Skål International Newsletter September 2007
We would like to remind all Skål members that Thursday 27 September 2007 is World Tourism Day. The theme this year is “Tourism Opens Doors for Women”. Clubs are encouraged to celebrate this day on or close to the date. The President of Skål International who is currently on a visit to Australia and New Zealand sends you the following message on the occasion of World Tourism Day:
Dear Skål Members,
I would like to wish you a good World Tourism Day, on 27 September 2007. A day that, apart from celebrating, will make us think where tourism stands and how we would like to see it in the future – men and women working for tourism harmoniously.
UNWTO has decided to devote this Year’s World Tourism Day to “Gender Equality and Women Empowerment” with the Theme “Tourism Opens Doors for Women”. Many will wonder, were the doors closed until today? UNWTO as a World Organisation has to consider all the countries, the different ways and standards of living, different cultures and attitudes they have concerning equality.
It is a fact that for many years women have been working and contributing to Tourism in great numbers in many countries. It is also a fact that only a minority, even in the 20th century could climb the ranks and hold managerial posts and it is still the case in developing and least developed countries. This is why in the Forum to be held by UNWTO in Sri Lanka there are speeches with titles like: How can the role of women be accentuated in developing countries? How can this role be defined? How it can be improved and the importance of women in Tourism, accepting thus the long way some women have to go to reach equality.
The same conditions apply to our International Organisation as the majority of members in Skål were men and it was, consequently, governed by male Skålleagues. Many women have since joined Skål, women in executive positions in Tourism and in 2002 the first Lady President in the history of Skål was elected, Mary Bennett from Galway, Ireland.
The contribution of Skål to World Tourism Day is a task we have tried to accomplish this year, to have women members in every single Club around the world as according to our Statutes: “no discrimination should be made based on gender…”.
Equal opportunities respect human rights!
In friendship and Skål
Litsa Papathanassi
President
More information on World Tourism Day can be found at the following hyperlink: http://www.unwto.org/wtd/eng/menu.html
68th SKÅL WORLD CONGRESS
The 68th Skål World Congress will commence in Belek, Antalya, Turkey on 4 November 2007. Almost 800 persons are registered for the Congress which will be held “under the wings of civilisation”. The Agenda for the General Assembly in English is now on the Skål International website www.Skål.org go to “members” only area, General Assembly and Agenda or click on the following hyperlink: http://www.Skål.org/pdf/ingles/agenda.pdf
The President of Skål International Turkey Salih Çene gives you some background information on Skål in Turkey.
“The 68th Skål World Congress to be held in Antalya being so close, it is about time to give some information, on “Skål” development in Turkey and in Antalya, besides some information about the Congress.
As you may already know; the first Skål Club in Turkey was founded in Istanbul on 7 July 1956. From the founding members, there is only Fethi Princcioglu who is still alive. But, despite his age (83), Mr. Princcioglu’s ongoing Skål spirit has always been a good example for younger generations of Skål in Turkey.
After Istanbul, Ankara & Izmir Skål Clubs were founded. Starting from 1992 the Skål movement in Turkey has lived a “Golden Age” and within 10 years, 10 more Clubs were founded, totalling 13 Skål Clubs altogether. By the end of August 2007, Turkey had over 800 members, up from approximately 180 members in 1992. Since 1992, Turkey has been achieving a growth in Membership, each year.
To date, Skål International Istanbul has hosted two Skål World Congresses in 1970 and 1993. In 1986 and 1995, respectively, Istanbul & Antalya Skål Clubs hosted the International Skål Council Mid-Year Meetings. In fact, Skål International Antalya has been applying for a World Congress since 1995 with dedication and stubbornness and, as a result, achieved the objective in 2003.
On the other hand, for the term 1998/1999 Skål International Istanbul was elected Skål Club of the Year and again this year Skål International Istanbul is a candidate for this Award.
As you may be aware from the time and effort invested, this Congress is very precious, not only for Skål International Antalya, but also for the city of Antalya as a whole, hence, all Club members are doing their utmost, together with the Governor, the Mayor and the residents, to make this occasion an unforgettable one, for our Skål friends from all over the world.
As President of the National Committee, I wanted to inform you about the Skål movement in Turkey.
Well! I have a lot to say, but a limited space; therefore I will conclude my message with the Presidential Theme of Turkey; “one for all, all for one…”
