RTI Legacy Magazine - 3 -February / March - 2022 by Round Table International

T HE O F F IC I A L RO U ND TA B L E IN T ER N AT IO N A L M AG A Z INE

FEBRUARY / MARCH 2022

A TA B L E R ' S 3 0 A C T S OF K INDNESS

Become a Better Brother.

E N DI N G T H E S T I G M A

Mental health matters. R E S P O N DI N G W I T H K I N D N E S S

The Aid Convoy for Ukraine.

LIFEST YLE E D U C AT I O N T R AV EL

IN T HIS IS SUE RTI VICE PRESIDENT ROUND TABLE - A WORLD OF OPPORTUNITIES | SHARPENING YOUR SAW PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT NON-FUNGIBLE TOKENS WHY SHOULD I CARE? | LADIES' CIRCLE RELATIONSHIP & FRIENDSHIP | RTI UNIVERISTY THE VALUE OF DEVELOPMENT RTI HYM 2022 HERE'S WHAT YOU MISSED | TABLING IN SRI LANKA | TASTE THE WORLD AMERICAN COMFORT FOOD | + MUCH MORE

R T I L E G A C Y | Content s

IN THIS ISSUE FEBRUA RY / M A RCH 202 2 6 EDITOR'S NOTES

22 SEM REGION

44 NON-FUNGIBLE TOKENS.

Become a Better Brother.

Area report from SEM

Why should I care?

Chairman Nicholas Gomez.

FROM THE BOARD 23 ASPA REGION Area report from ASPA

ROUND PLAYBLE

Chairman Aviral Jain.

Board games to save your Game Night.

24 AMI REGION Area report from AMI

44 LADIES' CIRCLE

Chairman Darrel Benoit.

LCI Vice President Martina Santoro.

STOR IES 52 THE VALUE OF DEVELOPMENT

RTI University.

RTI PRESIDENT

RESPONDING WITH KINDNESS

Reflecting on the past

The Aid Convoy for Ukraine.

and the future.

12 RTI VICE PRESIDENT Round Table – A world of opportunities.

16 RTI SECRETARY More than the minutes - The role of the Secretary.

32 AREA REPORTS 20 CEE REGION Area report from CEE Chairman

A TABLER'S 30 ACTS

Marc Germeshausen.

Become a Better Brother.

21 NEA REGION

38 SHARPENING YOUR SAW Personal development.

Area report from NEA Chairman Aleksander Ottokar.

SAY GOODBYE TO THE WRONG TIE Your guide to neckwear.

58 LEARNING FROM HISTORY Thinking outside of the box and breaking barriers.

R T I L E G A C Y | Content s

TRAVELLING TABLER The power of a warm welcome.

102

TASTE THE WORLD Classic American comfort food. 104

DID YOU KNOW?

The latest updates.

108

SHARE YOUR VOICE A question to discuss with your club.

90 TABLING IN SRI LANKA Explore the Pearl of the Indian Ocean.

ENDING THE STIGMA Mental health matters.

A MEETING OF THE POOL LIZARDS

How to join the club. 66 FREEDOM THROUGH EDUCATION A charity initiative in Sri Lanka.

TR AVEL 72 A RECAP OF THE HYM Here's what you missed.

HOW TO BE A GOOD HOUSE GUSET Tips when being homehosted.

RTI LEG AC Y | EDI TOR'S NOTE

BECOME A BETTER BROTHER BY MIKAEL EJEMAR VIKSTRÖM, RTI MAGAZINE EDITOR, 2021-2022

THE OFFICIAL RTI MAGAZINE

HERE WE GO AGAIN - another issue of Legacy - the official Round Table International Magazine. I'm impressed by the great content we are receiving from you. Together we create a magazine that all our Brothers around the world can take part in and be inspired by. In this issue of Legacy, you have the opportunity to immerse yourself in stories

ROUND TABLE INTERNATIONAL

round-table.org @rtinternational @rtinternational @rtinternational PUBLISHER

Graham Cornelissen president@round-table.org EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Mikael Ejemar Vikström editor@round-table.org CONTRIBUTORS

Graham Cornelissen Jayant Agrawal Nadeen Kumarasinghe Marc Germeshausen Aleksander Ottokar Nicholas Gomez Aviral Jain Darrel Benoit Stephan Zipperlen Stefanie Snoppek Andre Hiljanen Paul Hoeksema Tom Hall Mikael Hedman

and articles that lets you escape to the beaches of Sri Lanka, or the fun and joy at the Half-Year Meeting in Marrakesh. Unfortunately, I was not able to attend the HYM - but for me, and all of you who missed out, make sure you read the recap in the 'Travel & Explore' section. The main focus of this issue is self-improvement. Derived from our motto, as Brothers, we can make a difference for ourselves and others by working on ourselves. We need to promote healthy habits and a healthy self-image. The way we look at ourselves reflects on the people around us. So why not take some advice from our President Graham Cornelissen, and try reading (or listening to) a book about personal development? You'll find his tips on page 36. Also, starting this April, a new initiative called "A Tabler's 30 Acts of Kindness” will be launched. Head over to page 32 and learn how you can become a better Brother - I for one will try and follow these "tasks". Simple acts in our everyday lives can make a big difference - to ourselves and others. Especially in times like these, it's important to take care of each other. Many roads can take you on the path of becoming a better Brother - why not improve on your knowledge of how to wear the right neckwear? 'Say Goodbye to The Wrong Tie' will guide you through the jungle of sizes, colors, and patterns on page 54. And while you are at it - read up on some helpful tips on how to be the perfect guest when home-hosted on page 94. We also get an update on the amazing work of the Aid Convoy for Ukraine where Brothers and Sisters all around the world have contributed to help those affected. Read about this on page 28. I hope you will enjoy this installment of Legacy and that you will find something that motivates you to become a better Brother - and ultimately make Round Table International a better organisation!

Martina Santoro Sachin Shah Round Table 18 Wiesbaden Round Table 8 Colombo Tuskers Round Table Sri Lanka Abhishek Lodha Tienneke Petit CONTACT

pro@round-table.org editor@round-table.org

Yours in table

Mikael Ejemar Vikström editor@round-table.org

For the first time in history, the largest and most important event in Round Table International will take place in Denmark: The RTI World Meeting!

RTIWM

2022

The biggest, the wildest and the most unique...

Historic September September 21 - 25 Copenhagen

In 2022, Round Table Denmark will make history. For the first time ever, Round Table International World Meeting will be held in Denmark. It will be the first physical world meeting since COVID, and RTD is determined to make it one for the history books. We will create the ultimate, once-in-a-lifetime Tabling experience, and you absolutely have to experience it! Registration is already live, so now is your chance to secure your room at Main Hotel, and one of the very popular, and highly limited number of seats on the different pre-tours.

“We will bring together 2,500 Tabler, Circlers, Former Tablers and Tangets for 5 days in Copenhagen. We have rented out 4 large hotels, all within 3 minutes walk from each other, for what will be the biggest World Meeting in Round Tables history. It will be extraordinarily intense and “hyggeligt”

Free drinks

Start or complete your registration at:

The first 100 participants to complete registration, and have their spots confirmed will receive a dinks voucher

www.rtiwm2022.dk/registration Your spot will be confirmed as soon as we have your final payment.

for 87 EUR

to be used at the Viking Theme party on Thursday.

Convenor team RTIWM 2022

Andreas Lynnerup RT 115 Løgstør 23.01.2022 16.56 16.56 23.01.2022

RT I

RTIWM 2022 A4 eng.indd 1

M ∙2 02 2

Rami Skytte Khazouh RT 88 Brønderslev

Hasse Hunskjær RT 133 Sydkysten

connector (721×666)

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RTIWM 2022 official website

RTIWM 2022 official video

23.03.2022 15.43

FROM THE BOARD

RTI LEGAC Y

10 12 16

R T I PR E S I D E N T Mr GRAHAM CORNELISSEN

R T I V I C E PR E S I D E N T

Mr JAYANT AGRAWAL

R T I S E C R E TA RY

Mr NADEEN KUMARASINGHE

R T I L E G A C Y | from the board

RTI PRESIDENT

REFLECTING ON THE PAST AND THE FUTURE By GRAHAM CORNELISSEN, Round Table International President, 2021-2022

WITH THE YEAR HALFWAY DONE, the realisation hits home on what has been done and what remains. Inherent to Round Table, time is fleeting, and every moment must be savoured and used. Writing this provides me with time to reflect on the successes over the last few months. Our theme of StrongerTogether is demonstrated throughout the Tabling world. It is clearly seen in many of the articles in this edition. We are all aware of the ongoing humanitarian crisis in the Ukraine. The devastation seen is unheard of, and so is the required assistance. As reported on at the Half-Year Meeting, members of the Round Table Family have stepped up outstandingly to reach out a helping hand to those who need it most. The ongoing work being done is detailed in an updated report further on. These efforts show the true strength of the Round Table Family when embracing our theme. Many of us were fortunate to attend the Half Year Meeting in Morocco a few weeks ago. For the first time in 2 years, a full-scale RTI event was hosted and well attended. The pictures shared tell half the story of the fun and fellowship that was shared. The convening team pulled out all the stops to present us with a fantastic event. The hospitality, culture, food, and overall experience made an indelible mark on all of us. Except for the upcoming regional meetings, the next major meeting we are all looking forward to is the World Meeting held in Copenhagen in September. In April, we are launching a major new initiative called “A Tablers 30 acts of kindness”. We encourage each member to build healthy habits and to make a difference. Every day, we will share a suggested activity to be done. By doing all these small actions over the month, we believe that we can make a substantial difference in ourselves and our communities. These will be recorded on social media and collated into a video to be shared. Our PRO, Paul Hoeksema, oversees this initiative and will be driving this. We have several other interesting articles in this edition. From exciting updates of our regions to tips on self-development, how to wear a tie, or how to be a great house guest, there are many articles in here worth your time. We urge you to read and review these articles and engage with the writer to share ideas. We gladly accept articles for publication and request that these be sent to our PRO at pro@round-table.org. Feel free to share ideas and views with us. Stay StrongerTogether and stay safe

Yours in table

Graham Cornelissen president@round-table.org

R T I L E G A C Y | from the board

”Members of the Round Table Family have stepped up outstandingly to reach out a helping hand to those who need it most.“

R T I L E G A C Y | from the board

RTI V ICE PRESIDENT

ROUND TABLE – A WORLD OF OPPORTUNITIES By Mr JAYANT AGRAWAL, Round Table International Vice President, 2021-2022

I OFTEN GET ASKED, "what is the role of RTI"? It is easy

The Tabler.World App brings all of the above to an

to get technical and quote the aims and objectives, but

App landscape where finding members around you

the most straightforward answer is always the best. RTI

occurs using geolocation tools. This extra feature also

is here to bring people together and promote fellowship

always allows you to have an up to date worldwide

between associations and members.

member directory on your phone. The .World app is also

We believe in the bottom-up approach and that our members are supreme. We are ever-evolving, and

being used by the RT Family, thus keeping you updated among the family members.

this summary below will be evolving over the coming

THE BENEFITS OF SERVICE ON A GLOBAL SCALEVEL

months and years, whilst our focus remains to provide the best value possible to our members.

Round Table is built on serving our local communities

B E A PA R T O F T HE BIGG ER PIC T UR E

and making a meaningful difference. By being a part of

Round Table International is a collection of members

RTI, members gain access to market their events and

from across the world. We are present in 68 countries

fundraisers to a global audience. Countless examples

and expanding regularly. Tapping into this network

exist of local projects gaining support from members

allows for a diversification of views, the formation

across the globe to massive financial benefit to both

of new ideas and a level of collaboration that no

parties. The support can be extended to and from all

single association can do alone. RTI further provides

RT Family members. RTI partners with global brands

membership in the Round Table Family of nearly

such as Movember, the UN and many others to allow

100,000 individuals in more than 100 countries.

member associations opportunities to help beyond our

The RT Family members are:

networks

Round Table International Ladies Circle International Club 41 International Tangent Club International Agora Club International.

As the steering body of Round Table globally, RTI has finalized the 5 pillars of global community service and RTI Foundation. We utilize this to market association projects to external parties and solicit funds for these association projects. Our goal is to source these funds directly on behalf of the associations from sources they cannot access. By doing this, RTI provides valuable

TA B L ER .W O R L D PL AT F O R M AND THE APP

resources to support our members where it is needed most.

Round Table International developed the Tabler.

I N T ER N AT IO N A L H EL P

World platform centrally for the use of its member associations. The hardships faced by associations in

Sharing of best practices from associations to their

maintaining the membership database and other

fellow associations is something always promoted by

documents have been solved by getting access to

RTI. RTI being a central contact can help associations

this tool to help manage the association membership

to address matters which they encounter first time

database, document retention and archiving and

effectively and efficiently by their own experience and

communication.

expertise or leveraging the benefits of inter-association

Tabler.World is constantly evolving and expanding in its capabilities. Voting, polls and event invoicing can

bonding. On the one hand our diverse leadership team brings

already be done in the system. Future developments

together members from different walks of life and

include a complete financial module as well as better

various associations. We can thus provide a diverse

reporting features. Gamification is currently under

range of views on various topics by bringing together

development to track and incentivize individual

a global picture to solve a local problem. On the other,

members' attendance at Table events.

our expert legal team is on hand to assist with legal and

R T I L E G A C Y | from the board

regulatory issues. They will always be able to provide

reasons or when a local club closes. There is no

advice on a wide range of matters.

competition with an association for their members as

On request, we developed an external voting

we constitutionally ensure that these members can join

system, independent from the one on Tabler.World to

under stringent conditions only. The focus is to retain

allow associations to conduct their business efficiently.

members who would be lost to Table.

This tool is available to the member associations per request.

The expansion will be driven through this virtual means to ensure that all future expansions are done

Our help extends not only to our member

sustainably. The e-club will lead to good membership

associations but also to your members. Through our

growth in many of our existing associations by

network, we have managed to connect many lost

introducing these associations to members whom they

Tablers when travelling in a foreign country and provide

were never aware of.

them with critical assistance in their time of need. We have further assisted Tablers' close friends and family members across the world during the Corona crises from 2020.

TR AVELL ING AND FELLOWSHIP I N T E R N AT I O N A L LY Fellowship and brotherhood are cornerstones of being a Tabler. Through our international network of

SHAPING OUR FUTURE

brothers worldwide, this is taken to an entirely new

Member associations can take a central role in

level. Attending either the RTI WM or the RTIHYM is

steering our movement into the future through active

the highlight of many Tablers in their career from a

participation in the various working groups formed

fellowship point of view. We regularly attract members

by the boards at requirement and at the formal RTI meetings. Full members have a voice and a vote on the floor, whereas associate members only have a voice. NonMembers of RTI does not have the right to speak on matters on the floor and will thus not be able to help lead our beloved movement into the future.

"We regularly attract members of more than 55 countries to our meetings, allowing members to interact with brothers from diverse backgrounds."

Round Table International

of more than 55 countries to our meetings, allowing members to interact with brothers from diverse backgrounds. Twinning agreements are not regulated by RTI as this is done between associations themselves. Still, we assist in creating a platform for these to be signed and renewed as needed. This saves many IRO's a lot of time and money in the

offers a platform for individual Tablers to serve our

longer run. We encourage twinning to ensure that

movement on the highest level. Individual members

associations visit each other and share fellowship.

from full member associations can stand to benefit

Members of Round Table International further

our movement in the capacity of an RTI board member

provides an opportunity to host RTI level events.

or board assistant. Serving on the RTI Board provides

Members can host their Regional Meeting, the RTI

a platform to these members to share their ideas

Half Year meeting or the RTI World meeting in their

and talents on a global level which helps develop

respective associations. Hosting these events brings

themselves.

substantial visitors to your association, which provides an international tabling experience at your doorsteps.

E - CLUB S: T HE F U T UR E O F E X PA N S ION AND RETENTION

It allows local members to interact with international Tablers without having to travel. The hosting

We have launched the International e-club that helps

associations keep profits from these events; however,

retain members to Round Table when they move

the event is not organized to earn huge profits rather

outside their association for personal or professional

than give a lifetime experience for the registrants.

R T I L E G A C Y | from the board

Members of RTI further get to market their association

draft constitutions, marketing and branding plans,

AGM and events on an international level to the global

membership plans, multi-year strategic plans, etc. All

membership database.

these services are done free of charge

EMPOWERING AND ENLIGHTENING OUR MEMBERS THROUGH THE RTI UNIVERSIT Y

VOICE OF TABLER SURVEY The Global survey that we launched in 2020, "Voice of Tabler" (VOT), will gain insight into the hearts and minds

The RTI University focuses on providing real-life skills

of Tablers across the world. The insights are analysed and

and self-development for our individual members. The

available at international, regional, and association levels.

current offering includes the following: RTI Board member training Portfolio training – Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, Public Relation Officer (PRO) etc Ted-Style talks with influential members or ex-

We involved external experts in creating this survey while keeping this short enough to encourage engagement. Once completed, internal and external experts will analyse the data to allow valuable reporting of the results to our members. Any association can create their survey, but the RTI

members

survey will be the only one that can show the overall and

Training on aspects such as social media, ethics and AML

in a unique position. Still, this survey will show clearly

Association wide forums to share best practices.

global picture. Many associations believe that they are and without bias where we all genuinely stand. This survey is done anonymously, with participants

Under development is an online web-based portal

only having to disclose their association and area

where members can take specific content courses

name. The analysed and raw data will be shared with

tailored to a Table specific environment. This is planned

associations to use in the manner they see fit. The last

to be mostly self-study but with forums and Q&A's and

survey results in 2020/21 are still available on vot.round-

other interactive events included in the curriculum.

table.org.

We are working with internal and external experts to

THE RTI SHOP

ensure that the knowledge and skills learnt will transfer into real-world benefits to our members far beyond the

The RTI shop is a platform used by RTI to manage and

Tabling environment.

sell RTI branded merchandise. Since currently, the RTI shopkeeper has resigned due to personal reasons, we

CENTR ALIZED SERVICES A N D A S S I S TA N C E

have opened the tender for new contracts. The aim is to provide high-value RTI branded merchandise to the

Our centralized Branding and Marketing team is

associations and their members at a reasonable time

available to assist with branding and marketing for

and price.

associations. This team creates the highest quality content that associations can easily share on various

One of the objectives this year was to tie up with global

assistance and training to associations on how to

hotel chains and global airlines to provide tangible

leverage social media in full.

benefits to members of RTI. We have been able to close

Our IT manager provides an audit on association

the deals with Hyatt and IHG group of hotels to date.

websites and prepares a report on errors to be fixed

We are also in talks with a global airline company for

so that SOE can be done. In addition to this, he helps,

the same, however, the progress is slow due to the

support and guides to ensure that associations'

worldwide situation. We will soon have a tab in Tabler.

websites run smoothly and optimally.

World suggesting ways to avail the benefit.

The team further assists associations on registering

Lastly, we ask our members to participate in these

for Google and Microsoft grants and products that

initiatives that we drive. However, we will never

enable associations access to the MS office platform and

prescribe participation to any of our members. These

AdWords budget at no cost to themselves. They further

opportunities are available to all the members of

assist associations in getting "blue tick" verification on

Round Table International, where participation is

Facebook and other social media platforms.

the key ingredient to unlock these. We continuously

RTI has many templates and pre-prepared

B EN EF I T S TO TA B L ER S

social media platforms. This team provides detailed

review ourselves to determine how we can be of more

documents that associations can utilize. This is

assistance to our members and genuinely have our

shared on Tabler.World and on request. This includes

members' best interests at the core of all that we do.

R T I L E G A C Y | from the board

"Let us work together in these and many other endeavours to truly live up to our motto to adopt, adapt, improve."

Yours in table

Jayant Agrawal vicepresident@round-table.org

R T I L E G A C Y | from the board

R T I S E C R E TA RY

MORE THAN THE MINUTES - THE ROLE OF THE SECRETARY By Mr NADEEN KUMARASINGHE, Round Table International Secretary, 2021-2022

WE HAVE ALL COME ACROSS the role of a secretary at

performance, and ultimately guiding your association

our clubs. This vital role is extended and present at an

to achieve the aims and objectives. It is critical to store

area, national and international levels. The Secretary

the information that can be retrieved quickly and

oversees communication, logistics, and ensuring

accurately.

successful meetings. Here are some of the position's essential functions, followed by some helpful tips on how to execute them.

THE BALANCE IN THE BOARD It is important to note that you are a member of your board and not a device that takes minutes and records

CO M M U N IC AT IO N

information. It is important to remember to look at

We are all familiar with the communication role

the bigger picture of where your association should

fulfilled by a secretary. This role includes sending the

be directed and contribute positively to all discussions

notice and agenda of a meeting and the minutes. Any

held at the board level. As a Tabler, you have acquired

other communication that might be required must be

a level of experience before taking up the Secretary

included when sending any communication.

position. Your club or association requires you to use

Members who read the communication of the

the expertise and knowledge to better the movement

Secretary should be able to comprehend the purpose

critically. This can be hard as you are still responsible for

and the actions which need to be carried on.

taking minutes. However, the best secretaries manage

The Secretary must ensure that all communication coming from him is clear and easily understood.

to balance taking minutes and contributing effectively to all board discussions.

Communication must be sent on time. Specific timelines are stipulated by the Rulebook or Constitution of Round Table, while others are pre-agreed by the members. The preferred mode of communication is email, but increasingly we use the formal WhatsApp groups and Tabler.World as a mechanism to reinforce our standard communication. When taking up the role, it is essential to discuss with the Chairman / President and the predecessor what timelines should be abided by and their preferred communication style.

T H E A D M I N I S T R AT IO N The Secretary fulfils an administrative role within the board. Documents compiled by the Secretary

Tabler.World, One Drive, Dropbox, or Google Drive for easy access in the future Maintain a section with the action points of each meeting minutes where deadlines and the responsible party is clearly mentioned. This allows you to measure progress and ensure that things get done. Remember that a meeting with no distinct decisions is not an effective meeting. Use different colours and fonts that make it easy for readers to identify key items in the minutes, such as decisions made, action points, overdue actions etc.

once seconded by the floor are considered final. They

Always be prepared - Preparation is an element that

may have to be filed at a local authority based on the

will make your life as a secretary a lot easier than

prevalent local regulations. The Secretary further acts

not being prepared.

as a vault of knowledge to the rest of the board.

R E P O S I TO RY O F I N FO R M AT IO N The information you store as a secretary is of the highest importance when making decisions, evaluating

A FEW TIPS Always store the communique in a folder such as

R T I L E G A C Y | from the board

”A good secretary can make a massive difference to the effective functioning of any team. As the vital pivot in communication in the team, many boards have come to rely on the benefits that an effective secretary can bring to the board.“

Yours in table

Nadeen Kumarasinghe secretary@round-table.org

REGIONAL REPORTS

RTI LEGAC Y

16 17 18 19 20

CEE REGION

Mr MARC GERMEHAUSEN

NE A REGION

Mr ALEKSANDER OTTOKAR

SEM REGION

Mr NICHOLAS GOMEZ

A S PA R E G I O N

Mr AVIRAL JAIN

A M I R E G IO N

Mr DARREL BENOIT

R T I L E G A C Y | regional report s

CEE REGION

CENTR AL & EASTERN EUROPE REGION

CEE REGION STAYS #STRONGERTOGETHER By MARC GERMESHAUSEN, CEE Chairman 2021-2022

CENTRAL AND EASTERN EUROPE is the biggest region within RTI. With nine Associations and nearly 12K members, we can achieve higher peaks by working together. Reflecting on the region's activities, we can see that many already started with physical activities and found their own way through the pandemic with new, improved methods. Since the World meeting, we have gained nearly 500 members within the region. We are happy that it reflects the 3-years-plan of the region and has already reached the year's goal regarding membership. Despite this, we have had huge successes across the region: Ukraine Humanitarian Aid: The CEE region stands StrongerTogether and doing a massive side-by-side activity and raised over 3 Million Euros. We have delivered over 350 tons with more than 30 trucks, allocating humans in many associations and running refugee shelters in the border areas. This is just stunning. After a year break, we were glad to host the CEETM 2021 in Bielefeld, Germany. Over 300 participants joined the grand event. RT Netherlands joined the meeting with over 80 Dutch Tablers. Establishing a CEE Team with Adam Fitt (RTBI) as Secretary and Membership Officer, Gottfried Lumpi (RT Germany) as Community Service Officer and Stephan Zipperlen (RT Germany) as Public Relations Officer. We were able to expand in the Czech Republic. We already have over 15 active prospects who are currently preparing the charter. Furthermore, we are happy that RT Luxembourg was able to inaugurate a club in Albania. RT Germany established the role of an Expansion Officer. They developed and published a guide for low-membership clubs, which provides suggestions for prospective members. To all of our surprise, we were able to inaugurate RT Czech Republic – RT1 Prague

ASSOCIATIONS RT Austria RT Belgium

just before Christmas. With the tremendous support of RT Luxembourg, we were also able to inaugurate RT Albania – RT1 Tirana. Sadly, expansion has been slowed by the pandemic and the current situation in Ukraine. However, thankfully we have

RT Germany

retained a core of people. Due to the lack of communication and information, we

RT Great Britain and Ireland

needed to close the expansion project in Kosovo.

RT Hungary RT Luxembourg

Our 3-year plan is periodically reviewed. We have already hit the target in membership increase for the year. We are on course and will hit some more of our

RT Moldova

targets. However, there is still work to be done. We are #StrongerTogether, and as a

RT Romania

region, we need to keep an eye on the strategic plan for our region.

RT The Netherlands

The AGM season will be in full swing within CEE between April and June. After the RTIWM in Denmark, the next CEETM will be held from 21-23 October 2022 in Nottingham/UK. Check already your ticket ceetm2022.com. See you all very soon around the globe! Yours in table

Marc Germeshausen ceechairman@round-table.org

R T I L E G A C Y | regional report s

NEA REGION

NORTHERN EUROPE & AMERICAS REGION

THE REGION OF THUNDER By ALEKSANDER OTTOKAR, NEA Chairman 2021-2022

AND JUST LIKE THAT 6 months have flown past us. At the start of March 2022 we had our Round Table International Annual Half-Year Meeting in Morocco, Marrakech. Not only did we have the International Meeting, but also the Regional meeting was held. Unfortunately, not all associations were present, but nevertheless we had a Norway, Estonia, Finland, Iceland, Denmark present. We can still see that the pandemic has quite a strong grip on our region, but we are making sure that we still grow and expand regardless of hard times. Associations are working relentlessly on motivating Tablers to push forward and not get sidetracked with the limitations of club meetings. We need to find more ways to engage Tablers again and help the ones who are affected by the pandemic. In October 2021 NEARTM was held in Helsinki, Finland. Back then we postponed the yearly awards for the season and decided to give them out in Morocco. It’s my pleasure to introduce our regions finest: NEA Region Community Service Project of the Year - Round Table Trinidad & Tobago ’’Feed A Family’’ project – Round Table Trinidad & Tobago raised funds to purchase over 300 food hampers for families in need. NEA Region Association of the Year - Round Table Sweden for absolutely acing the Movember and building a lot of awareness about mens health. NEA Club of the Year - RT130 Fredricksberg, Denmark took an amazing initiative and made a Christmas gift convoy for the children in Romania. NEA Region Tabler of the Year - Patrik Broberg (Round Table Denmark) for being an active international Tabler and promoting our organisation. An inspiring figure to new brothers and actively participating in taking Christmas gifts to Romanian children. For this year I have made together with the goals of Round Table International a 3-Year Plan for the region. So far we are doing very well. We want to grow, we want to expand. We need to help smaller associations and charter new ones. We have Round Table Mexico expansion going forward. Also, we are very close in

ASSOCIATIONS RT Canada RT Denmark

establishing a new club with Round Table United States of America in San Francisco. Since the World Meeting in Dubai our region has grown 1.3% and if we want to achieve this year’s growth target, we would need still 2.1% more. We need to act

RT Estonia

now and find ways to recruit new members. But to grow, we need good foundation

RT Iceland

to build on. This is why we need to build our communication in the region, share

RT Latvia RT Lithuania RT Norway RT Russia RT Suomi Finland RT Suriname RT Sweden RT Trinidad & Tobago RT USA

best practices of our experienced members and associations. As the World Meeting in Demark deems to be the largest of all time, I need your help in promoting this event inside your associations. In conclusion, as our motto for this year in International Board says – We are Stronger Together! Thanks to everyone who has supported me in pushing to achieve our goals. Yours in table

Aleksander Ottokar neachairman@round-table.org

R T I L E G A C Y | regional report s

SEM REGION

SOUTHERN EUROPE & MEDITERR ANI AN REGION

THE GREAT WORK WE DO By NICHOLAS GOMEZ, SEM Chairman 2021-2022

AS THE WORLD LEARNS TO DEAL with Covid and its variants, the members of the SEM region have done very well in continuing their hard work. Whilst physical/face to face events have been limited, a lot of work has been put in by organisations to help those in need during the pandemic. TR France have the La Marche pour le Souffle, which raises money for persons suffering from cystic fibrosis; RT Cyprus has continued with its national project of raising money for children with liver disease; RT Morocco has its employability initiative where Tablers mentor young persons and help them find employment RT Italy has taken a focused approach to environmental issues. It is installing sea bins and an initiative which turns rubber shoes into rubber flooring for children’s play areas RT Switzerland teamed up with the charity Caritas to organise fun days for disadvantaged children RT Israel have been donating school bags for underprivileged children RT Bulgaria has given scholarships to children studying science, sport and art SEM region has increased its social media coverage of charitable and community initiatives within the region. Best Practices TR France uses an online system to assist with finding candidates within France. It sends enquiries directly to the closest Table to the candidate; RT Italy has implemented a three-stage system for chartering new tables, which ensures maximum exposure within the community before charter RT Portugal will be adding a new table with approximately 15 new Tablers in Sesimbra

ASSOCIATIONS RT Bulgaria RT Cyprus

RT Morocco has chartered a new table in El Jadida The 3-year plan is in force, and whilst our membership has dropped slightly, I

RT France

believe that it will soon start to rise. This is due to the initiatives taken up by the

RT Gibraltar

regional organisations. Further, specific emphasis is being put on brand recognition

RT Israel RT Italy RT Malta RT Monaco

and turning Table into an entity as well known in the community as Rotary or Lions club. To this end, there has been a strong push with social media and promoting events that the regional organisations and local tables have been undertaking. Our

RT Morocco

Instagram page has more than 640 followers within 3 months. Both Instagram and

RT Portugal

Facebook have posted almost 30 events within that period.

RT San Marino RT Switzerland RT Tunisia

See you all very soon around the globe! Yours in table

Nicholas Gomez semchairman@round-table.org

R T I L E G A C Y | regional report s

ASPA REGION

A S I A , S O U T H PAC I F IC R EG IO N

A PROUD REGIONAL CHAIRMAN By AVIRAL JAIN, ASPA Chairman 2021-2022

OUR REGION WAS HEAVILY IMPACTED and hit by the Covid-19 virus. Despite this, we have grown by around 500 tablers with new members in RT Nepal, Sri Lanka, Singapore and India. We are proud of what we have done as a region. RT Nepal successfully conducted its National Leadership Conclave program attended by tablers and circlers for the first time. Flight of Fantasy program was successfully conducted for the lesser-privileged children by giving them their first-ever flight experience. RT Sri Lanka has been working on the charter of the Jaffna table for a long time. Fellowship is back in Sri Lanka, and they had a successful National Executive Meeting physically. RT India, our largest association, has added 8 new tables and is on the way to adding 11 more. They also had a successful cricketing fellowship event, Jaffa. Training and learning is a vital facet, saw the completion of the Train The Trainer program, which had members from Nepal participate. The flagship service project Freedom Through Education continued through the pandemic adding over 256 classrooms across the country impacting approx. 12,000 children. RT Bangladesh continued their awareness and publicity drives across the city of Dhaka. The annual Awareness event against Drug use was bigger than before. It attracted a lot of healthy publicity for the association. The members continued to support the community with basic necessities and fulfil needs. RT New Zealand had its Half Yearly Meet over zoom platform. Members from both the North and South Islands were updated about their plans ahead. Table 17 Balclutha have conducted a successful Charity Golf Tournament with 100 players raising NZD 8000. Resource sharing has been very healthy in the ASPA region, especially for Leaderand Personality building programs. We saw successful programs being conducted with the knowledge transfer from one association to another. This is further strengthening the region, and we hope to have more associations participate in such programs. Talking to government officials and people of influence has been a regular practice in the ASPA region. This is helping Round Table get recognition and create

ASSOCIATIONS RT Australia RT Bangladesh

an opportunity to be involved in advocacy for policymaking at a national level. Engagement with film and sports celebrities has given excellent exposure to the brand of Round Table which is a regular practice in RT Sri Lanka and RT India. RT

RT Hong Kong

India has done a CSR Tie Up with popular IPL (Cricket) Franchise King’s XI Punjab,

RT India

which has given tremendous visibility to the brand of Round Table.

RT Malaysia RT Nepal RT New Zealand RT Philippines RT Singapore RT Sri Lanka

We are keeping a solid social media presence to keep everyone informed about the various updates in the region and keep the communication with RT International strong. Yours in table

Aviral Jain aspachairman@round-table.org

R T I L E G A C Y | regional report s

AMI REGION

R O U N D TA B L E A F R IC A , M I D D L E E A S T & I N DI A N O C E A N R E G IO N

THE HEART OF AMI BY DARREL BENOIT, AMI Chairman 2021-2022

AS THE SMALLEST REGION IN RTI, our members show the biggest heart. The AMI region has been very active in the first 6 months of 2021-22. All associations have at least done something remarkable during this first half of the year. From blood donations, disaster relief and assistance, provision of school materials for underprivileged kids, supporting environmental conservation projects, financing the construction of schools, food supply/provision for the less able, animal welfare support, water reticulation projects and setting up of health care facilities, rehabilitation centres and hospice. Despite losing a few members due to the pandemic and age rule, we have still welcomed many new members across the region. This is due to the great work of the National Boards and everyone involved in membership growth and expansion. The plan is to continue to grow the region's numbers as the world returns to normalcy, with the majority of the region having both growth and expansion as a priority on their plans for the year. The spirit of fellowship in the region is powerful. Members from different associations within AMI interact daily, be it for tabling related matters, professional and/or personal business. Associations and clubs occasionally share their best moment and their work done. This allows tabling publicity, continuous learning and motivation within the region. The AMI region has participated actively in all Global project campaigns driven by the Round Table International. From the Waste Challenge to Movember and the Blood donation month. Some young men in Togo are interested in starting a Round Table club in Lomé (Capital of Togo). They are now in the stage of forming a group of at least 10 members, and contact meetings are scheduled to start in early April 2022. AMI supports expansion and will do whatever is required ensuring expansion continues in the region. RT Zimbabwe and Madagascar are working hard to charter a new table in their association. This is expected to complete very soon, at least by May 2022.

ASSOCIATIONS RT Arabian Gulf RT Botswana

Malawi and Madagascar have been severely affected by inclement weather conditions. This resulted in community life interruption and property destruction during the first quarter of this calendar year. The two associations' Round Table

RT Cameroon

Malawi and Madagascar, responded swiftly with humanitarian aid support. These

RT Eastern Africa

acts have been well appreciated by the local communities.

RT Madagascar RT Malawi RT Mauritius RT Nigeria

We Love AMI. We will continue to serve our region with pride and make impactful changes in the community we live in. Long live Round Table International and AMI.

RT Senegal RT Seychelles RT Southern Africa

Yours in table

RT Zambia

Darrel Benoit

RT Zimbabwe

amichairman@round-table.org

go north, go wild LCI 2022 LAHTI

EDITORIAL & STORIES

RTI LEGAC Y

R E S P O N DI N G W I T H K INDNESS

By MARC GERMESHAUSEN, STEPHAN ZIPPERLEN, STEFFI SNOPPEK

A TA B L E R ' S 3 0 AC T S O F K INDNESS By Mr PAUL HOEKSEMA

38 44

S H A R PE N I N G YO U R S AW

By Mr GRAHAM CORNELISSEN

N O N - FU N G I B L E T O K E N S - WHY SHOULD I CARE ? By Mr TOM HALL

RO U N D PL AY B L E

L A DI E S ' C I RC L E

T H E VA LU E O F D E V E LO PM E N T

S AY G O O D BY E T O T H E W RO N G T I E

By Mr MIKAEL HEDMAN

By MARTINA SANTORO

By Mr SACHIN SHAH

By Mr PAUL HOEKSEMA

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L E A R N I N G FRO M H I S T O RY By Mr NICHOLAS GOMEZ

A H A N D FU L O F T I P S

By ROUND TABLE 18 WIESBADEN

A MEETING OF THE POOL LIZ ARDS By ROUND TABLE INTERNATIONAL

FR E E D O M T H RO U G H E D U C AT IO N By ROUND TABLE 8 COLOMBO TUSKERS

T H E R O U N D T A B L E F A M I LY R E S P O N D S T O T H E C O N F L I C T I N U K R A I N E W I T H K I N D N E SS

MEMBERS & VOLUNTEERS FROM ACROSS THE GLOBE ARE WORKING TIRELESSLY TO REACH OUT TO THOSE AFFECTED BY THE ONGOING WAR IN UKRAINE. By Mr MARC GERMESHAUSEN, CEE Chairman Mr STEPHAN ZIPPERLEN, PR Aid Convoy for Ukraine Ms STEFANIE SNOPPEK, PR Aid Convoy for Ukraine

R T I L E G A C Y | re s ponding with kindne s s

FTER THE 24TH OF FEBRUARY, life in Europe changed when Russia invaded Ukraine. The associations within Central and Eastern Europe of Round Table and within the Middle European Region of Ladies’ Circle immediately sprang to action – engaging themselves in various fields for those in need. Many humanitarian aid activities were started within two days, networks activated, and task force

meetings held. It was fantastic to see that many associations from Northern Europe and Southern Europe were willing to assist. Above all, a task force in Germany is doing fabulous work with the “Aid Convoy

for Ukraine” – created side-by-side by members of all five clubs. Within three weeks, 350 tons of material donations got collected. More than 40 trucks arrived with humanitarian aid and medical supplies in the border region to Ukraine. Building on the long-standing contacts with friends and partners through the Christmas gift convoy and the additional “summer-convoy” for medical aid, the team of Ladies and Tablers had direct contact into the region. Using these contacts, they immediately developed and supported ideas to help those affected on the ground and primarily to provide access to food, medical care, and shelter to all those who must leave their homes. Over 250 volunteers support the project “hands-on” and hold up the supply chain. Round Table Moldova and Round Table Romania established refugee camps and hotels with special support in the border area. Many families are getting sustained during these times. THE AID CONVOY FOR UKRAINE works on supplying people in Ukraine with relief goods - made possible by an experienced and proven network in Germany, Ukraine, Bulgaria, Moldova, and Romania. Thus, the project team was able to receive and process current and concrete lists of needs quickly. Based on these requirements, the aid convoy acquired fitting donations and created the infrastructure so these supplies could reach the affected people in Ukraine. To solve the logistical challenges of the project, the team works closely with partners in Ukraine to hand over supplies close to the border. Another factor that makes this aid convoy possible is the support and donations from Ladies’ Circles and Round Tables across all of Europe. The support and initiatives don’t stop there – it’s only one fact of what is going on in Europe. Round Table Belgium hosts a considerable number of refugees and gives their support every day. Round Table the Netherlands organized bus transfers from the border area to the Netherlands and accommodated them within our table network. Round Table Hungary organized various activities to provide clothing, food and transportation for refugees who entered Hungary. More than 200 beds would be provided by Tablers all over Europe. With the initiative “Accommodation for relocated humans”, nearly 100 Tablers provides accommodations for those in need.

R T I L E G A C Y | re s ponding with kindne s s

MANY LADIES CIRCLES in the Middle European Region and others are also trying to get involved in Ukraine aid. What has been done so far? Of course, monetary donations have been collected in all regional Circles through postings on social media, colleting deposits, fundraising in pedestrian zones, or events such as virtual pub quizzes, peace concerts, or movie nights. Furthermore, hands-on work is done in collection centres or donations are actively collected according to the needs list of the Friends Help Convoy. Socks in the colours of the Ukraine flag were sold. Lunches are served to refugees who have already arrived in Germany, and food is provided to refugee shelters. Some ladies are sponsors in the context of visits to authorities for refugee families or have provided housing. THE ROUND TABLE FAMILY HAS RAISED more than € 3,000,000 allocated to destitute families in less than three weeks. Most notably, Associations in the Round Table Central & Eastern Europe Region and the Ladies Circle Middle European Region are spearheading the humanitarian aid effort. The project can be supported by donations via PayPal to paypal@rtd-stiftung.de or paypal.me/tablerstiftung – Reference "Convoy". Round Table Great Britain and Ireland aimed to raise over £ 95,000 for the aid for Ukraine during their 95th anniversary month – and with exceptional contributions like the walk by a Lady and Tabler from Marchesi House to The Ukrainian Embassy contribute towards the pledge. After 3 days, the two walkers, Ash and Emily Gardner, reach their destination. The pair is welcomed into the Ukrainian Embassy in London by Andriy Marchenko (Minister Counsellor & Deputy Head of Mission) and Inna Prystaiko (wife of Ukraine’s Ambassador to the UK). We all were and are shocked about the events in Ukraine! We would not be part of the Round Table Family if we didn´t immediately develop and support ideas to help those affected on the ground by providing access to food, medical care, and shelter to all those forced to leave their homes. We owe our gratitude to all those supporting us in any way. Of course, we all wish that the war in Ukraine will end as soon as possible, and we will help if we have to. Our tribute is to all the hard-working Ladies, Tablers, Agoras, Tangent, and 41ers who are staying StrongerTogether! Chapeau! Marc Germeshausen, CEE Chairman Stephan Zipperlen, PR Aid Convoy for Ukraine Stefanie Snoppek, PR Aid Convoy for Ukraine

A TABLER'S ACTS OF K

30 KINDNESS

By Mr PAUL HOEKSEMA RT 32, Southern Africa

S WE ARGUABLY FACE the hardest of times in generations, negativity tends to flood our everyday lives. At our core, being a Tabler means being compassionate, whether it be towards friends, colleagues, family, those in need, or ourselves, there will always be a voice inside you that

commands positivity and goodwill. As individuals, we might not be able to donate thousands of Euros or coordinate a large-scale community project. Still, we can spread kindness one small act at a time. Our vision is to create a culture of sharing and caring, as cliché as it sounds. A Tabler's 30 Acts Of Kindness is a 30-Day global Tabler challenge allocated to April 2022, where we aim to flood the world with small acts that make a huge difference. Sometimes creating true impact is not about a one-time big act, but rather a lot of small acts over a prolonged period. In addition, our hope is that this campaign will ingrain positive change in our Members by forming healthy habits. Our list of acts is designed to encompass the diverse spread of our membership. It focuses on areas both internal and external to the individual. Our list of 40 acts is meant to be achievable by every Tabler and should take minimal time to complete. The campaign will run concurrently on all our social media platforms daily for 30 days straight, where our Members can engage and share their stories.

R T I L E G A C Y | a tab l er s 3 0 ac t s o f k i n d n e s s

A TA B L E R ' S 3 0 AC T S A R E A S F O L LOW S :

R E AC H O U T TO A TA B L E R / F R I E N D YO U H AV E N ' T S P O K E N T O I N A W H I L E

TA K E T I M E TO G I V E A P O S I T I V E R E V I E W TO A LO C A L S M A L L B U S I N E SS ( A N Y P L A T F O R M )

S E N D A P O S I T I V E Q U O T E T O A F A M I LY M E M B E R Y O U H AV EN' T SEEN IN A WHILE.

COOK OR BUY A WARM ME AL FOR SOMEONE IN NEED.

P L A N T A T R E E , P L A N T, OR FLOWER.

GI VE A STR ANGER A (SINCERE) C O M P L I M E N T.

OFFER SOMEONE A HELPING HAND CARRYING THEIR GROCERIES.

CARRY A PL ASTIC BAG AND PICK UP SMALL PIECES OF L I T TER W I TH YOUR NE X T OUT ING.

WR I TE A SMALL THANK YOU NOTE TO ANY S E R V I C E P R O V I D E R .

I N T R O D U C E YO U R S E L F TO A N E IG H B O U R T H AT YO U H A V E N ' T Y E T M E T.

SEND A PIN/COIN OR ANY OTHER REG AL I A W I TH A SHORT M E SS A G E T O A B R O T H E R O U T S I D E O F Y O U R C O U N T R Y .

ARR ANGE A SHORT ZOOM C ALL W I TH A BROTHER OUTSIDE O F Y O U R C O U N T R Y.

GIVE SOMEONE WORKING OUTSIDE A B OT T L E O F WAT E R .

FORGIVE SOMEONE WHO HAS WRONGED YOU

MAKE AMENDS W I TH SOMEONE YOU H AV E WRONGED.

R T I L E G A C Y | a tab l er s 3 0 ac t s o f k i n d n e s s

S E N D A T H A N K Y O U M E SS A G E T O S O M E O N E I N T H E R T F A M I LY T H AT H A S A D D E D VA L U E T O Y O U R L I F E .

SEND WORDS OF ENCOUR AGEMENT TO SOMEONE TO PURSUE THEIR DREAMS.

I N V I T E A F R I E N D T H AT H A S N ' T B E E N TO YO U R H O U S E Y E T TO DINNER.

T R E AT YO U R CO L L E AG U E S TO A SNACK.

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TA K E T I M E TO S H O W O R T E L L YO U R C H I L D R E N (O R A F R I E N D ' S C H I L D R E N ) A R E C E N T C O M M U N I T Y P R O J E C T. G I F T A R E L AT I V E , A F R I E N D, CO L L E AG U E , O R ACQ UA I N TA N C E A B O O K . SEND A SENIOR SOME FLOWERS.

I N V I T E A F R I E N D TO YO U R N E X T TA B L E M E E T I N G O R R E F E R S O M E O N E T O T H E G L O B A L H E A D H U N T E R P R O G R A M

COMMEND SOMEONE'S SERV ICE IN A N Y R E TA I L S TO R E .

SEND A THANK YOU NOTE TO E SS E N T I A L W O R K E R S .

SURPRISE A CHILD WITH A S M A L L G I F T.

SU R PR I SE YO U R PA R T N ER / SP O USE W I T H A S M A L L G I F T.

LE AV E A BIGGER T IP TH A N USUA L WHEN V I S I T I N G A R E S TAU R A N T

B E KIND TO Y O U R S E L F , W R IT E DO W N 5 T H IN G S Y O U A R E G R AT E F U L F O R A N D P U T T H E M U P S O M E W H E R E V I S I B L E .

S E N D A N E W P R O S P E C T YO U R FAV O U R I T E R O U N D TA B L E MEMORY AND ONE PIECE OF ADV ICE.

R T I L E G A C Y | A tab l er s 3 0 ac t s o f k i n d n e s s

A LT E R N AT I V E AC T S : ( WHEN BA SE AC TS COULD NOT BE COMPLE TED)

PAY F O R T H E CO F F EE / D R I N K O R D ER O F T H E PER S O N B E HIND YOU IN L INE.

TA K E A B R E A K F R O M T E C H N O LO G Y F O R A N E N T I R E D AY.

GIF T SOMEONE A SOUVENIR F R O M A T R I P.

L E T S O M E O N E B E H I N D YO U AT T H E G R O C E R Y S TO R E GO IN FRONT OF YOU.

A D O P T A P E T O R D O N AT E TO A L O C A L A N I M A L S H E LT E R .

TA K E S O M E T I M E TO S P R I N G - C L E A N YOUR HOME.

D O N AT E S O M E O F YO U R U N WA N T E D O R UNUSED I TEMS TO THOSE IN NEED.

D O N AT E B LO O D, B E CO M E A N O R G A N D O N O R O R S I G N U P F O R T H E B O N E M A R R O W R E G I S T R Y .

MENTOR SOMEONE.

S E N D A V I D E O G R E E T I N G M E SS A G E T O A B R O T H E R I N ANOTHER COUNTRY

Introducing the...

Champagne Prize In collaboration with RTI, we are proud to present the Champagne prize, which will from now on, be given at every World Meeting. The association with the largest percentage of it’s members in attendance will be given the main price:

The coveted champagne Sabre with the name of their association, the year and the percentage of it’s members represented. The association with the most participants nett will receive:

The champagne bucket with the name of their association, year and number of participants in attendance. The prizes will be held by the winning association till the next world meeting, where they will be presented to the next winners on stage at the Gala. We wish you alle the best in your bet to win the first ever prizes in Copenhagen! And why not collect the set if you can?

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RTIWM 2022 official video

23.03.2022 15.50

SHARPENING YOUR SAW

WE ALL TEND TO GET CAUGHT UP IN PRODUCING WORK AND DELIVERING RESULTS. WHILST THIS IS IMPORTANT, A BALANCE MUST BE MAINTAINED BETWEEN PRODUCING AND TAKING CARE OF YOURSELF. By Mr GRAHAM CORNELISSEN RT 217, Southern Africa

Rest and meditation are critically important in our lives, but so is personal growth. In preparation for my role as RTI President, I read several books for my personal development. This helped me be as prepared as possible for what is to come.

R T I L E G A C Y | s harpening your s aw

Should you not have the time to read these books, try listening to an audiobook. Cheap and flexible, this option allows to you keep on growing whilst driving to work or going for a walk. The retention of information versus reading is comparable. I have found that Audible has an extensive range of books that can be listened to. Here is a breakdown of some of the best books I read/listened to in the past:

U N D ER S TA N DI N G L I F E : MAN'S SEARCH FOR MEANING V IC TOR FR ANKL Writer Victor Frankl spent multiple years in a Nazi death camp. He survived unimaginable horrors and lived through this. As a psychiatrist, he used his time and suffering to develop a new approach in psychotherapy, called logotherapy. The principle of this theory is that a person's primary motivation in life is to search for meaning. I found this a chilling book to read at times and struggled with some of my mind's imagery. After finishing this and some reflection, I understood the source material and the role that suffering plays in our lives. I took away the importance of finding meaning and helping others find meaning in their lives and have been trying to do so ever since.

GA INING A PERSONAL V IC TORY: THE SE VEN HABI TS OF H I G H LY E F F E C T I V E P E O P L E S TEPHEN COVE Y One of the most influential business books of the 20th century and is still relevant today. Inspiring and impactful, the lessons contained herein has captivated millions of people for more than 3 decades. The 7 habits are famous and integrated into the lives and behaviour of millions of people worldwide. Anyone can find value in reading his book and adopting the habits contained within. This is probably the book that has had the most significant impact on my life and is something that I review once a year. I always find new bits of forgotten information here that make me improve and remind me of the work already done. I use this fantastic resource to centre myself when presented with a personal or professional dilemma.

INSPIRING OTHERS: S TA R T W I T H W H Y SIMON SINEK Used in one of the most popular TED talks ever, starting with why started a global movement. Using practical examples, Simon shows that why we do things are infinitely more important than what or how we do something. The Golden Circle idea provides a framework for which movements can be built, and people can be inspired. Finding your why and communicating this leads to commitment to you and your ideas. Before taking on any new task, I ask myself why I want to do this. This helped me define my purpose and set out clearly what drives me. This further helps you define success and anchors you during tough times. This has also helped me communicate with others in a more open and trusting manner. Once you start asking why you also start others for their why and this has proven to be very insightful.

R T I L E G A C Y | s harpening your s aw

U N D ER S TA N DI N G T H E EF F E C T O F S M A L L AC T IO N S : T H E P O W ER OF HABIT CHARLES DUHIGG Taking a very scientific approach to how habits are formed, Charles Duhigg shares vast research and information on how the brain works. Practical examples are given regarding how this knowledge has been used in real-world situations, from the boardroom to professional sports. Getting a proper understanding of how habits work makes it easy to be more productive, find time, and achieve success in our lives. Habit building is one of the keys to success. I have found that everyone has dreams, plans and goals, but converting that to results often goes awry. This is where the understanding and building of habits come into play. Understanding why you do or do not do certain things and then having the tools to program your inner code is the difference between a goal on paper and an impact made in life.

THE OLD AND THE NEW: THE MONK WHO SOLD HIS FERR ARI ROBIN SHARMA Timeless teachings from the East meets the modern approach from the West. Told as a story, this book helps you find meaning in life in some of life's most important questions. A focus on mind, body and soul is used to demonstrate the importance of balance in your life. A system of living is introduced where you can become your best self. Unlike many of the books on the list, this is not purely scientifically or experienced driven. We must remember that ancient wisdom is to be cherished and understood. Where this meets modern thinking, a balance is needed to decide on the way forward. I used this to understand the view of different cultures and include age-old wisdom whenever possible. The advice in this book is lifechanging and something that I plan to put more energy towards in the future.

C H A L L EN G I N G T H E S TAT U S Q U O : R AY DA L IO

PRINCIPLES

As the founder and CEO of the most successful investment firms globally, Ray Dalio has more than 40 years of experience to share. He argues that many aspects of life can be broken down into simple rules to be followed. He introduces concepts such as "radical truth" and "radical transparency" that allows individuals and teams to make more effective decisions. With more than 100 principles and practical lessons, it is impossible to read this only once. Reading an autobiography is easy as this tells a life story and provides some lessons and insights into the person. Principles go way beyond that. The principle of radical transparency is something that I try to imbue in all I do. The biggest takeaway from this for me was how to make decisions whilst understanding how different personalities play their roles. I believability weigh most of my decisions and note that this has contributed to an increase in making more of the right decisions.

SE T T ING GOALS: THE 10X RULE GR ANT CORDONE Extreme success lies beyond regular action. Achieving extreme success means not settling for mediocrity and forces you to operate where others choose not to. This book teaches you how to reach these levels of success by removing luck from the equation and how to get the best guarantee of achieving your goals. The concept of Massive Action is introduced, showing how this impacts the work and success of any team. We all know how to set goals for ourselves. Its easy, and almost anyone can do it. But do we set ourselves really ambitious goals? I realised that most of my goals align with others and what was done in the past. Truly understanding our motto of adopt, adapt, improve is helped by this book showing that we need to break the moulds that we live in. We must not be afraid to dream big, even if we fail.

R T I L E G A C Y | s harpening your s aw

W INNING A S A TE AM: THE F I VE DYSFUNC T IONS OF A TE AM PAT R I C K L E N C I O N I Written as a parable, this book tells the story of a new CEO who took over the dysfunctional executive team of a Silicon Valley firm. Fictional examples followed by real-life solutions are presented for each of the 5 dysfunctions a team can have. Leading a team has inherent difficulties. This book shows how this can be identified and addressed in an easy-to-understand manner. Leading a diverse team of members from all over the world is not easy. Being entrusted with a team, this book assists me in identifying problems and resolving them. As every individual is different, every team is unique with their unique challenges. Resolving all issues in a team might not always be possible, this book helps me to get the maximum from my team members.

TA K I N G R E S P O N S I B I L I T Y: E X T R EM E O W N ER S H I P JOCKO W ILL INK & LEIF BABIN Written by two US Navy SEAL officers, they share their practical experience into powerful leadership lessons that are applied from the battlefield to everyday life. All concepts are introduced with real-life combat experiences. This then gets explained and translated into easy to understand and practical advice. After their service, having started a successful consulting company, these lessons prove in high demand by many corporate teams throughout the world. Understanding responsibility when leading a team is often misunderstood. One of the key concepts here is "extreme ownership". The leader takes full responsibility for the successes and failures of the team. In theory, this is simple, but the practical application rarely sees this happen. An enjoyable book with simple and proven lessons helps me act in high-stress situations.

A DIFFERENT PERSPECTI VE: SHERYL SANDBERG

LEAN IN

An inspiring book, dealing with women and power in the modern era. Urging women to take risks, seek new challenges and do work that fulfils them, whilst remaining driven and engaged. Based on an earlier TED talk by Sheryl, this contains personal lessons and stories based on her life and other successful women. A different perspective is one of the most important gifts that we can get. Lean in provided me with a woman's view on our current culture and how this impacts different people. Being a male-only organisation, it was clear that we have plenty to learn from our women, but we never really got around to this. I learnt to start seeing these different perspectives from different people and cultures and how my actions affect others.

Bonus book

MAK ING CLUBS WORK B R A D PA R K E S As a past Tabler with vast experience, Brad understands the challenges we face. He has developed tried and tested strategies told in an easy-to-follow story approach. Billy, a young man, is mentored by his boss Alex and introduced into a new club. The 7 big mistakes that many clubs make and how to fix these are critical for all Round Table clubs. Lessons for greatness follows to take your journey to the next level. This should be mandatory reading for anyone wanting to become a table chairman. Not a long book to read. The value for Tablers is immense.

R T I L E G A C Y | s harpening your s aw

TLDR

Self-improvement is critical in our daily lives, not only as a Tabler. Reading a good book with practical applications can help you unlock your full potential. Audiobooks are great for people struggling with time as they offer a cheap and viable alternative to reading, especially when re-listening to a book.

R T I L E G A C Y | nft s - why s hould i care ?

NON-FUNGIBLE TOKENS

WHY SHOUL By Mr TOM HALL , Deputy Editor, RTBI Tabler Magazine

Blockchain technology is what underpins all things crypto, and NFTs are no exception. But how can the technology’s unique possibilities for indelible ownership benefit you?

ON-FUNGIBLE TOKENS are digital

Of course, a much-touted criticism is that the art

items saved to your crypto wallet that

people are claiming ownership of is technically

guarantee proof of ownership of a

indistinguishable from a JPEG version of the image.

unique digital item of interest, sealed

But, just as you can photocopy a David Hockney print,

permanently on a blockchain, therefore

having ‘the original’ or a specially commissioned print

indelibly marking the item as ‘yours’.

is what gives artwork its value. And, as we discussed

NFTs reached the public’s consciousness ‘thanks’

beauty is in the eye of the beholder… or, in this case,

their digital ownership of ‘art’ of often dubious

the digital simian art work owner.

quality. Sealing your ownership of a single Bored Ape

NFT artwork is, however, only one use of the

Yacht Club NFT, for example, could easily set you back

medium. NFTs are increasingly used in blockchain

£500,000 in ETH (Ethereum token) on Opensea (a

gaming, allowing gamers to own their in-game items

popular trading platform for NFTs).

(be it a magic axe in a fantasy game, or a plot of land in

Collecting and trading art NFTs is a lot like traditional card collecting, but digital. Traders seek to purchase an

last issue, ‘value’ is a subjective concept, much like

to a host of blue check-marked celebrities flaunting

a metaverse), which have a guarantee of rarity. This may seem innocuous, but it’s part of a wider,

item from an art collection they predict will blow up in

multi-trillion dollar, movement broadly known as Web

popularity, thus allowing them to sell it on for monster

3.0, which brings ownership of data back into the

profits. Artists including Banksy have sold digital items

control of users, instead of multinationals. This is a

for eye-watering prices, and it’s a trend that doesn’t

revolution in that allows users to trade their data to

seem to be letting up, with Marvel, Disney, McDonald’s,

pre-approved apps, browsers and user-pre-approved

etc all on board.

digital entities.

R T I L E G A C Y | nft s - why s hould i care ?

LD I CARE? Meanwhile, music services such as Gala Music

entities (again, unless you expressly give your

(launched by Snoop Dogg earlier this year), are

permission). For example, your passport NFT might

emerging. These allow musicians to benefit by selling

allow your crypto credit check NFT to be approved…

NFTs of their music, which the new owner (you if

which allows your crypto insurance NFT to be

you choose to purchase it) can co-own the rights to,

activated… which allows you to purchase a house in

allowing you to profit from streams of said tracks.

real-life, the ownership of which is proven via an NFT.

The future for NFT use is vast, and exciting. Your

Further down the line, a virtual plan of your new

mortgage, marriage certificates, and ownership of

house (probably scanned via your iPhone), might

physical land might soon be stored on blockchains.

highlight areas of your house that need work (fixing

Indeed, projects like Landshare and Bricks are currently

the boiler for example), in the form of NFTs that signify

giving crypto holders ownership of physical land via

‘actionable tasks’, which you approve only once the

NFTs, allowing them to profit in crypto currency from

work is done. The currency (Bitcoin?) charged for this

the rental of real-life properties. In a sense then, the

transaction would then leave your wallet once you

socialist dream of ‘worker co-ops’ is being realised

approve the work is complete.

in the most unfettered of capitalist markets, the Wild West of crypto.

So, you see, there’s a lot more to this market’s potential than obnoxious, over-priced apes.

The indelibility and ‘trustless’ nature of NFTs, meanwhile, will likely, one day allow for seamless interoperability of various services, all while guaranteeing your data and privacy are safe from prying eyes, centralised controls, and corporate

R T I L E G A C Y | G aming

ROUND PLAYBLE By Mr MIKAEL HEDMAN, RT 120, Sweden

It's time for another round of Round Playble. I know there are fellow game-fans across our association, and hopefully I will make it easier for someone to dare to take the step into the magical world of games. Together we can escape reality, albeit for a short while!

R T I L E G A C Y | gaming

BANG

C A M B IO

R AT I N G : ●●●●●○○

R AT I N G : ●●●●●●○

Bang! is a spaghetti western card game, which you quickly notice as everything is described in either English or Italian! A game for 4-7 players, it works best on 6-7 players, in my opinion. It is a very social game that requires you to lie to each other. Everyone, except the sheriff, has a secret role. You can be a deputy sheriff, outlaw or renegade. The sheriff and the deputy sheriffs want to be the last ones left in the game, the outlaws want to kill the sheriff, the renegades want to be the last ones left in the game. You collect cards that make you stronger in the form of weapons, tequila, horses, etc. There are several expansions that make the game even more fun and make it playable for up to 8 players, I have tested with 9 and it also works. But takes longer to play. I highly recommend that you find a spaghetti western playlist on Spotify that you have in the background as mood music. This is a game that I have played with friends and colleagues quite often over the past year.

WO R D L E R AT I N G : ●●●●○○○ This game has received a lot of hype on Twitter and now also in Round Playble! Available for Android and IOS.

What do you need? An ordinary deck of cards. This is a fun and a bit odd card game. It's about getting the lowest score as possible. Red kings give -2p (so they are the best cards), ace gives 1p, then the remaining cards give as many points as on them, jack = 11p etc. Distribute 4 cards to all players, these should be turned upside down on the table, no one is allowed to look at them, not even the one who received the cards. The rest of the deck is placed in the middle, facing down. The one who starts draws a card from the middle, looks at it and chooses if it is low enough to change one of the four in front of the player. Initially, no one knows what they have in front of them, so you have to hope that it is higher than the card you want to put down. Remember the card! The card you chose to discard is thrown in a pile next to the draw pile. The next player may choose to take the top card from the deck or draw a new card. It is very beneficial to try to memorize both your own and your opponents' cards. Why then, you wonder? Well, because if someone were to throw a 4, for example, and you know where there is another 4, you can quickly take the 4 and throw it in the pile as well. If you took a 4 from your own cards, you now have one card less in front of you. If you were to throw an opponent's 4, then you may give away an optional card

There is also a website where you get a new word every day,

of yours, to that opponent. Fewer cards, fewer points,

(www.powerlanguage.co.uk) Every day, everyone around the

good! If several have the same idea and try to throw

world gets a new word in 5 letters and in English that you

cards at the same time, then it is the one who is the

have to figure out. You have 6 attempts, and you find out if

fastest who wins the duel, the other / others may take

the letter you guessed is not used in the word, if it is used,

a penalty card from the draw pile. You must not throw

you find out if it is in the right place, or the right letter but

several 4 on a thrown 4, only one at a time.

the wrong place.

Soon you will know the game, but to increase the

A simple and entertaining game to pick up when you need

excitement a bit, there are three cards that have a rule

to kill time on a bus trip, toilet visit or the like.

attached to them. All 8s = If you roll an 8, you get to look at an optional card of your own. All 9s = If you roll a 9, you get to look at any card of an opponent. All 10s = If you roll a 10, you have to swap places on two cards. One of yours and one of an opponent or between two opponents or between your own. Choose freely, but two cards must swap places. Then you decide for yourself how many rounds you want to play, the lowest point after X rounds wins.

R T I L E G A C Y | L adie s ' C ircle

L ADIES' CIRCLE

RELATIONSHIP AND FRIENDSHIP ON NOVEMBER 30, 2021, my dog arrived like a bomb in my house. It was an adoption through the Australian Cattle Dog Rescue Italia. Let me introduce myself; my name is Martina, I am an Architect, and I am also a dog educator in training. The first thing that was explained to me by my fellow educators in preparation for Yoda's arrival was the importance of creating a healthy and balanced relationship with the newcomer. A concept that I made mine only when I realised what it was like to share my life with a different species. When dogs express their feelings, they are like a raging river, and I am not deliberately exaggerating this description. The emotions of dogs, sometimes like those of children, are genuine, immediate, and uncontrolled. Too genuine, too immediate, and definitely the vast majority of the time, they are too uncontrolled. Theirs is the purest and most contagious of joys, just as their affection is deep and devastating. Seeing them overwhelmed by these passions arouses in us equally intense emotions. I started a long career in Civil Protection in November, together with Yoda. I liked the idea of making myself socially useful with her and building a relationship step by step that would allow me to get the best out of both. Driven by this idea of collaboration that I see becoming stronger with each passing day, I decided to talk about the importance of collaboration, reciprocity, and the communion of intentions. For this reason, when I was asked to write this article, I thought of her because I see the relationship between LC and RT as a collaboration in respect of our differences, but also in respect of the communion of intentions we have. From the local club level to the national & the international level, where the collaboration between the two clubs is stronger, the clubs themselves are stronger too, not only because together we are stronger, but because with a greater presence in the area, we have an imprint that we can leave more easily and grow together as well as have more fun. In every country where side by side collaboration is strong, and the bond is profitable, we see a steady growth of the number of clubs and even greater social aid. The collaboration between the two associations does not detract from one of the two in terms of identity but instead enriches one with the experiences of the other. In my experience, Italy has always had difficulty in uniting and working together, and only on a few occasions managed to collaborate. I was amazed how in my first year as LC Regional Chair of Southern European Region, we managed to collaborate in a profitable and active way with Raffaele, then RT Regional Chair of the CEM region. This also gave a boost to my country in being able to create synergies and create greater relationships also at the local level, something that has also been continued by the National Presidents in the last two years, which has given more strength at both local and national level. I strongly believe in the common motto of this year, and I hope that this in the years to come will give us a tremendous boost and help the collaboration between LC and RT in mutual respect. Yours, in friendship and service

Martina Santoro Vice President, Ladies’ Circle International 2021-2022

LEARN MORE Get to know more about Ladies' Circle on @ladiescircleinternational

”Being open is an important part of the Round Table culture That is why we so often meet old friends for the first time.“ Andre Hiljanen, Round Table 61 Växjö, Sweden

R T I L E G A C Y | the value of development

T HE VA LUE OF DE V ELOPMEN T

"CONTINUAL IMPROVEMENT IS AN UNENDING JOURNEY"" LLOYD DOBENS

By Mr SACHIN SHAH , RTI University Manager

When developed in a right way, a Continuous Improvement culture instils in members the desire to become better individuals and strive for excellence. It’s difficult that we can change how people think or what they believe.In theory this phenomenon sounds simple. In reality, however, committing to continuous improvement is serious work so let’s see why it’s worth the trouble and what it takes to make it work.

R T I L E G A C Y | the value of development

E AS ROUND TABLERS have

EXPLORE BETTER WAYS: Once an organization gets

evolved over decades and always

a direction , Then it is important to improvise the

adopted new ideas & taken this

process and get more brainstorming in executing the

wonderful movement from

required goals with better planning & engaging more

strength to strength , Today Rt

minds , which helps in continual improvement, A most

International is committed to

important factor in improvement is Training , Training

work towards Exploring new waters & creating a strong

helps us to channelize ideas through better skills &

platform that can help young minds move on the path

proven technologies

of Continuous improvement & Development. The only way to make our organization imbibe the values of

KNOWLEDGE SHARING helps in creating awareness

continuous improvement is have a culture of training in

& ready information from people within the

any form , it may be via classrooms, online, knowledge

organization, It helps members to improvise from the

sharing , Onsite trainings at HYM &

knowledge received & create new

World Meets.

benchmarks, Sharing also inspires

The Belief of Continuous improvement comes with 3 main elements – Innovate, Engage & explore Better ways INNOVATE: Since we are an organization of young men , We are in abundance of new ideas &

“You first have to learn to follow in order to learn to lead.” Elizabeth Young McNally, global leader at McKinsey Academy.

innovative solutions to problems

others to replicate the good work . In round table we do this very efficiently But, there is a lot of room for more & hence the RTI University is regularly conducting Table Talk shows where we share best practices from across the world . This has helped a lot of associations at large.

within us & the society at large.

The RTI University believes in these principles & is

We are a young men, Young men who are budding

regularly working towards creating platforms that help

entrepreneurs & Professionals ,Young men who want

upskilling leaders , We have successfully completed RTI

to excel in their own life & leave a mark , Young men

Board Trainings, Vice President Trainings, Online Table

who want to do something for the community at Large.

Talk shows & Personal development Trainings.

And that is why Young men need to be encouraged to

The On-site training at the HYM was successful in

Innovate.

creating a new platform that engaged members from 8 countries . The trainings conducted had

ENGAGE: We need to regularly engage with the last joe

fun filled games with teamwork, The training also

tabler to get the newest ideas which may sound weird

engaged the participants who were able to channelize

for the first time but can have the ability to shape the

their thoughts in identifying their problem areas &

organization much better. Engagement is definitely the

collectively finding solutions or ways to find solutions.

key in making members feel inclusive & when members

We look forward in creating value from Learning &

are heard , it automatically brings in in involvement &

development for all tablers & family members & in this

hence creates a larger bunch of people reaching their

journey we look forward to your suggestions & ideas

goal collectively.

that can reshape our organizations for the future !

SAY GOODB THE WR

BYE TO RONG TIE

By Mr PAUL HOEKSEMA RT 32, Southern Africa

Let's face it, there is no such thing as a one size fits all tie. Apart from a gentleman working in an office, not all of us get to wear the formal (or smart casual) highlight known as a tie that often. Weddings aside, Round Table, as a young men's organisation, creates the unique opportunity for us to dress up more often.

R T I L E G A C Y | s ay goodbye to the wrong tie

Like any ill-fitting blazer, the wrong tie' texture, colour, length, or even the wrong style for your body type can make you look dull as ditchwater. Of course, we want you to look as sharp as you do for that job interview as for your Club's AGM. Let's find out exactly how you should be wearing a tie. Doing so the correct way is the easiest way to upgrade your tailoring game.

F I T A N D W I DT H

CO LO U R

T H E O CC A S IO N

PROPORTION IS KEY

B U I L D YO U R PA L E T T E

KNOW WHERE YOU ARE GOING

As far as the suit goes, we touched base on

It goes without saying, like most items in

Knowing the occasion, you are dressing up

the right fit in the first edition of Legacy.

your closet, colour commands the match.

for is vital to your outfit's victory or demise.

Unfortunately, many of our strapping

It's pivotal to know which hues will work

Different ties suit different occasions,

young members neglect to apply some of

best with your suit, shirt and even your

subject to the same dress codes. Generally,

the same principles when picking out the

skin tone. You should always aim for the

silk ties in block colours are the most

right tie.

tie to be at least one shade darker than the

formal –most often sported in boardrooms

shirt it's paired with. It is possible to make

– and don't lend themselves to much other

the process easier by keeping a few good

than a suit.

The perfect tie should complement your suit and overall look and keep your outfit in proportion. Your frame should ultimately

classic options to hand.

Men looking to show a little more style-

be the deciding factor here. Matching the

For ties, deeper shades, such as blues

conscious approach have turned to knitted

width of your tie, including the knot, to the

or burgundy, can bring the win home.

ties in the modern era. Owing to their

width of your lapels (slim for slim, wide for

Ties are always a point of focus and are

narrower design and squared-off end,

wide). Your suit should already have been

immediately noticeable, and people often

these are less formal and versatile enough

matched to your body frame.

judge your character by them. As for the

to be worn as smart casual. In the case of a

shirt - you can't go wrong with crisp white,

black-tie event (as Tablers, we love these,

which makes for a perfect blank canvas to

of course), the right necktie to wear is

highlight your tie on.

none - put on a bow tie!

A broad man must consider a slightly wider tie to match his more prominent shoulders. Slim ties suit the skinnier guys because it complements their body type;

If you're looking to start a solid tie

just ensure that your shirt collar is smaller

Collection, start with staple colours like

in proportion.

grey and navy, which can be easily dressed

As for the length of your tie - A tie should always hit the waistband of a trouser. A clip-on tie is never the answer unless you are looking to head back to your primary school (and not as a teacher).

up or down by your choice of shirt. Your collection can then be expanded by going beyond the normal by incorporating more saturated hues like green, yellow and red.

PR I N T S & PAT T E R N S TA K E I T TO T H E N E X T L E V E L With so many prints and patterns available, it's easy to get confused - some combinations are easier than others. Sticking to simple two-tone patterns like polka dots or stripes can help you here. Being muted in design, so they are easier to match with your shirt. You can lessen the statement by opting for a tonal look, such as a grey suit worn with a light grey shirt and a dark grey polka dot knitted tie. Striped ties are an excellent way of introducing colour for more advanced dressers. There are always at least two shades to work with. Going for a muted base and a contrasting stripe to pop against classic tailoring.

R T I L E G A C Y | learning from hi s tory

LEARNING FROM HISTORY

THINKING OUTSIDE THE BOX AND BREAKING BARRIERS By Mr NICHOLAS GOMEZ, SEM Chairman 2021-2022

R T I L E G A C Y | learning from hi s tory

OR THE LAST YEAR OR SO, I have become fascinated by Alexander the Great and what he accomplished in his short lifetime. By the time he was 32, he had conquered the Achaemenid Empire, which spanned from Turkey to India as well as Egypt. It is no surprise that, according to Plutarch, when a young Julius Caesar read of Alexander the Great, he wept and said, “…when I

consider that Alexander at my age had conquered so many nations, and I have all this time done nothing that is memorable”. One particular story of Alexander the Great sticks out for me, and that is when

he encountered Tyre. At the time, Tyre was an island fortress located about 1km away from the mainland, in what is now Lebanon. Alexander did not have a navy and so was unable to get to the island by sea. Faced with this problem, he came up with an extraordinary solution. He set about building a 100-metre-wide land bridge from Lebanon to the island of Tyre over which his army crossed. Two things stand out for me. The first is how Alexander could think outside of the box and deal with obstacles that most would struggle to overcome in ways that no one had thought of. The second is the fact that this land bridge still exists today. What Alexander the Great did 2,300 years ago remains in place today. I cannot help but compare it to the ingenuity, perseverance, hard work and tenacity that Round Table as an organisation has today. Take the extraordinary work that our brothers and sisters have carried out in relation to the crisis in Ukraine. They have collected the amount of money, the logistics put in place, the sheer effort and determination to help those in need at very short notice and without hesitation. My own region, which I am so honoured to Chair, does amazing work on a daily basis without seeking recognition or praise. Our brothers and sisters are continuously thinking of ways to support those in need, whether by fundraising or offering assistance in person. My Report at the Half-Yearly Meeting set out just a few of the incredible initiatives in the SEM region. It is clear that we can group together and achieve what many would consider impossible as an organisation. We bring people together, help people, bring about positive change, and are all about fellowship, goodwill, and friendship. If and when each of us ever has the realisation that Julius Caesar had when learning of Alexander, I know that we will not weep but instead rejoice in the knowledge that we are part of an organisation with such a global impact. The work we do today affects thousands of people worldwide for the better.

M E N T A L H E A LT H P R O J E C T

CREATING AWARENESS AND ENDING STIGMA WITH A HANDFUL OF TIPS. By ROUND TABLE 18 WIESBADEN, Germany

R T I L E G A C Y | a handful of tip s

N TRUE ROUND TABLE FASHION, we at Round Table 18 Wiesbaden (Germany) have adopted and adapted input from different sources, including RTBI’s mental health initiative. We are proud to start an awareness campaign on mental health for Tablers & Ladies and their

friends and families. Since the launch of this campaign, we have added several other steps to the scope of our mental health project.

AWA R EN E S S PR E S EN TAT IO N The starting point was our “A Handful of Tips for Mental Health” presentation, which we created after several cases of mental health issues in our personal surroundings. We noticed at the time that we often felt overwhelmed and unable to respond correctly to persons revealing their personal problems with mental health issues. We first wanted to find a better approach to such situations for ourselves. After several discussions with persons suffering from mental health problems and experts in the field, we felt that the outcome – our five tips for mental

M E N TA L H E A LT H CO I N S

health – were worth sharing with our fellow Tablers and

To aid in spreading our message, we have issued two

Ladies, and we put together a 20-minute presentation.

sets of coins so far: One with our RT 18 Wiesbaden

We then approached our RT/LC friends in Germany and

logo and colours, plus an extraordinary cooperation

beyond and, to this day, have reached well over 500

coin with RT Germany’s self-help initiative Aktive Hilfe

people with our handful of tips.

(“active help”).

M E N TA L H E A LT H F I R S T A I D E R S Aktive Hilfe supports the club family with a network of Tablers and Ladies that help each other in all kinds of situations where expert help is needed (including, for example, financial or legal questions). They have seen a spike in mental health-related issues during the COVID-19 pandemic. They are in need of further contact points within the Tabler network. To strengthen the Aktive Hilfe network, for every 20 coins sold, we can send a Tabler or lady to become trained as a Mental Health First Aider, who will then become part of the Aktive Hilfe initiative.

LOCAL SUPPORT To actively give back to our community, we previously ran a fundraiser through an online wine tasting, with all of the profits being invested into a self-help initiative called Psycholotsen (“pilot for psychological matters”), which includes a café and meeting opportunities run by

R T I L E G A C Y | a handful of tip s

A HANDFUL OF T IPS # TA L K I N G H E L P S Start a conversation with your friend with open-ended questions. Carefully listen and try not to judge. It is not easy for everyone to talk about their feelings. Take time for a meaningful conversation.

#LISTENINGTOO Let your friend finish what they have to say. Do not try to find quick solutions. Express that you are thankful for your friend’s trust.

#ASK T WICE Try to help your friend to really open up. Ask for your friend’s true feelings. Show your friend that you take their concerns seriously and that you are ready to listen carefully.

# M E N TA L H E A LT H Mental health is an essential issue for everyone. Take care of your own mental health and that of your surroundings. If you feel you need help, ask someone to help you. Gather a team of friends to approach the situation. people with mental health issues (either in their past or still today). With our donation, we covered a significant part of their yearly budget, which all needs to come from private contributions.

SOCIAL MEDIA Follow us on Facebook or Instagram to access our

#ENDTHEST IGMA Help make mental health a regular topic of conversation that everyone can openly talk about. Do not judge persons for mental health issues. Help end the stigmatization of persons with mental health issues.

mental health-related content, including our two videos promoting our project with short statements by each of our 15 members. Please feel free to reach out to us if you would like us to visit your table’s online meetings with our presentation or if we can help you in sharing our message with the international version of the said presentation.

A MEETING OF THE POOL LIZARDS Started by the 2010/2011 RTI Board, this unofficial association of Round Table was born. Affiliated to no specific country, politics or religion, the goal of the Pool Lizards is to encourage interaction between members of the RTI Board and floor Tablers.

RULES

CURRENT RTI BOARD MEMBERS have Pool Lizard pins and will only be too glad to induct members into the association. The joining requirements are as follows: At the time of joining the Pool Lizards, you must be a

1 Women are most welcome to observe a meeting of the Pool Lizards 2 Changes to the rules of the Pool Lizards requires the

current Round Table Member.

consensus of 5 of the 9 current elected RTI Board

A RTI Board member must be present in the pool,

members.

Jacuzzi or ocean for you to be inducted. You must be attending an official Round Table function at the time of the pool. Jacuzzi or ocean meeting. When entering the meeting of the Pool Lizards, you must have a beer or other drink for each Pool Lizard member already present.

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES 1 To encourage interaction between Joe Tabler/Floor member and the RTI Board. 2 To develop fellowship amongst young men through their love of chlorine and salt 3 Through the medium of their vast social skills, the members intend to take over the world one drink at a time

R T I L E G A C Y | freedom through education

CHARIT Y PROJEC T

FREEDOM THROUGH EDUCATION By ROUND TABLE 8 COLOMBO TUSKERS, Sri Lanka

R T I L E G A C Y | freedom through education

OLOMBO TUSKERS ROUND TABLE 8, a club under Round Table Sri Lanka, has done some incredible work in enabling the children of Bogaswewa high school. The project started with a simple visit to the school in Bogaswewa early in 2020. The visit inspired the members of Colombo Tuskers Round Table 8 to aim to support the students as

we firmly believe in providing underprivileged "Freedom Through Education." The first task was to provide the school with 430 sets of desks and chairs, so they could study and learn comfortably. The cost of the project is close to approximately LKR 2,000,000. One of the beautiful parts of being in Round Table is our international fraternity. Round Table emphasizes fellowship amongst its members both locally and internationally. For CTRT8 and RTSL, our relationships amongst international members and clubs have provided us with immeasurable tangible and intangible opportunities. For this Colombo Round Table 8 and Round Table, Sri Lanka would like to gracefully thank Bangalore Round Table 7 from India and Round Table Gratz from Round Table Austria, who helped us raise funds for the school. This year in January, CTRT8 invited the year 11 and 12 students of Bogaswewa high school to visit Colombo. This included 16 girls and 14 boys, including four teachers. This turned out to be an exceptional experience for the children who experience many first in their lives, including visiting Colombo and enjoying pizza (Thanks to Thimbirigasaya Pizza Hut for creating an unforgettable experience for the children). We visited One Galle Face Mall, watching the sunset for the first time, which were seemingly simple had a profound impact on motivating the students about their future. " As the chairman of Colombo Tuskers Round Table 08, I'm proud to have a team working on inspiring the students Bogaswewa Maha Vidyalaya in showing them what's possible and what they could achieve if they put in the hard work. The encouraging feedback we received from the students and teachers only motivates us to do more and develop their future interests. I'd like to take this opportunity to thank all the donors who contributed to help us donate (insert no. of desks and chairs) to the school and to Pizza Hut Sri Lanka for providing lunch for all the students and teachers who participated in the excursion and for also providing a valuable lesson on sign language, which was beneficial for all." Chairman of Colombo Tuskers Round Table 8, Chedi Uduman. Round Table is an international club for young men. With a motto of Adapt, Adapt, and Improve, Round Table strives to improve the lives of the members through supporting each other through fellowship, business, and community service.

TRAVEL & EXPLORE

RTI LEGAC Y

A RECAP OF THE RTI H A L F -Y E A R M E E T I N G 2 02 2 By ROUND TAVBLE INTERNATIONAL

90 94

TA B L I N G I N S R I L A N K A

By ROUND TAVBLE SRI LANKA

H OW T O B E A G O O D HOUSE GUEST By Mr PAUL HOEKSEMA

A T R AV E L L I N G TA B L E R By Mr ABHISHEK LODHA

102 TA S T E T H E WO R L D from LCI RECIPE BOOK

10 4 D I D YO U K N OW By ROUND TABLE INTERNATIONAL

10 8 S H A R E YO U R VOIC E By ROUND TABLE INTERNATIONAL

R T I L E G A C Y | T ravel & E xplore

JOIN US IN COPENHAGEN T H E R TI W M 2 0 2 2

R T I L E G A C Y | T ravel & E xplore

Register now for this one in a lifetime opportunity to enjoy this Tabling experience along with members from all across the world J OIN U S A T T H E R TI W M 2 0 2 2 Register now

A RECAP OF THE HALF-YEAR MEETING F O R T H O S E W H O M I SS E D I T