uno, fao, unesco, unicef - Lions Clubs International - MD 112 Belgium

Minutes of Seminar / Workshop / MeetingFriday September 7, 20122.33 UNO, FAO, UNESCO, UNICEF…14:45‐16:15 ROOM: 214/216 2nd FloorCHAIRPERSON PIP Pr. Dr. Giuseppe Grimaldi MD 108 ItalySECRETARY Lion MD 112 BelgiumPARTICIPANTSAllLANGUAGEEnglishPROGRAM CHANGES, IF ANYMINUTESPIP Pr. Dr. Giuseppe Grimaldi :The workshop has the task of discussing the scope for Lions to have some influence on variousinternational organizations and look for collaboration with them.1. PID Dr. Dominico Messina, D 108, LCI Representative at the WHO or World HealthOrganization. In December 2011 WHO and the LCI signed a memorandum to renew theirlong‐standing and fruitful partnership for the next 5 years. There is a possibility for LCI forfurther collaboration especially concerning the considerable commitment in favor ofpreventable blindness. With the Lions campaigns against measles, diabetes, trachoma…it ispossible to create a more and more significant impact on the health of populationworldwide.2. PID Ernst Musil, MD 114, LCI Representative at the UNO‐Vienna meeting held in March2012. Vienna is one of the four headquarters of the UNO. There is a very close cooperationespecially with the UNODC and a good relationship through the Lions Quest Program wherethe UN are very much interested to cooperate with. It is worth to contact the Ministries ofeducation and social welfare to try to promote the Lions Quest Program. Approximately 200million people in the age of 15 to 65 consume regularly illicit drugs. Every year 250.000people worldwide die on drug consumption. PID Ernst Musil recommends to contact localauthorities and also the national representatives of the UN to discuss ways of collaborationin all fields where we have common interest.3. PCC Daniel Gontier, MD 103, LCI Representative to the UNESCO reports on the goodUnesco‐Lion collaboration in 2011‐12. The objectives of UNESCO are very important tocontribute to the future of humanity, especially on educational level, building of peace,eradication of poverty, intercultural dialogue…The UNESCO has all the assets to provide anintellectual and humanist response to globalization and the crisis. Unfortunately LCI has notyet promoted its contacts with UNESCO, yet rich of possibilities for action in many areas,and consistent with our fundamental objectives. For 2012‐13 it is a challenge to bettercommunicate on the contribution of UNESCO for us and to be even more effective in thefield, to help the poor.There is also a great hope: set up work with the program of IP Wayne Madden on illiteracyand education for all:‣ develop reading after school programs‣ collaborate with specialists and local agencies involved in illiteracy‣ provide books to schools and local libraries

4. PCC Carl Robert Rettby, MD 112, LCI Representative by UNICEF, reports on thecollaboration of LCI and UNICEF. UNICEF created a “School‐in‐a‐Box” program and in 1996LCI signed a Memorandum of Understanding with UNICEF for the support of the program. A“School‐in‐a‐Box” kit contains the education material for a teacher and two classes of 40students and can be made available on site within 72 hours to get the children back inschool after a disaster. The cost of a kit is US$ 257.During the year 2011‐12 several common activities were held as meetings and promotion ofthe “School‐in‐a‐Box” program by lectures, answer queries and send brochures.5. PCC Massimo Fabio, MD 108, LCI Representative to the FAO. For years there has been nocollaboration between LCI and FAO because FAO chooses to give the resources to thegovernment instead of giving it to the civil society, which means no common actions. Thefirst change occurred in July 2011 with a common seminar held on the subject: The vital roleof Women in Agriculture. Also a new Director General has been appointed, Mr. Da Silva,born in Brazil, who is having a different vision, aiming big importance to regionalconferences and in newspapers about the wrong status of women working so hard onagricultural tasks without being recognized for their work. On the next European Conferenceheld in Romania in 2014, there should be an adjustment aiming to a real collaborationbetween the two organizations.6. PID Prof. Avv. Ermanno Bocchini, MD 108, LCI Representative to the Council of Europe,Strasbourg. Melvin Jones started the Lions in 1917, Karl Marx founded on the same year theinternational socialism. Both were based on liberty and responded to a necessity. A dreamwould be a world where nobody wants for charity which can only be realized by solidarity.Solidarity over the world but liberty must remain central. In this respect Africa was anunknown area. It is time for active citizenship: Europeans are not sufficiently aware ofdecisions made by the Council of Europe. The proposal is to promote a campaign toinfluence our local politicians to be more aware of Africa. Otherwise our world will notchange.7. Lion Trigo Salvatore, SO.SAN. The SO.SAN, Solidarity Health Organization of Lions, wascreated inspired by this assumption, by the simple words from Melvin Jones. The aim ofSO.SAN is to support people in need, help them to help themselves to ensure that in thenear future they will have no need of our help.RECOMMENDATIONS1. Recommendation proposed by PID Dr. Dominico Messina, LCI Representative at the WHO(World Health Organization): At this time I like to submit at the attention of this seminar arecommendation hopefully to be approved, to urge districts and clubs of Europe to committhemselves to the campaign against measles..2. Proposal issued by PCC Carl Robert Rettby, LCI Representative by UNICEF: to encourage thecollaboration between UNICEF and LCI it is proposed to print Peace Poster Contest greetingcards in the following way: print greeting cards with the 6 Peace Poster Contest 2012finalists, make a package of 12 cards with Lions and UNICEF logo’s and sell them to thebenefit of “School‐in‐a‐box” program.3. Recommendation from PID Massimo Fabio, LCI Representative by FAO: with a view of theFAO Regional European Conference which will be held in 2014 in Romania, it is proposed topresent during the Europa Forum 2013 held in Istanbul a representation of LCI by FAO and

to put on the agenda of the Second Council of Europe to promote a common identity and abetter collaboration with the Lions European Districts.4. Following the report made by PCC Daniel Gontier, PIP Pino Grimaldi on the path of IPWayne Madden’s program and the comments of attendees to the seminar recommends anew campaign to prevent and conquer illiteracy, a today very dramatic social illness of theworld.