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| Everything Is Possible in Tallinn! |
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From June 14 through June 17, more than 2,000 delegates gathered in Tallinn, Estonia, for the 2006 JCI European Conference. To promote the Conference, JCI Estonia President Mart Repnau traveled around Europe with the slogan “Everything Is Possible in Tallinn.” Conference delegates report that Repnau was right — everything is possible in Tallinn!
“This is going to be one of our most memorable JCI experiences,” predicted Conference Chairman Yiannis Lagos. Again, as reported by delegates attending the event, it was indeed a superb experience!
The Opening Ceremony
At the City Concert Hall in Tallinn, the Opening Ceremony began with a skydiving show. The MCs — Anneli Ohvril, JCI Tallinn President and Conference Marketing Director, and JCI Executive Vice President Yiannis Lagos, the Conference Chairman — arrived on stage “flying” from above. After listening to stirring speeches by Chairman Lagos and European Conference Director Ardo Reinsalu, delegates recited the JCI Creed, led by Piret Sepp, the Best Member of JCI Estonia in 2005.
Chief delegates representing countries from outside Europe were called on stage. Among them were chief delegates from JCI Lebanon (Rami Majzoub), JCI India (Harinder Singh), JCI Korea (National President Pyo Hyun Chol), JCI Dominican Republic (Chief Executive Assistant to the President, Nicolas Caffaro) and JCI USA (National President Lisa Parrish). JCI Japan's (Keisuke Takana) was recognized during the ceremony.
The JCI Vice Presidents assigned to Europe — Anne-G. Buetikofer from Switzerland, Carole Lectard from France, Katri Salonen from Finland, Penni Zelinkoff from the USA, and Katie Ridland from Scotland — were introduced. Each called the chief delegates of their assigned national organizations to the stage.
Ali Akal, President of the Association of JCI Senators in Europe, was introduced, and then Past JCI World Presidents JCI Kjell Peterson from Sweden (1983), Reginald C. J. Schaumans from Belgium (1991), and Petri Niskanen from Finland (1998).
Other JCI Executive officers present at the event were JCI President Lars Hajslund with his wife Solfrid; JCI Executive Vice Presidents Jokotade Odunuga and Scott Greenlee; JCI General Legal Counsel Graham Hanlon and his wife Lynne Jehoul; and JCI Secretary General Edson A. Kodama.
JCI Estonia National President Mart Repnau, and JCI President Lars Hajslund delivered motivating speeches. After the welcome speech of the Mayor of Tallinn, Mr. Jüri Ratas, the Conference opened with the sounds and lights of fireworks.
The Committee that Made it Possible
The Conference Organizing Committee (COC), led by Conference Director Ardo Reinsalu, worked extremely hard to make everything possible. “Ignorance is bliss, they say,” commented JCI Estonia President Mart Repnau referring to the work involved in organizing the Conference. “This phrase has occurred to me many times over the past weeks and months. It has been an enormous effort on behalf of so many people to prepare this week for you…”
Repnau pointed out, however, that the results were well worth the effort. “But they also say that fools rush in where angels fear to tread,” he said. “And right they are again. Courage to dream and to realize this dream has, in many occasions, meant learning by doing. The salary we receive for this work is you being here. So many of you! And the bonus would be you leaving happy and satisfied.”
In his welcome speech, President Lars Hajslund praised the efforts of the COC and JCI Estonia. “Estonia is a wonderful example of what can happen if young leaders and entrepreneurs take the lead,” said Hajslund. “I have visited the country for the last 10 years and the change that has happened here is amazing. They believe in the future and they dare to dream and to dream big. They are not held back by size or history, but have been driven by a strong belief in a better tomorrow. They do believe and prove that everything is possible.”
Creating New Local Organizations
President Hajslund also took the opportunity to encourage delegates to focus on establishing new local organizations, a priority this year. “There are so many young people and future leaders who do not have the opportunity to join JCI,” he said. “Some, because there is no JCI local organization where they live and some, because they are never asked. We need to change that. I have seen organizations grow exponentially all over the world, so I know this is possible”
President Hajslund said that members from JCI Drammen in Norway, for example, had reported that they had only five members a year ago but were expecting to reach 80 members this August. “JCI Russia is introducing JCI in 30 new cities this year,” he added.
After the Opening Ceremony, delegates enjoyed the Estonian Night also at the City Concert Hall, an “after party” at Club Terrarium, and an “after-after party” at the beach. It was the beginning of an amazing Conference!
More photos...
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Special thanks to Veiko Paalandi; Kjersti Bergsaker-Aspoy, Executive Assistant to the President in Europe; and Nicolas Caffaro, Chief Executive Assistant to the President, for providing Conference photos.
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