Attending the District 26 Conference
Attending the 2013 UN Commission on the Status of Women Club visit in Mumbai, India
TZ: Membership decrease is a reality for many organizations. How do you envision the trend can be changed in Zonta? MJ: We have been addressing membership decrease for many biennia now. The initiatives taken during the 20122014 Biennium have resulted in a positive change. But the fact is that since 2000, we have lost 3,900 members, or 12 percent of our membership, and many clubs have disbanded. The challenges to increasing membership are different in different parts of the world. Therefore, the 2014-2016 International Membership Committee will focus on three geographical regions with tailored strategies for each one of them: North and South America; Europe and Africa; Asia, Australia and New Zealand. A very important point is that instead of focusing on what has been tried and has not worked, this biennium we will learn from the districts that have succeeded in the 2012-2014 Biennium in increasing membership and we will multiply their strategies and action plans to repeat the success.
(right) The Oestergaard family at the 2014 Convention in Orlando, FL, USA
TZ: The goals for the 2014-2016 Biennium are ambitious. Can you share your vision about how to achieve them? MJ: The first step has been taken by the Zonta International Convention in Orlando who, as the decision making body, has approved the goals with 100 percent of votes in the positive for the first time in Zonta’s history. This strong support is the key for the success of the 20142016 Biennium. Furthermore, Convention approved the International Service and ZISVAW projects and the education programs. Without the support and efforts of every member, success will not be achieved. The 2014-2016 ZI and ZIF Boards, together with a strong working force comprised of the international committees and the governors, is now preparing the platform for action for the biennium, building on the purity of our mission, “advancing the status of women worldwide through service and advocacy.” We will empower women through
advocacy initiatives that influence laws and attitudes affecting women’s lives in cooperation with the United Nations, the Council of Europe and other relevant organizations. We will expand our advocacy capability and will conduct leadership and personal development programs to strengthen all the links of our organization. TZ: To finalize: You were born in Spain but live in Denmark and have two children from Lithuania. Do you feel more Spanish or Danish, and how big is Lithuania in your heart? MJ: My conviction, commitment and courage to make a difference for other women have roots from my childhood in Spain; Denmark has ensured a platform for me to grow; and Lithuania will always have a special place in my heart because of my children. But I consider myself “a citizen of the world” because I have learned so much through my travels and stays in different parts of the world, respecting other cultures and traditions, listening to people and learning from them. n
2014-2016 BIENNIUM ISSUE ONE
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