On September, 2006, Leonardo De Angelis presented to the Rotary Club of Ravenna, Italy, a vision and proposal to conduct an international, multi-club conference in Stockholm, Sweden, to discuss and take and act upon local, regional and international projects in a collaborative and more effective manner.

Why Sweden?

Mr. De Angelis is a past president of the Rotary Club of Moscow International, an English speaking club (hence the “International” designation). His club was sponsored by a Swedish club, with support from Past (Swedish) District 2350 Governor Carl Vernersson because, at the time, the Moscow region was part of one of the several Swedish Rotary districts. (Moscow and western Russia now is within a Russian district, distinct from Sweden’s and all other districts).

During Mr. De Angelis’s tenure in the Moscow club, his club sponsored the formation, in 2003, of the Rotary Club of Stockholm International, another English speaking club. In additional to this club, Mr. de Angelis established relationships with several other clubs in Stockholm, including the Rotary Club of Stockholm Strand.

There is more, but it is enough to say for this group of pictures that the conference happened, in Stockholm, 13-15 September 2007. Representatives from 12 Rotary Clubs attended, from the countries of Italy, Finland, Latvia, Russia and Sweden. A project was selected to be presented to the directors of the clubs represented and, if approved by some or all of the 12 clubs, it will be supported by them. The project focuses on a rehabilitation center for children in Lubny, Ukraine, as presented by the secretary of the Rotary Club of Moscow International, Svetlana Tolmacheva.

This is a visual record of some the informal and formal events, including the conference itself, at the Hotel Hellsten in Stockholm.