nature and lakes and tasted real Italian pizza, wine and cheese. It was also very important that we met new Rotaract friends there and had a chance to discuss the activities and problems of Rotaract among more than 15 clubs of United Europe. Alexandra Krajciova Orcikova RTC Zilina, Slovakia
I was really keen to take part in this as facilitator. And so it was that Lisa Burnett (RGBI Chairman), Alex Henderson (D1110’s Vice DC) and I arrived at Avon Tyrrell Outdoor Activities Centre on a warm Friday July evening. After some introductions, the participants – who didn’t know each other – were split into four groups and asked to discuss “What we do want to happen and what we don’t want to happen”. This established some basic principles before the teams went off for the first activity session. The other rules the groups came up with were: always make an effort to get involved and involve others, be supportive to everyone, respect others and the environment around you, challenge your limits, don’t limit your challenges. The weekend contained a mixture of outdoor activity sessions, swimming, team building exercises, and discussions on what makes a good team. There was also an opportunity for some individual work on “Where are you now, where are you going, where do you want to be and by when”. Participants filled in worksheets on their personal development goals; these will be posted to them in three months time as a
reminder of their thoughts during the weekend. During the last session, the groups presented a quiz on Rotary that they had put together over the weekend, and gave a five-minute presentation on what made their team special. They were also given a presentation on Rotaract by Lisa, together with details of their nearest Rotaract club in D1110, and a reminder that even if they go off to college, there are Rotaract clubs through Great Britain and Ireland. The two District 1110 RYLA weekends were a success on many fronts. Forty teenagers selected for leadership potential have had a real taste of what leadership is all about. They learnt what makes a good team, how to work with people they’d never met before – and achieve success, how conflict is an important part of building a team, and how vital communication is. And hopefully some of these RYLA participants will consider joining Rotaract when they reach 18, and will encourage their brothers, sisters and friends to do the
same. Many Rotary districts run RYLA weeks or weekends – contact your Rotary District Youth Activities Officer if you want to know if your district is one of them. Ask if Rotaract can play a part, or at the least give a presentation on Rotaract to the participants. And if you do get to join in, be prepared for an excellent time! Gillian Wain RGBI Chairman 2004/05
Rotaract Poland Unirota – Rotaract Organizing Help for “the Generation of Tsunami”
The Rotaract Bicycle Rally
Unirota took place on February 3 – in five Polish cities at once (Warsaw, Sopot, Cracow,
Lublin, Torun) at the same time. It was a day of so-called „Fat Thursday” – beginning of the last week of the carnival. It is an evening when a lot of people go out to celebrate, but the attendance has exceeded the boldest expectations of the organizers. In Trojmiasto (Gdansk, Sopot, Gdenya) the entrance of new participants was stopped around midnight because of safety conditions. The project has turned out to be a perfect combination of charity work and self-development. The clubs’ efforts have resulted in noticeable help to those who are most in need but in the same time the Rotaractors have learned new skills. Encouraged by the success of Unirota, Polish Rotaract Clubs plan to conduct a similar project this year. It will be devoted to children suffering from AIDS. According to the latest settlement 14 Polish Rotaract clubs have submitted for the participation in the project.
The Rotaract Bicycle Rally has been organized by Rotaract Club Szczecin Poland (District 2230) for nine years. Each year, in the summer time, the members of RTC Szczecin invite other Rotaractors to join their bicycle trip round the most wonderful places in north-western Poland. Last summer (July, 27-30) 14 participants from Poland and Ukraine biked over 200km through the shady forests and sunny fields visiting some medieval citadels and monasteries. As soon as the last rally was finished, members of RTC Szczecin started to plan the tenth edition of that event. An anniversary Rotaract Bicycle Rally will take place on July 2006 and is being organized for more than 20 participants coming mainly from Rotaract Clubs in District 2230 (Belarus, Poland, Ukraine) and District 1940 (Germany). Everyone is invited as well! www.rotaract.unet.pl
Anna Goledzinowska Trojmiasto Rotaract Club
Joanna Niemcewicz RTC Szczecin
Polish Rotaractors, moved by the tragic tsunami in Asia, have decided to join their forces under name of “Unirota” and help its youngest victims. Five Polish clubs: RTC Warsaw-Zamek, RTC Trójmiasto, RTC Cracow-Wawel, RTC Lublin and RTC Torun from District 2230 had gathered money for the medicines – as a result of this action, over 6 000 children had been supplied with necessary vaccines. The official partner of this project was The Polish Committee of UNICEF. Thanks to the staff of this organization working in Asia, the help has been delivered quickly where it was most needed. The concept of raising money was quite simple – organising a charity party in the most popular clubbing locations close to the biggest academic centres of Poland. However, there is one thing worth underlining: it was the first time when Polish Rotaract clubs organised a combined PR action in radio, internet and outdoors. The clubs have provided unified visual identity of posters, newsletters, etc.
Bringing people together!
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Rotaract without Frontiers What started in 2003 as a try-out, has resulted in an overall success: “Rotaract without Frontiers”, an activity that breaks the boundaries between the Rotaract clubs of District 1630 and offers a well-proven and incredible concept, where we support an organization that is active within a large area of the District. In 2003 a few members of Rotaract club Zuiderkempen started an initiative to organize an activity not only of one club, but with the help and support of a districtwide group of Rotaract members. The try-out was a success and proved to be attractive not only to Rotaract members and clubs, but also to companies, sport clubs and youth associations.
With the experience of organizing the 2003 and 2004 edition, the 2005 edition could only get considerably larger, with one big goal in mind: to create an awareness among Rotaract members, giving them the possibility to support a districtwide social organization while working together with a lot of other Rotaract and Rotary clubs, whom they don’t know very well and who often speak another language (Dutch-French), giving them the opportunity to build new contacts between clubs and members beyond the borders of our district, and in the meantime giving the general public a better understanding of what Rotaract is all about. So, Rotaract without Frontiers is a game without frontiers as organized on many TV stations here in Europe where teams between six and ten people compete against each other on several inflatable attractions, in several disciplines and where timing, speed, tactics and teamwork are the keywords. This year 28 teams took part at the event involving approximately 240 participants, 500 visitors and dozens of Rotaract and Rotary clubs from District 1630 (Rotaract clubs of Zuiderkempen, Hoogstraten, Turnhout, Heist-op-den-Berg, Diest, Hasselt, Sint-Truiden, Liège Nord-Est, Liège Rive-Droite, Hannut-Waremme, Bastogne and Luxembourg and Rotary clubs of Geel, Herentals, Westerlo, Hoogstraten and Hasselt) and District 2170 (Rotaract clubs of Waasland, Antwerpen Noord, Gent Noord, Keerbergen and Asse). A success it was! We increased the number of participating teams from 16 in 2003, 24 in 2004 to 28 this year, and the profit was unexpected! The first edition in 2003 had a net profit of some € 2.000; the 2004 edition was more professionally organized, which also had a heavy impact on the costs, but we managed to support the Make-A-Wish foundation with a cheque of € 3.200, and this year we can – due to sponsoring difficulties and bad weather – donate € 2.500 to the Cliniclowns, a non-profit organisation that employs some 25 clowns to facilitate life in hospitals for children and their parents, and help them through a difficult and hard period of their illness. Rotaract without Frontiers is a successful formula, where we started with a few Rotaract teams first year, we see the response rising to a majority of clubs in our District. www.spelzondergrenzen.be
http://www.rotaracteurope.org
Newsletter
Issue #1
MY ROTARACT COUNTRY C
O AT I A ROTARACT ZAGREB Croatia is a Central European and Mediterranean country, bordering Slovenia, Hungary, Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina. Croatia has a long maritime border with Italy in the Adriatic Sea. These borders total 2,028 km altogether. Croatia has a strange shape (similar to a croissant) - like no other country in the world. Croatia covers a land area of 56,691 square kilometres and has a population of about 4.4 million people (2001 census). Over 90% of the population is Croat (the majority of whom are Roman Catholics), but there are also Serbian, Bosnian, Hungarian and Italian minorities. The main population centres are Zagreb, the capital (with a population of just under 800,000), Osijek in the northwest, and the ports of Rijeka, and Split in the south. The official language is Croatian, which is written in the Latin script. Croatia has an amazing 5,835km of coastline, 4,057km of which belongs to islands, cliffs and reefs. There are 1,185 islands in the Adriatic, but only about 50 are populated. The largest island is Krk (near Rijeka) which has a land area of 462 square km.
First Rotaract club in Croatia – Rotaract Zagreb was founded in 1994 when a small group of enthusiastic young people , supported by Rotary Club Zagreb, held the first meeting. The club officially became a part of the international Rotaract community a year later, as it was chartered on 9th December 1995. Zagreb, as the first Croatian Rotaract club, supported the foundation of other clubs in the country: Varaždin (1997), Osijek (1998), Rijeka (1998), Karlovac (1999), Split (2002), Zadar (2003). Rotaract Club Zagreb Charter: 1995 President: Luka Sorić President elect: Boško Gajdobranski Secretary: Vlatka Cikač Treasurer: Davor Gašparić Past president: Stjepan Mandić Number of members: 35 Main projects: VIP Collection, The Humanitarian Party, The Shopping Basket 2004, Rucner String Quartet Concert, EUCO (European Rotaract Convention) 2004, other activities
Croatian Rotaractors party with a purpose MULTIDISTRICT 1910 / 1920 The Rotaract Club of Zagreb threw a party last March and raised more than just the decibel levels in Croatia’s capital. The club also raised awareness for the problems faced by people with severe head injuries and Kuna HRK$10,000 (US$1,671) for the Heads Up Foundation, a local organization that offers support to the injured and their families. The 11 March event was organized to mark the are often not obvious. Yet the effects on the brain end of the club’s World Rotaract Week celebrations. can be even more debilitating, and for some, last a lifetime. Since 1994, A crowd of 400 gathered the Heads Up Foundaat the Lake City cocktail tion has offered educabar where they enjoyed tion, medical assistance, an evening of live music, and financial support to food, and drink. With sponindividuals with head sors covering all expenses, injuries and their famifrom bar rental to entertainlies. ment to public relations, the The Rotaractors’ total value rose to around party was a joint project HRK$50,000 (US$8,354), with the Rotary Club of yet its significance to Heads Zagreb Centar who also Up was invaluable. donated €200 (US$248) “The humanitarian parto the Heads Up Founty increased public awareCaption: One of four musical groups dation. Although not the ness and raised society’s that performed at the Rotaract club’s party Rotaract club’s official sensibility for the problems for the Heads Up Foundation. sponsor, the club is one that people with severe head injuries and their families’ experience,” said of three in the area, which includes its sponsor, the Dr. Žarko Bakran, Heads Up Foundation president, Rotary Club of Zagreb, that work closely with the Rotaractors. “The party was a huge success,” says Zagreb Rotaract club president Stjepan Mandic. “The event significantly raised public awareness about the Heads Up Foundation and promoted Rotary and Rotaract in the community.” Each year, Rotaractors worldwide are encouraged to honor the 13 March anniversary of the chartering of the first Rotaract club by participating in joint meetings and service projects with Rotary clubs. Rotarians can be a part of the celebration, too, by attending a Rotaract club meeting or sponsoring a new Rotaract club in their area during World Rotaract Week (12-18 in a thank you letter to the club. Unlike a broken bone, the signs of a head injury March).
Multidisrtict 1910/1920 is a huge district with more than 7.000 Rotarians and Rotaractors, joining Austria, Hungary, Croatia, Bosnia & Herzegovina and Slovenia. Thirty seven active Rotaract clubs and four clubs being established are preparing numerous projects and are all well known in their everyday environment, so as Rotaract and Rotary are important parts of local, national and international communities. Since the number of projects being made in the district is enormous and the presentation of all would be way too long, we would like to point out our traditional multidistrict project, called TTBT, which is a shorter version for Tour The Borders Together – an annual trip for Rotaractors as well as non-Rotaractors through the multidistrict 1910 / 1920.
body has a bike and the challenge of balancing luggage. And off we go – but not for long. We got a flat tire, a broken chain, and two girls full of mud. But we are tough and make it to Balf. Where we leave our bikes and hop on to canoes. Getting to know the lake from this point of view is exciting – and the mudfight is hilarious. Sopron – Rust – Podersdorf (60km). Up it goes to Mörbisch, across the border to Austria and downhill finally to Rust. Here we enjoy a professional winetasting and have great lunch at a Heuriger. It’s a party night that follows. We dance until the morning and get to know each other better. Podersdorf – St. Andrä (38km). Ok, by now we are tired. Some from partying and others from biking – or both. That’s why we go to the beach – enjoy the sunny day, go swimming or sailing – wonderful. Late afternoon we bike on to St. Andrä. We see white donkeys, get dirty in the sand and finally make it to our last station – the Tipi-Village in St. Andrä. Good barbeque and a clear night make it a beautiful last evening. Conclusion: 156km or less – lots of sunshine, fun, friends and memories. Nineteen young Rotaract members, three nations – we loved it and want more. No problem – TTBT2006 is already being planned. Stay tuned: www. ttbt.org
The idea was born in 2002 when the first TTBT was made (Hungary – Austria – Slovenia – Croatia), then next summer trough Slovenia, Croatia and Bosnia, in 2004 a whole week trip trough Croatia, to Serbia and Hungary and last but not least the TTBT 2005…
TTBT 2005 – We like to bike!
Bike around the Neusiedlersee – that’s what 19 Rotaract members of District 1910 did this July. The goal: get to know each other, make friends and have tons of fun. Sarród – Balf – Sopron (38km). We start in Sarród, Hungary. Fourteen Hungarians and two Austrians – every-
Maria Schoiswohl (RAC Wien) Gregor Deleja (RAC Celje,) P.S. Thanks to Rotary Youth Service for food and drinks
Rotaract Europe congratulates Rotaract Club Zagreb with the 10th anniversary. We wish you successful projects, active members and creative ideas!
http://www.rotaracteurope.org
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Bringing people together!
Newsletter
October 8, 2005
Multidistrict Informational Centre Rotaract Europe The new Rotaract season has started, always a time of new challenges, new ideas and fresh energy. All around us clubs are starting up again, deciding on the goals of the coming year and the projects that will be realised. Also Rotaract Europe is starting up for the coming year. In Paris the new board members have been elected by the country representatives. Six persons will do their best to fulfil the goals of the next year on their field. The board members for this year are: President: Edgar Visscher (The Netherlands) Vice-President: Tobias Gillen (Germany) Social projects: Kristine Binzer (Denmark) Marketing&Communication: Julia Kurbaka (Ukraine)
Finance: Max Maillet (Luxemburg) ICT: Arjan van der Veer (The Netherlands) What are our goals for this year? The main goal will still be the same: bringing people together. Rotaract Europe stands for the international dimension of Rotaract, so our aim is to bring many people from many different countries together. We are achieving this goal better and better. Our next meeting will be held in Zagreb, Croatia, with over 125 participants. In the past our meetings were visited by no more than 30 Rotaractors, so we are making great progress, of course also thanks to the activities of the organizing clubs. More people means more international contacts and better mutual understanding of each other’s culture.
And then cooperation between clubs and districts will be much easier. Our second important focus is on social projects. We are looking for a social project that we can adopt as a European project. The idea behind the organisation of a European project is twofold. First of all, we want to raise money for a great social project and secondly, we want to promote Rotaract in all European countries. A good project will for sure give us publicity all over Europe and that is of course very important. Still too few people know about Rotaract and we need more members. This social project should also bind the clubs and districts in Europe as we are all active for the same goal. Together Everyone Achieves More, so being a TEAM will bring us all further!! The rest of the goals are more of supporting value, like further professional-
izing our website (www.rotaracteurope. org), giving out more of these newsletters, trying to find funds for promoting Rotaract in Europe and of course to keep on finding nice and interesting places to have our meetings and our European Conventions (EUCO). This year Rotaract Europe will visit the following great places: * 7-9 October 2005 Zagreb, Croatia www.rotaract.hr/zagreb2005 * 27-29 January 2006 Milan, Italy www.rotaractmilanoduomo.it/weekend * 26-30 April 2006 Antwerp, Belgium www.euco2006.be All of these events will be great to visit, so don’t forget to register!!! Yours in Rotaract! Edgar Visscher President Rotaract Europe 2005/2006
Rotaract Europe in Faces President: Edgar Visscher (30 years) RTC Westland (D1600) since 2001, Gouda from 1993-2001. President Rotaract Netherlands and DRR 1999/2002, RE Representative for The Netherlands 2002/2003 Vice-President RE 2003/2004 President RE 2004/2006 Masters in Business Economics; Marketing Manager for Hyva Group (www.hyva.com); hobbies – politics, cycling, tennis president@rotaracteurope.org; edgar@rotaract.nl Vice President: Tobias Gillen (28 years) RTC Muenster (Muenster, D1870) since 1998 DRR 2000/01 Rotaract Germany, Director International Services 2003/05 RE Representative for Germany 2003/05, RE Vice President 2004/06 Masters in Business Management; working in multi utility/ energy sector; hobbies – travelling, sports tobias.gillen@rotaract.de Service project Officer: Kristine Binzer (25 years) RTC Roskilde, D 1480 (since 1997), President of Rotaract Denmark 2005/06 (DANIO) RE Representative for Denmark 2003/05, Past-President 2002/03 Medical student, currently working in Malaria research, vaccine development. Hobbies: mountain climbing, sailing, skiing, music etc. ir@rotaract.dk
Marketing&Communication Officer Julia Kurbaka (22 years) Editor-in-chief of RE Newsletter RTC Kyiv-Centre (Kyiv, D 2230) since 2003 Vice-DRR 2005/06, RE Representative for Ukraine 2004/05 Charter-President 2003/04 Masters in Linguistics (Literature), working in political PR; hobbies – dancing, journalism Julia_kurbaka@yahoo.com Finance: Max Mailliet (26 years) RTC Luxembourg, (Luxembourg/District 1630), since 1997 RE Representative for Luxembourg, 2003/04, 2004/0/06, Charter Member and PastPresident RTC Luxembourg Master of Laws (LSE) and Maîtrise en droit (Strasbourg), working as a lawyer in the litigation department of one of Luxembourg’s major law firms. Hobbies: Reading, Movies, Golf, Sailing max@mailliet.lu IT Officer: Arjan van der Veer (28 years) RTC Haarlemmermeer (D 1580) since 1999 Vice-DRR (D1580) 2002/2003 President RTC Haarlemmermeer 2003/2004 Editor-in-chief Rotaract Magazine “ RACtueel” RE Representative for the Netherlands 2004/ 2005, 2005/2006 Work: International Marketing research Flowers and Plants arjan@rotaract.nl
Belgium: Mathias Wijffels (26 years) Antwerpen Noord (Antwerpen/ D2170) since 2002 (Leuven (Leuven/D2170) 1998/2002 RE Representative for Belgium 2004/06 President EUCO 2006 Mechanical Engineer Process Engineer for Total Petrochemicals Mathias.Wijffels@telenet.be Czech Republic, Slovakia: Filip Mrkvicka (22 years) Social Projects - assistant RTC Plzen (Plzen, D 2240) since 2002 DRR 2004/05 Club President 2003/2004 Club Treasurer 2002/2003 Student of economics in Plzen Working in accounting and auditing company; hobbies – theatre (actor, director), Sports p.l.carrot@podvodnik.cz Germany: Uwe Kloetzner (26 years) RTC Chemnitz (Chemnitz/1880, since 2002); Hauptstadtclub (Berlin/1940, since 2005) Vice President 2003/04 Diploma in Business Information Systems, working as Consultant (Management- and Business Process Consulting) uwe.kloetzner@rotaract.de Great Britain and Ireland: Emma Donovan (26 years) RTC High Wycombe (Thames Valley D1090) since 2004 Club President 2005/06 Vice-DRR 2005/06 BA Hospitality Management; working in customer services; hobbies – singing, genealogy emma@rotaract.org.uk // emma. rotaract@gmail.com
Russia: Elena Kornienko (26 years) RTC Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk (YuzhnoSakhalinsk, D 5010) since 2000 Rotary International Rotaract Committee member 2004/05 DRR 2002/03 Past-President 2001/02 RE Representative for Russia 2003/06 Masters in Economics; working for Shell in purchasing; hobbies – traveling. ekornienko@yahoo.com Sweden: Katarina Lugner (28 years) RTC Gothenburg Poseidon Rotaract, D 2360 since 2001 President for Rotaract in Sweden MDIO 2004/05 RE Representative for Sweden 2004/06 Masters in law. Hobbies: sailing and dancing klugner@hotmail.com Ukraine: Ganna Dmytryshyna (25 years) RTC Kharkov (Kharkov, D 2230) since 2001 Past President 2003/04 Economist of international relationships, student of National Legally Academy Foreign languages: German, English annadmytr@yahoo.de
MILAN INTERNATIONAL WEEKEND III Winter Rotaract Europe meeting (January 27-29 2005) The biggest Italian Rotaract Club Milano Duomo is inviting everybody for the Milan International weekend and Rotaract Europe winter meeting. Milan (two million inhabitants), is one of the world’s capitals of fashion, business, industry, football, nightlife and shopping. It’s named “Milan to be drunk” for its dynamic lifestyle and the strong entrepreneurial spirit of its people and its enterprising people. Milan is the Italy you don’t know yet and goes beyond stereotypes, although it indeed represents our country. We expect more than 60 Clubs to be represented, 250 Rotaractors at the Friday night party, 210 ones at Gala night, 150 people coming from other clubs from all over Italy and Europe. This is “Milan International Weekend 3.” The first was a success. The second was a blast. The third, “CASINO ROYALE”, will always last!
Program and packages Friday 27, 2006 6.00 pm Arrival in Milan - Registration at the hostel 7.00 pm Welcome Reception in the Hostel “ 9.00 pm Dinner and Evil Party organized by District 2040 Saturday 28, 2006 09.00 am Rotaract Europe workshop 10.00 am Sightseeing: - “Cultural Tour” of Milan - “Fashion Milan” Tour; 1.30 pm Pizza connection - The original pizza house 3.30 pm Free time - Shopping 8.00 pm Milano Duomo Galà (Black tie) open bar in Carimate Castle Sunday 29, 2006 11.00 am Visit of Duomo, Milan’s cathedral. Packages A) “Casino Royale” 125 € B) “Milano” 85€ C) “Duomo” 80 € D) “Gala only” 60 € Be quick and register now! www.rotaractmilanoduomo.it
European Convention 2006
Bulgaria: Diana Andreeva diandra@dir.bg France: Dorothée Viseux Dorothee.A.Viseux@socgen.com
Antwerp (Belgium) April 26-30, Poland: 2006 Monica Kobylinska Austria, Hungary, Croatia, Bosnia and Herze- Belarus: Alexandra Zagorskaya (20 years) Back in 1988 Rotaract Europe (ERIC) Mkobylinska1@wp.pl Minsk City (Minsk, D 2230) govina, Slovenia: Gregor Deleja (25 years) was founded thanks to the efforts of the since 2003 Maribor (Maribor, D 1910, Antwerp Rotaractor Jan Huygens. Romania: Alexandra Feldioreanu Italy: Chiara Buggio (26 years) Vice-DRR in Belarus 2005/06 Slovenia; 1998 – 2003); Celje Since then it has grown to an organiColleferro (Colleferro, D 2080) alexandra@rotechim.ro President 2005/06 (Celje, D 1910) since 2004 zation of 35 countries and in 2006 it will since 1997; Lazio Area RepreStudent of International EcoProtocol and PR (Maribor and celebrate its 18 anniversary. Serbia and Montenegro: sentative 2005/06 District 2080 nomic Relations, Languages: Celje) since 1998 Wouldn’t it be great to come back to International Service Committee Borivoje Baltezarevic fluent Russian & English, basic Professor of Music, cultural the town where it all begun for this special District 2080 – President 2004/05 baltez@hotmail.com management, tourism (inde- French, Polish & German; hobbies:singing, event?! Degree in Foreign Languages (Translation pendent sales executive); hobbies – sailing, playing the piano, collecting angels; www.euco2006.be Spain, Portugal: Ivan and Interpretation) Sashulia-777@yandex.ru; skiing, golf m3arts@gmail.com chiara.buggio@tin.it azagorskaya@yahoo.com gregor@orel-travel.si Slovakia 6 Austria 18 Rotaract in the world Slovenia 3 Belarus 3 (as of 1 June 2005) Spain 38 Belgium 84 Lithuania 6 Germany 168 Poland 21 Czech Republic 4 Worldwide Total Rotaract Clubs 7,978 Sweden 16 Bosnia-Herzegovina 2 Luxembourg 1 Greece 24 Portugal 64 Denmark 20 Districts 518 Switzerland 13 British Virgin Islands 1 Macedonia, Frm. Yugoslav Rep. 3 Hungary 9 Romania 22 England 97 Countries 158 Turkey 111 Bulgaria 30 Moldova, Rep. of 1 Ireland 5 Russia, Eastern 13 Estonia 2 Estimated membership 159,560 Ukraine 11 Croatia 5 Netherlands, The 66 Italy 388 Scotland 1 Finland 7 According to 2005-2006 Wales 4 Cyprus 6 Norway 21 Latvia 2 Serbia & Montenegro 9 France 76 Worldwide Rotaract Directory Total 1381 Rotaract Europe Newsletter Technical editor Issue #1, Andrij Eremenko October 2005 Rotaract Club Kyiv-Centre, I am kindly inviting all of you to the common work on I am waiting for your articles, ideas, com- Circulation 500 pieces D 2230, Ukraine Printed in Holland eav@autopen.info the Rotaract Europe Newsletter. Hope to create with your ments, suggestions and critiques!
Rotaract Europe in numbers
Dear Rotaract friends!
help a strong international team in order to promote Rotaract spirit, foster mutual understanding and just bring people together all over Europe and the world. Thanks to everybody who helped in the creation of the first issue!
Be Rotaractive! Yours in Rotaract, Julia Kurbaka Editor-in-chief julia_kurbaka@yahoo.com
Editor-in-chief Julia Kurbaka Marketing&Communication Officer, Rotaract Club Kyiv-Centre, D 2230, Ukraine Julia_kurbaka@yahoo.com
Literal correction Thomas Krepitch East Valley Rotaract, D 5510, USA tkrepitch@cox.net MDIO Rotaract Europe www.rotaracteurope.org