Inter-country committee Italy-Russia, Italy – Latvia. Palermo and Marsala, May 1-7, 2011.

31.05.2011

The members of Rotary Club Rostov-on-Don attended an Inter-country committee Italy — Russia, Italy-Latvia. From our club in Sicily was — Doroshenko Igor, Doroshenko Irina, Drobyazko Inna, Bushyeva Olga.

Which wonderful assembly in Sicily after the last years’ meetings!

The very warm welcome by the Sicilian Rotarians has encouraged the integration of the friends who had never attended at this kind of meeting before. By its treasurers and ancient history, Sicily has soon charmed all the participants who arrived at Palermo from Latvia, Russia, Bologna, Ravenna and Republic of San Marino on Sunday, the 1st and 2nd of May. After a first day spent by walking downtown, on May 2, we visited some special sites leaded by our attentive hosts Roberto and Gabriella Guarrasi, Tommaso Lentini, Rita Cedrini, Ennio Nicotra and Carmelo Sebbio. Then we visited, among other the Palazzo Reale with the Cappella Palatina and Steri, a palace that once was centre of the terrible Inquisition but now is the place of the University. In the Sala Magna of Steri, which ceiling is painted by many frescos we were welcomed by the Vice Chancellor. He offered us a very beautiful book where the recent refurbishing works of the ceiling are illustrated. Then we left for Marsala. The friends of RC Marsala have welcomed us in the cloister of the Monastery of Carmel. So, all together spent a very pleasant evening by dining, talking and singing accompanied on the accordion of Tommaso Lentini!

On May 3, we met at the Complex St. Peter for attending at the Joint Assembly of the ICC Italy-Russia and Italy-Latvia. After the opening of the works by Salvatore Ierardi, President of RC Marsala, Salvatore Lo Curto, DG of D-2110 (Sicily & Malta) declared that these meetings contribute to the international relationships among the Rotary clubs and Rotarians. In their turn, the Russian, Italian and Latvian participants presented their club. Anna Makarova, Domenico Arato, Pietro Berti, Igor Doroshenko, Philippe Cohen, Alexey Golovin, Vladislav Ginzburg, Salvatore Ierardi, Alexey Svetlikov, Serghei Timofeev also underlined the significance of this annual meeting that lets Rotians know each
other and strenghten their friendship. Roberto Guarrasi, Chairman of the Assembly invited Leonardo de Angelis who shortly remembered how the previous assemblies held in 2008, 2009 and 2010 together with the Multi-Club Workshop of the same years have let Rotarians to strengthen their ties also by implementing some humanitarian projects. In his turn, Andrei Ibragimov told that this kind of meeting have to be also held in Russian towns that are not the capitals. This solution can better develop Rotary that at the moment is already quite well working in Moscow and St. Petersburg. Tereza Strauta presented Latvia and its 20 clubs that are belonging the District 2410 (Latvia and part of Sweden). Tereza wished the development of the Latvian Rotary thanks also to the cooperation started with Italy. In the next months the ICC Italy-Latvia should become fully operational. Philippe Cohen told on the 10 year concrete cooperation among RC Moscow International, RC Bari and further Italian clubs, in particular RC Ravenna. By this cooperation his club implemented some humanitarian projects which amount is more than US$ 100.000 and some music tours of talented children in Italy. Leonardo presented the project «Dove» promoted by Serghei Sergunin together with RC Riga International at the occasion of the 4th Multi-Club Workshop held in Ravenna last September. Sergei was absent because he didn’t get his visa in time. By this project, Rotary is helping children affected by cancer who are hosted at Jekabpils, Latvia. The presentation touched the participants and one Rotarian from RC Marsala decided to contribute by a donation to RC Riga International that will continue to implement the project «Dove».

Then participants discussed on the place of the Assembly 2012 to be held in Russia.