April 2007
European Rotaract Informational Centre
Newsletter Bringing people together!
Issue #1 (6)
h t t p : / / w w w. r o t a r a c t e u r o p e . o r g
Dear Rotaractors all over Europe, I kindly invite all of you to read this first Rotaract Europe Newsletter of the new Rotaract year. Full of interesting articles, projects and a lot of information, this Newsletter is once again a great result of our communication officers. I therefore would like to especially thank Julia Kurbaka and Anna Goledzinowska. Standing at the beginning of the RE meeting in Cremona, I’m already convinced that this will become a great weekend! We can see that the RE meetings are getting more and more popular, and this progress makes the ERIC board as well as
the country representatives very happy. With both Cremona and EUCO London fully booked, this 20th anniversary year of ERIC has started in a fantastic way! I sincerely thank all the Rotaractors who are participating in the ERIC meetings. They are the proof that both the ERIC board and country representatives are working and collaborating in a good way. Dear friends, enjoy reading this newsletter and don’t forget to take a look at our brand new webpage www.rotaracteurope.org that will be updated continuously by our webmaster Stephan! Yours in Rotaract, Benoît Klinkers President 2007-2008 ERIC / Rotaract Europe
Welcome to the Autumn ERIC Meeting in Cremona Violins’ Weekend II (September 28-30) Rotaract Cremona has an honor to host Autumn ERIC meeting. We greet all the participants in the city of Cremona – Stradivari’s home, capital of music and violins! Rotaract Club Cremona District 2050 was founded in 1979. Today the Club has thirty members and is one of the most active of the entire District 2050. The club is sponsored by two Rotary clubs, Cremona and Cremona Po. Giorgio Guarneri is the 2007/2008 President. The club is involved in many social projects focused on the problems of the local community. Cremona is quite famous for its Stradivarius violins, for the typical Italian candy named Torrone, and for its medieval beautiful town. Cremona is a quite little town
with its 70,000 inhabitants. Last November, the club decided to organize a Rotaract weekend with the aim to promote Cremona culture and its club. The weekend was named “Violin’s Weekend”. The club decided to run for E.R.I.C. meeting organization, and this is for sure the most important action of the Club history. Probably you met some of us during the last EuCos, E.R.I.C. meeting and all over the different international appointments in Europe. We are sure that you will discover a marvelous town, have very good Lombardy food, and have a
lot of fun. We did our best to propose something you cannot forget. The social theme of the weekend relates to the medical structure of the children’s hospital in Cremona. We would like to buy a “pump” for children who are born too early compared to the natural terms. We hope that our weekend will give a chance of life to someone. I want to give my special thanks to our “Rep” Lilia Franchi, our DRR Alessandro Escalona, Giorgio Guarneri, Roberto Dall’Olmo, Domenico Maschi, Alessandro Caseratotti, Valentina Spena, Enzo Orsi, “Gimmi &Yari” and all the other members that
worked on the weekend organization. Discover Cremona and see you in Greece. Valentina Gamba International director District 2050 Rotaract Club Cremona
Newsletter
Issue #1 (6)
European Rotaract Informational Centre
September 2007
E.R.I.C. Winter Meeting 2008 NORDACT Thessaloniki, Macedonia, Greece January 11 – 13, 2008 Thessaloniki, the Bride of the Thermaic Gulf, the Sister of Alexander the Great, our city of history, culture and civilization! We invite you all to come and enjoy the unique spirit of our city and join us in having fun as only Thessaloniki can offer! Thessaloniki was founded in 315 B.C. by Kassandros (Cassander) who gave the city the name of his wife -and sister of Alexander the Great (from the same father but from a different mother), Thessaloniki. Etymologically the n a m e m e a n s Victory of Thessalians from Thessalon +Niki where niki (or nike) means victory, a name given to her by her father to commemorate his victory over the Phocians with the help of the famed Thessalian horsemen. Although rich in history spanning the Hellenistic, Roman, Byzantine and Ottoman eras, Thessaloniki also has a vivid present and promising future as Greece’s second-largest city and the capital of Macedonia. Thessaloniki is a busy, vibrant city and Greece’s second major economic, industrial, commercial and cultural centre, as well as a major transportation hub for southeastern Europe. Its commercial port is of a great importance for Greece and its southeast European hinterland, while the city’s two state universities are host to the largest student population in Greece. As a cultural centre, it is renowned for its large number of Byzantine architectural monuments, as well as remaining Ottoman and Jewish structures. The city is well-known for its International Trade Fair, which takes place at the beginning of
every September, with participants showcasing products and novelties from all over the world. In the country’s political life this is also traditionally where the Prime Minister gives his annual governmental speech outlining plans for the year to come. Thessaloniki has also become known for the Thessaloniki International Film Festival, which has been described as the most significant cultural event in Southeastern Europe, drawing both local and international luminaries of theatre and film. It also hosts the largest bi-annual meeting of the Greek diaspora. Thessaloniki Rotar-acts and shares… …Spirit Culture and Fun! www.remthessaloniki2008.com
Programme: Friday 11 January 2008 08:00 – 12:00 Arrival to Thessaloniki International Airport Macedonia 08:00 – 12:00 Hotel Check-in Grand Hotel Thessaloniki 13:00 – 17:00 REM Program begins with departure for Heineken Brewery for Beer Tasting and Lunch! 17:00 – 21:00 Thessaloniki City Game! Visits to the Arch of Galerius (Kamara), Rotunda, Navarinou Square with the Byzantine Ruins, Aghia Sophia, the White Tower, the statues of Alexander the Great and Philip, the Byzantine Museum, the Archaeological Museum, HELEXPO, Eptapyrgion Castle and Ano Poli (Upper City), the Roman Agora and Aristotelous Square. 22:00 – 02:00 Thessaloniki by Night Souvlaki & Music Panorama Saturday 12 January 2008 08:30 – 09:30 Breakfast at the Hotel 10:00 – 17:30 Excursion to Vergina Archaeological site of the Macedonian Tombs Boutaris Winery for wine tasting (Workshop for E.R.I.C. Representatives runs in parallel from 10:00 – 19:00) 18:00 – 20:00 Rest and Free Time 21:00 – 02:00 REM Gala with Presentation of Traditional Greek Dances Sunday 13 January 08:00 – 10:00 Breakfast 08:00 – 14:00 Check-out Optionally for those left behind or departing later: Bougatsa (a Thessaloniki Pie) Breakfast or Helexpo Tower visit or whatever we wish!
See you in London!
Polish Autumn Rotaract Meeting Rotaract Club Trojmiasto is pleased to invite all Rotaractors to the Polish Autumn Rotaract Meeting, which will take place in Tricity/Wladyslawowo (Poland) from 24th to 28th October 2007. This year we have prepared many novelties and attractions! You can for example choose one of four packages and come to Tricity as early as on Wednesday 24th to take part in “Tricity Before”, social-touristic programme together with international guests. There will be also plenty of attractions during the Rotaract
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Autumn Conference, which this year will be held in truly port and kashubian city - Wladyslawowo. Professional trainings, kashubian feast, classic gala night, presentations, lectures, contests and many more surprises are waiting for You! Find more details on our website: www.autumn.rotaract.alte.pl
Oslo 2007 Rotaract Norway is proud to be hosting this years NORDACT conference.
After many years of being half asleep, Rotaract Norway is finally alive! NORDACT 2007, the Nordic Rotaract Conference, is being held at Haraldvangen Recreational Centre outside of Oslo, approximately one hour’s drive from the capital, close to Gardermoen Airport. This year’s theme is “Servant Leadership”. To achieve the best possible skills we are fortunate to be collaborating with Minds On, a Scandinavian company specializing in facilitation and leadership development. Minds On will lead us through the learning process both outdoors and indoors. So far more than 50 people from across Europe have signed up, from the south of Italy to the north of Norway. But why should you join, what’s in it for you? •You get the opportunity to increase your leadership skills •You get to meet other great Rotaractors form across Europe •You will have lots of fun! Unfortunately Norway is a very expensive country, and we have really tried our best to lower the cost, and have therefore been able to reduce the price for the whole weekend down to NOK 1.500, about EUR 185!! This will be a Rotaract journey you won’t forget, so turn on your computer and log on to www.nordact.org and register today! Feel free to contact us on nordact2007@gmail.com if you have any questions. We are hoping to see you in Norway! Kathrine Tåsåsen NORDACT 2007 committee
http://www.rotaracteurope.org
Newsletter
Issue #1 (6)
European Rotaract Informational Centre
September 2007
EUCO 2008 London
EUCO 2007 From the 27th of April to the 1st of May 2007 Rotaractors from all over Europe (as well as North America and Asia) gathered in Milan, Italy for the 10th annual European Rotaract Convention (EUCO). Expectations were sky-high; after all, this is the capital of fashion, sports, food and wine. Indeed, the more than 600 registered participants were in for a real treat.
Friday the 27th of April The grand opening of the EUCO 2007 was appropriately held in the Palazzo Marino, and was attended by Rotarians and the city authorities, who gave us a quick tour of the impressive building. After a standing dinner in the charming courtyard we headed for Milan Conservatorio, where a beautiful classical concert was held exclusively for the EUCO participants and other members of the Rotary family. The evening ended with a great party at the hip La Banque Disco. Saturday the 28th of April Saturday morning offered a possibility of touring the city of Milan and seeing featured sites; Duomo, Teatro Alla Scala and the Castello Sforzesco. In the afternoon we went by bus to Lombardy to see the medieval city of Bergamo. After a guided tour of the charming fortress city (and a wonderful Italian gelato on the piazza!) we went to the neighboring Trescore Balneario where the outdoors Party DiVino was held. Here we gorged ourselves on Italian specialties and enjoyed all the great local wines, while dancing to the
music of the DJ and live band. Sunday the 29th of April This was the day for sportsand fashion-fanatics! During the day there were sightseeing tours to Monza and Como, while the RotaractGames were being played out in Milan. In the meantime the RotaractEurope Meeting was held. Eighteen member countries were represented, making this the biggest REM in ten years. At Saturday’s RE Meeting the emancipation of countries Hungary and Bulgaria from districts 1910 and 2480 respectively was announced, which means that RE will be enlarged by two new member countries from July 1, 2007. For the presidency of 2007-2008 Benoît Klinkers, Country Representative of Belgium, was elected with a consensus omnibus. Benoît announced his candidates for the board-elect, all of whom were approved by the Country Reps. We congratulate them all on the elections and wish them a prosperous year. In the evening the impressive Galleria Meravigli was the setting of a fantastic fashion-party with great music and shows. And indeed, the Rotaractors showed that they could certainly dress to impress. Monday the 30th of April After a long night of partying, the RE Board was thrilled to see that the convention hall was no less than packed when the annual European Rotaract Conference commenced at 10 AM. During Sunday’s Convention the winners of the BESP (Best European Service Project) and TCA (Twin Club Award) were announced.
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We also had a visitor from the Rotary Intl. Rotaract Committee, who answered our questions about the committee’s working procedures. Additionally country reports from all the attending country reps were given, as well as invitations to various international events. Following the conference there were several workshops to choose from; including training seminars for incoming club presidents and district representatives. After a long day of intense Rotaract work, it was finally time for the Grand Gala Dinner. And what a ball! More than 850 Rotaractors and Rotarians had gathered to the undoubtedly biggest EUCO gala dinner in EUCO’s entire history. The dinner and atmosphere were fantastic, and the party continued on ‘till the early morning. Tuesday the 1st of May Tuesday marked the last day of an amazing week with great friends, food, parties and fun! On behalf of the whole RE Committee I would like to thank the EUCO Host Organizing Committee for their excellent work and their amazing ability to manage the many hundreds of delegates who participated in the biggest EUCO in Rotaract history.
If you want to see pictures from EUCO 2007 in Milan you can find hundreds of them on www.rotaracteurope.org www.euco2007.it Timothy Ahrensbach, Vice President of Rotaract Europe
Rotaract in Great Britain & Ireland (RGBI) is extremely pleased to host the European Rotaract Conference (EUCO) 2008 in London. EUCO 2008 will take place 30th April - 4th May and has the theme “James Bond and the World is not enough…for Rotaract”.
Why London 2008? Experience sights & sounds of one of the worlds greatest cities It’s a destination on every tourist’s top five places to visit Steeped in history, packed with famous sites, museums, theatres & buildings Easy to get to – fly from over 100 destinations in Europe – average cost €50 Celebrate 40 years of Rotaract in style at the Grand Gala Ball EUCO will include sight-seeing tours, a company visit, personal development sessions, the Rotaract Europe meeting, workshops and the annual RGBI Conference, a somewhat abridged version! You will be able to enjoy all of this for just €155! Where else, other than London, can you breathe the same air as The Queen of England, ride the London Eye, walk down Oxford Street and be locked in the Tower? So check out www.euco2008. com and book today without delay! Lisa Burnett EUCO 2008 Co-ordinator
http://www.rotaracteurope.org
Newsletter
Issue #1 (6)
European Rotaract Informational Centre
September 2007
Hungary Welcome to the country of thermal baths, Tokaj and Villany wines, Goulash soup, Herend porcelain, Paprika, Turo Rudi and Palinka. Hungary is located in the heart of Central-Eastern Europe and has seven neighbouring countries: Austria, Croatia, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia and Ukraine. Hungary has always been an important link between East and West for over the eleven hundred years of its tormented history. The country has an area of 93,030 square km, and it is divided into three big regions by two rivers flowing north to south - the Danube and the Tisza. The biggest lake of Europe, Lake Balaton is a popular summer destination and is only about 100 km from Budapest. Of the 10 million people who live in Hungary, about one-fifth live in Budapest, the capital. The Danube has an
important role in the life of the city, since it separates the hilly Buda side from the mostly plain Pest and provides a beautiful setting for its main landmarks, the Castle, the Matthias Church, the Citadel and the Parliament amongst others. After World War II, the Country became part of the Soviet bloc. Nineteen eighty-nine saw the return to a democracy and a free-market economy. Hungary is a member of the European Union since 2004…some of you might remember celebrating the joining with us during EUCO 2004.
Let’s make it international: Accident Simulation Accident simulation: a project that can save many youngsters lives. A perfect program for Rotaract to participate in! The aim is to show the reality what drinking and driving can cause. The target age group is 17-19 years old teenagers who are on their way to get a driving license or freshly received it. It is a simulation of a fatal car accident where the driver and the passengers of the car causing the accident are under the influence of alcohol while the other car is innocent. All of the passengers are actors, who are examined, treated and handled absolutely the official way by the ambulance and the police. The fire brigade has to cut the cars into pieces to take out the injured bodies and the corpse. Everything works totally the same way as in real life. During the simulation, the mother and father of the dead child arrive to the scene and they have to be held back from the corpse. After the ambulance, fire brigade and
police finish their job, the hearse comes and the deceased body is placed into a transportation coffin. At the same time sad and really emotional music fills the background, with a couple of sentences by the dead child’s soul. This is the most important part of the whole act - this is really shocking! This makes it more effective. The program in Hungary was first organized by Rotaract Club Baja for 600 people. They “imported” the project from the USA. Rotaract Club Szeged joined and organized it for 1300 people. This year it has been brought out in four different cities by Rotaract and Rotary clubs and it is planned to be an official national project. We believe that IT CAN WORK INTERNATIONALLY AS WELL!!! Ors Bajusz Rotaract Club Szeged, D1911
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My Rotaract Country
Rotaract in Hungary As most of you might know, Hungary was part of Multidistrict 1910/1920 joining Austria, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Croatia and Slovenia. Since the Rotary year 2007/08 Hungary is listed as District 1911, having its own governor and of course also its DRR and RE Representative. The first Rotaract Club in Hungary, the discontinued Rotaract Budapest Club was chartered in 1992. The next one was the current leader, the Budapest-Duna Club in 1994 and soon other clubs started their activity firstly in Budapest and then in other cities as well. Currently we have 12 functioning Rotaract Clubs, five of them in Budapest (Budapest-Budavar, Budapest-City, Budapest-Duna, Budapest-Margitsziget and Budapest-Sasad), two in Szeged (Szeged and Szeged-Tisza) and one in each of these cities: Baja, Miskolc-Tapolca, Nyiregyhaza, Pecs and Tatabanya. Our clubs have various projects worth mentioning. The clubs in Budapest are organizing one-day programs for kids living in foster homes since the age of five. Rotaract Budapest-Sasad and Budapest-Duna started this sort of event separately for the homes they supported, and joined forces later on to offer a possibility to the kids to meet their fellows from other regions. Rotaract Baja started the “I believe it if I see it” accident simulation program in 2003 to show youngsters from secondary schools the dangers of drunk and reckless driving. The simulation is likely to become a national project in the upcoming period. Maybe the most active Club, Rotaract Szeged has a widespread activity, including a summer camp for children in need from three countries, food distribution for homeless people, blood-drive at the university, St Nicholas Day and Easter Day presents for kids in need. The BudapestBudavár club started a
“shadowing” program, where students before their choice of higher education can spend a day with someone from their chosen career/area of speciality. One of the youngest and the only English speaking club, Rotaract Budapest-City is supporting the Pikler Emmi Foundation (see more on this in the next article) and they also started a program called “Chance to Learn” for Roma kids at an economic disadvantage. Rotaract Tatabanya has as an aim the further propagation of selective waste collection and holds vocational guidance events in secondary schools. The Budapest-Margitsziget Club has performed various clothing collections for people in need and those living in regions affected by floods. The recently Chartered MiskolcTapolca Club have already been collecting toys before Christmas time for ill children, and organized a charity humour evening as well. Apart from this there have been various different actions and also lots of successful found raising events such as mulled-wine selling, charity concerts and parties. Rotaract in Hungary is more active then ever, and willing to get more international. Apart from the Multidistrict connections, we are in talks about possible cooperation with clubs in Germany and we are open to other possibilities as well. Attila Paksi Hungarian Representative 07/08 Rotaract Club Budapest-Sasad, D1911
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Newsletter
Issue #1 (6)
European Rotaract Informational Centre
September 2007 Rotaract San Marino
Rotaract Club Budapest-City: The Pikler Project The Pikler Institute (nicknamed Loczy from the street where it is located), was established in 1946 by pediatrician Dr. Emmi Pikler. The City of Budapest commissioned Dr. Pikler to organize a home for infants and young children who were deprived of their parents until satisfactory living arrangements could be found. Dr. Pikler recognized the need to offer an environment where children are respected and nurtured to become emotionally and socially
mature individuals, able to adjust to the needs of others and of society. To continue the “life” at the Pikler Institute, financial support is desperately needed. Since its change of statute, from public to private more than six years ago, the operating costs of the Pikler Institute have been covered 60% by donations. Rotaract Club Budapest-City’ support for Pikler Institute’s activity can be dated back to the year of 2005. Towards the end of that year the club members organized a collection of all kinds of toys, puppets and games which have been donated to the little children living at the institute. During the next year, 2006, Rotaract support’s intensity increased continuously. The club organized a
charity party to offer revenue for the Institution. The club members also arranged a wine-selling at Christmas time together with the Rotaract Club Budapest-Sasad, which turned out to be really fruitful from financial point of view. The whole return on the wine-selling has been donated to the Loczy in form of numerous carpets (EUR 120), curtains (EUR 80), grants for different construction works within the building (EUR 300), brand new playthings (EUR 250), and other useful features which are crucial for the wellbeing of those living and working in the Pikler Institution Undisputedly the club members devoted significant time and effort to raising the amount that has been donated to the Pikler Institute. Nevertheless raising the money is only one part of the support by Rotaract Club Budapest-City. The members would like to emphasize that the kind of help they consider to be particularly beneficial to the Loczy was the spreading of the Institution’s name among those people who have not even heard about it before. The participants of the club organised party and wine selling received leaflets about the Pikler Institute, informing them about its world famous reputation and most regrettable financial situation. This is the most substantial piece of work that has been and will be pursued by the club members in the future as well. Gabriella Gal, Rotaract Club Budapest-City, D1911
Did you know that Hungarians... • Invented holography, the helicopter, the carburetor, the ballpoint pen, the transformer, the generator, silent matches, the telephone exchange, Rubik’s Cube, Vitamin C, world receiver radio, tungsten lamp, slide projector, colour TV, stereo broadcasting and the binary code • Developed the computer, the moon rover, thermonuclear energy, the Zeppelin, BASIC and computer programming and the film-camera • Built the first subway system in Continental Europe in 1896 • Enjoy the same amount of annual sunshine as those in Naples • Started the California Wine Indus-
try and the U.S. Cavalry • Are famous around the globe. Famous Hungarians include: Ferenc Puskas (footballer, Real Madrid), Franz Liszt (composer), Drew Barrymore, Tony Curtis, Andy Grove (Intel), Andre Kertesz (photographer), Imre Kertesz (Nobel Prize winner 2002), Calvin Klein, Mark and David Knopfler (Dire Straits), Estée Lauder, Alanis Morrisette, Paul Newman, George Pataki (former governor of NY), Joseph Pulitzer, Paul Simon, George Soros, Charles Simonyi (Microsoft), Andre Kostolany (late stock market guru), Andrew Vajna (producer), Johnny Weissmuller (Tarzan), to name but a few…
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San Marino’s RotarAct Club Activities and Beliefs It is an honor for Rotaractors from a small country such as San Marino to have the possibility to inform clubs and people from all over Europe and beyond about our activities and beliefs.
It has to be said that in our Republic there is just one club, made up of 25 people. Needless to say we are not trying to pursue any international and long-termed project. As a club, we simply lack the resources to physically accomplish those admired efforts. Our contribution to the projects that District 2070 struggles to achieve is for the major part, financial. In order to gathering the economic resources for our district and to finance its projects, we organize dinners, parties and events. Allow us to quickly go through the year 2006/07’s main ones. Under our past president Flavia’s lead, , San Marino’s club organized a “medieval dinner” at the beginning of the summer: some 100 people were invited to attend the peculiar experience. We re-created the environment as it possibly was set a few centuries ago. Musicians, jokers, raw dishes and glasses, and a special menu: made up strictly without tomatoes. It has been a success., We hope we can repeat the event during the present year, under Giovanni’s presidency. In the middle of the past spring, we managed to gather Rotaractors from all over the district for a “motoraduno”, a two-day motorbike gathering, exploring our Republic’s more ancient and remote streets. Needless to say, after having known the roads, we introduced our guests to Rimini’s restaurant and clubs. In the following afternoon, and perhaps the most awaited part of the gathering: a real mini-motorbikes competition amongst the participants,
in a real track. Fun, friendship, and consciousness were constantly present at the events. But what we are even more proud to say, is that we use our individual, dayby-day, little efforts in order to help improve the city in which we live, for example acquiring kits for ambulances for children, selling plants in the main and more crowded places of the Republic, selling Easter eggs for an anti-cancer organization, meeting high-school students to help them decide how to best continue their studies. As for the future, our main project is the publication of a book about the best Italian’s recipes, with interviews directly from the chefs, in collaboration with “Progetto Cuore”, an Italian beneficial association. Part of the copies will be printed in English, and sent to Chicago’s Rotaract club, with which San Marino has been twinned since 2006. Our club is quite heterogeneous for what concerns its members’ paths, but we all share the common principles. Mutual help, among us and towards the society as a whole, with particular regard to those who have not been lucky as we are, as we feel. Rotaract for us, and perhaps for you as well, represents a possibility to grow up and improve through increasingly difficult challenges. A possibility to reflect, decide, and act. In short, and perhaps in depth, Rotaract teaches us to dream, to imagine, and eventually to believe inside that a better world is achievable through our combined efforts. Some may say we are only drops in the ocean. But what is the ocean made of ? Lorenzo Cardelli, Rotaract Club San Marino
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Newsletter
Issue #1 (6)
European Rotaract Informational Centre
September 2007 Rotaract Switzerland
Rotaract Spain
Autumn Rotaract Ball Rotactlon 2007 in Winterthur On Saturday 20 October, Rotaract will be celebrating at the Avenida Palace Hotel, their 6th edition of the Autumn Rotaract Ball Dance. That is why we would like to take the opportunity to invite you, all Rotarians and supportive friends with our charitable project of Guinea-Bissau. Year after year, we can affirm positively that among Rotarians and Rotaractors, coming from different generational ages, we can share the same or similar ideals.
This loving season will really make an exceptional and wonderful event for those who enjoy waltz, classic Vienna ball dances and the New Year Vienna concert. On this year, the 6th edition, we will count with the sponsorship of Mr. José Mª Bové, honorary consul of Austria in Barcelona and Rotary member of RTY Club Barcelona’92. Rotaract Barcelona, recognized for its great variety of nationalities, counts among its members a great selection of German people, which brought us the opportunity to attend a Ball Dance in Cologne. The experience was fantastic and since then we decided to put it into practice in Spain. And it been seven years now. We are very lucky to utilize the rigorousness and help from Frank Th Merten at organizing it,taking advantage of its contacts with different countries and of his experience that brings the glamour and exquisiteness to the event. From its first edition, our Ball Dancehas tried to be an activity worth enjoying and we have put all our efforts in learning to enjoy the classic ball dances. We are proud to think, and that is
mainly why we organize it, that this event is loved by Rotaractors from Spain and from other countries such as Germany, Switzerland, France and Italy that year after year attend our Ball Dance. Also the presence of Rotarians is very wide, reaching the 40% of assistance last year, most of our guests coming every year to dance and enjoy the night in an elegant and original way. Passionate for the Ball Dance but without forgetting about the real purpose of Rotary which is service above self, we try to tighten our budget with the aim of obtaining benefits for our District Project of the African village of Gambasse. For more information about the project, please visit us at www.rotaractspain.org. Therefore, the only remaining thing to say is to invite you all to join this magic night. Rotaractors, Rotarians and friends will have fun till noon, serving at the same time a good purpose. We are waiting for you.
For reservations please contact eugenialarias@hotmail.com Tickets are available at the price of 85€ including appetizer, dinner and dance and 60€ for Rotaractors and under 30 years old Deadline for registrations 30.09.2007
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Already for the 5th time, different Swiss Rotaract teams gathered on August 25th for an afternoon to raise money for a local social project. Rotactlon (made up of Rotaract and Pentathlon) is a fund-raising event, organised in rotation from one of the Swiss Rotaract Clubs. At five circuit posts teams need to contest for points which will in return raise money from sponsors. This year, the Rotaract Club of Winterthur hosted over 20 teams (Rotarians, Rotaractors, Friends and Rotex members) for the Rotactlon 2007. As the 100-year celebration of the Boy/Girl Scout movement takes place in 2007 and Pfadi Trotz Allem (PTA) Winterthur is doing wonderful work in the community, they were chosen as project partner for this year. PTA is offering boy/girl scouting to youngsters and teens with mental or physical handicaps. All teams have fought hard to get as many points as possible at the five posts, three of them in relation with PTA (putting up tents, answering questions on PTA and building a bridge of paper). The result of about 10’000.- Swiss Francs
will be used for the renovation of PTA Winterthur’s camping shed. In addition, many smiling faces (from team-members, sponsors, boy/girl scouts and organisers) made this day another one to remember.
We are all already looking forward to the “grand opening” together with PTA Winterthur and of course to the Rotactlon 2008!
CHARITABLE RAFFLE ROTARACT Rotaract Club Barcelona Mediterraneo, together with Montisport SA’s help, has realized a charitable raffle with a prize of a vest of the Football Club Barcelona, signed by the player Samuel Eto’o. The winning number, coincidental with the national lottery of 14th July, was 783. The winner, Mr Mark Torres Viure, received the prize by hand of the president of the RC Mediterraneo, Roxana Martinez Corzo. Montisport SA, distributor of the American company Nike and sponsor of the Football Club Barcelona, donated to this Rotaract club the vest with the corresponding letter of authentication of the signature of Eto’o. The collected funds have been donated to three projects in South America proposed by local Rotaract groups: 1) Institución Educativa Salinas located in the municipality of Caldas, Antioch, Colombia Helps in a local project of water reparation in order that it is suitable for the consumption of the students and clerical staff, diminishing possibilities of disease.
2) Adequacy on behalf of the physical plant of the School Juan Hurtado, who is placed in a rural bordering area to Manizales’s city, Colombia. 3) Collaboration with the rehabilitation (purchase of equipment) for the home of a refuge of teenage mothers in Uruguay. Hereby Rotaract shows once again its commitment to the community and is grateful especially to Catherine Benhaim who made the diffusion of this activity.
http://www.rotaracteurope.org
Newsletter
Issue #1 (6)
European Rotaract Informational Centre
September 2007
Rocky Mountain Rendezvous RI Convention 2007, Salt Lake City, Utah, USA USA, June 2007 – seven German Rotaractors set out for the 98th Rotary International (RI) Convention in Salt Lake City. After individual stopovers in New York, Boston, Chicago, Hawaii or a road trip through different national parks, Christin (Rotaract Club of Hameln-Weserbergland), Christoph (Nuremberg), Christopher (Dresden), Clemens (Berlin Hauptstadtclub), Dominik (Munich), Geertje and Yvette (both Unna-Kamen) arrived in Salt Lake City on June 13th/ 14th. While attending the „North American EuCo“ (aka. USCC Symposium) Christoph and Christopher were able to give our transatlantic friends an idea of how „professionally“ Rotaract is practised in Germany: The German Rotaract Directory and News gained a lot of attention. Needless to say we were at the disposal of the Rotaractors of the North American MDIO during the whole convention, as they are currently reworking their structure. In the evening we went to the “Black & White Affair” and let the „socializing“ begin. On June 15th and 16th the Rotaract Preconvention took place, where roughly 150 Rotaractors from all over the world exchanged their experiences during workshops and plenary sessions. The Preconvention hit its peak with the keynotes of the RI Presidents, Bill Boyd (2006/07) and Wilf Wilkinson (2007/08), where both underlined the importance of Rotaract: “You probably get told by Rotarians often that you are the future of Rotary,” said Boyd. “But I see you as the future of your communities, the people who will go on to lead your communities and to make the world a better place. I see you as [a group who knows that] how you live your lives sets an example for other people.” The first night of the Precon-
vention featured an “International Night“ at the Olympic Cauldron Park. We had culinary delicacies from all over the world, interpreted and presented the American way. After food and drinks the first brave Rotaractors hit the stage and took the mics. Perfectly backed by the band our
American friends turned out to be real karaoke stars. The dance floor was crowded until the lights were turned off. On Sunday, we took the chance to escape from the everyday conference setting and went on a trip to the wintersport resort “Snowbird“, where we enjoyed – thrilled by the dry luge run – the view of the Rockies. The same night the convention (17th to 20th )was opened up ceremonially – due to the high number of participants of nearly 17,000 Rotarians – in two “Opening Ceremonies“. The coming days were mostly spent in plenary sessions, at dif-
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Count your lucky stars RI Convention 2008, Los Angeles, California, USA Top 10 reasons to come to LA ‘08:
ferent workshops, in the „house of friendship“ or at the indoor or outdoor booth of the ShelterBox. Our personal highlights of the plenary sessions were the addresses of Bill Gates Sr. and Brigitta von Messling, a German Rotaract World Peace Fellow. “Breakout Sessions“ in the form of workshops and presentations were offered concerning different Rotary programs and activities like the youth programs, PolioPlus, literacy efforts and water supply. The House of Friendship – heart of the convention – allowed participants to catch up on projects, districts and initiatives, chill in the youth area, shop Rotary merchandise, have lunch together or socialize with folks from all over the world. In front of the Salt Lake City Convention Center we promoted – on the basis of fully built up demo equipment – ShelterBox to interested Rotarians. Concluding, we should note that a kingsize bed accommodates up to three people and a hotel room catches more than 30 partying Rotaractors – as long as the cops don’t intervene. Having said that, we are already looking forward to next years convention in Los Angeles. Let’s hope for more German and European participants who come along with us on a prearranged road trip through California. LA 08 will surely become a memorable event as did Salt Lake City!
• Empowering keynote speakers by day, trendy Hollywood clubs by night. • Finally put all faces to the names of all your online Rotaractfriends. • The chance to lunch with RI President Wilf! • Los Angeles has Sights, Celebrities and Service above Self! • Help to break the World Record for children’s book collection at the Wild World of Books. • It’s the best way to celebrate Rotaract’s 40th anniversary. • Cap a day of workshops with world class art – there are museums nearby for any tastes • Service with a view of the Hollywood Sign. • Six star-themed socials you can’t miss • Because the committee is planning all of this especially for *you*!
Christoph Thiel, Yvette Grave
http://www.rotaracteurope.org
Newsletter
Issue #1 (6)
European Rotaract Informational Centre
September 2007
President
Vice-President
Social Officer
Social Officer Assistant
IT Officer
Marketing Officer Marketing Officer Marketing Officer Assistant Assistant
Benoît Klinkers (Belgium) info@nvklinkers.be Treasurer
Timothy Ahrensbach (Denmark /Estonia Rep) ta@ircc.dk
Anatoliotaki Anna-Maria (Greece) anatolm@hol.gr
Lilia Franchi (Italy Rep.) Lilia.franchi@fastwebnet.it
Stephan Bernhardt (Germany) Stephan.Bernhardt@rotaract.de
Julia Kurbaka (Ukraine Rep.) Julia_kurbaka@yahoo.com
Anna Golędzinowska (Poland Rep.) a_g@tlen.pl
ERIC BOARD 07/08 Georges Berscheid (Luxembourg Rep.) georges.berscheid@rotaract.lu
ERIC REPRESENTATIVES 07/08
Duygu Güceyü (Turkey) Dguceyu@yahoo.com Great_Britain & Ireland
Claire Tennant RAC Deben dizzybird( at )ntlworld.com
Austria/Croatia Azerbaijan Slovenia/Bosnia Herzagovina
Belgium
Czech Republic
Germany
Germany
Greece
Hungary
Stjepan Mandic RAC Zagreb rer@rotaract-md.org Lithuania
Minai Massimova RAC Baku minashka@yahoo.com Netherlands
Christof Van Dessel RAC Heist-op-den-Berg cvdborre@gmail.com Norway
Filip Mrkvicka RAC Plzen p.l.carrot@seznam.cz San Marino
Antonie Specht RAC Cottbus internationales@rotaract.de Spain
Jörg-Martin Gebert RAC Karlsruhe internationales@rotaract.de Sweden
Sofia Fotari RAC Syros sofia@aigaioepe.gr Switzerland/ Liechtenstein
Attila Paksi RAC Budapest-Sasad attilapaksi@yahoo.com Turkey
Erikas Lekerauskas RAC Vilnius erikas.lekerauskas@gmail.com
Bas Van Oers bas@rotaract.nl
Igor Volner RAC Oslo igorvolner@yahoo.com
Lorenzo Cardelli RAC San Marino Lorenzo.cardelli@gmail.com
Oskar Irmler RAC Barcelona eric@rotaractspain.org
Patric Palm
Tom Bachmann RAC Luzern Thomas.bachmann@rotaract.ch
Zeynep Yalcin RAC Ankara Baskent yalcinz@hotmail.com
ERIC Newsletter Issue #1 (6), September 2007 MDIO European Rotaract Informational Centre www.rotaracteurope.org
Editor-in-chief Julia Kurbaka Marketing&Communication Officer, Rotaract Club Kyiv-Centre, D 2230, Ukraine Julia_kurbaka@yahoo.com
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p_palm@yahoo.com
Technical editor Andrij Eremenko Rotaract Club Kyiv-Centre, D 2230, Ukraine obshaga@ukr.net
Literal correction Thomas Krepitch East Valley Rotaract, D 5510, USA tkrepitch@cox.net
http://www.rotaracteurope.org