69TH SKÅL WORLD CONGRESS - TAIPEI 12-17 OCTOBER 2008

Plans for the 69th Skål World Congress to be held in Taipei, Taiwan from 12-17 October 2008 are at an advanced stage. Many exciting events at equally exciting venues with a definite oriental flavour have been planned. The Congress will include the Tourism Forum, Business to Business Workshop and the 2008 Ecotourism Awards Presentation. All of this information is on the Skål International website www.skal.org or click on the following hyperlink: http://www.skal.org/congresos/taipei2008/taipei08.asp?idioma=I

Welcome to Taipei – The following is a special welcome letter from Earl Wieman, International Councillor for Taiwan and President of Skål International Asian Area:

Dear Skålleagues,

Be prepared for a most pleasant surprise when you land in Taipei in October for the Skål World Congress. Many of you have never been to this city, the capital of Taiwan, and you perhaps have only the vaguest of ideas about what it is like. Frequently, foreigners who have not been here consider Taipei a dull, crowded, industrial city that is perhaps not as interesting or exciting as some of the other Asian metropolises.

But that is because they have never experienced Taipei personally. As Edward Wong wrote in the Mar. 2, 2008 issue of the New York Times, Taipei is “one of the most underrated tourist destinations in Asia.” You will discover what he discovered here—and more; his article was entitled “36 Hours in Taipei, Taiwan,” and you will be here a lot longer than that! You will have more time to learn about the city’s fascinating blend of the old and the new, the East and the West, with the added attraction of doing it with your good friends in Skål.

You will learn about how modern glass-walled skyscrapers (including the world’s tallest certified building, Taipei 101, although the Burj Dubai is now taller) exist beside ancient temples and quaint night markets. You will learn why one Lonely Planet writer famously termed the island’s residents “the friendliest people on the planet.” You will learn how Taiwan is the true repository of Chinese culture and tradition, with the stupendous National Palace Museum highlighting the finest of historical arts and artifacts. You will learn, to your delight, how the very best culinary arts from all major regions of China are preserved and practiced here.

And you will learn about Taiwan’s natural wonders, from soothing hot springs with various types of healing waters to soaring scenic mountains to the spectacular marble-walled Taroko Gorge, one of the natural wonders of the world. You will learn, if you take the right optional tour, about the serene alpine beauty of Sun Moon Lake in its many different moods. The lake is home to the tiny Thao tribe, smallest of the 13 remaining tribes of Austronesian peoples who occupied the island for thousands of years before the Chinese came.

So come to Taipei in October and discover these and the other enchantments that this fascinating island has to offer. We look forward to having you with us then.

Earl Wieman
International Councillor – Taiwan
President –Skål Asia

GRAND PRIZE DRAW – TAIPEI 2008

Skål International continues to upgrade its systems in line with modern technology. Changes have recently been made to the invoicing of membership for each Club and statements of account are available on request and will be sent to National Committees and Affiliated Clubs at regular intervals. Stricter follow-up and reconciliation of the accounts of National Committees and Clubs, particularly those who are slow to pay, has also been implemented. Enforcement of the late payment penalty as laid down in the By-Laws will be made.

The Skål International online membership proposal forms are now well tested and are working well. The online form offers an opportunity to attach a business card and a photograph and we are encouraging all Clubs to do this for prospective members. It may help Club members if we explain a little about the way the Skål International website works:

When an application for a new member has been placed on the website and the two sponsors identified, who cannot be the President or Secretary of the Club because they are required to confirm the veracity of the information of behalf of the Club, these two sponsors will receive an e-mail advising them that there is an application waiting for their approval. This e-mail gives them the possibility of approving the application via the e-mail but if, for any reason, they do not receive the e-mail they can log onto to the Skål International website – www.skal.org – enter the “Members Only Area” with their membership number or password, go to Membership Proposals and approve the application. Both sponsors are given the opportunity to approve the application at the same time. Once the two sponsors have approved the application, the President and Secretary of the Club will also receive an e-mail or can approve the applications online. The President does not have to wait for the Secretary to approve the application or vice versa. Once all four approvals have been given, Skål International will be in a position to study the application. The program has now been modified so that, where required, the approval of a fifth person, on behalf of the National Committee, will also be required.

On approval of the candidate by Skål International an e-mail is sent to the candidate, the sponsors and the President and Secretary of the Club. In the case of a National Committee an e-mail is also sent to the person appointed on behalf of the National Committee.

Skål International encourages every Club worldwide to appoint a web administrator and it will give the necessary information and authority for this administrator to make modifications, deletions, etc., and submit them for approval online to Skål International. This will certainly cut down on paper and make the administration of the Clubs more efficient. Authority for the web administrator for a Club or National Committee must be requested from the General Secretariat. For any further information or clarification, please send an e-mail to skal@skal.org.