D-2483 DG's Newsletter September 2016

DG Velibor ZOLAK GOVERNOR'S NEWSLETTER No. 3 - September 2016 Rotary Institute Thessaloniki, 3 - 9 October 2016 DISTRICT 2483 – THE MOST PROMINENT ONE! A success – the shortest statement about the participation of District 2483 in the largest event of Zone 20B. Our Rotary stand at the Institute, at the entrance to the plenary hall, was the main and inevitable meeting point for all Rotarians. Excellent atmosphere, great enthusiasm of our people, a lot of Montenegrin and Serbian specialties (brandies and wine, prosciutto, sausages, pastry, sweets) and travel brochures. We had the pastry from Subotica, Stara Pazova, Sremska Mitrovica, Belgrade and Pastro- vici, the Njegusi prosciutto, the sausage from Srem, ajvar from Leskovac, wine produced by Plantaze, Aleksic and Pre- setnik. Everybody brought something and there were plenty of different things available! We met the Rotarians from other dist- ricts, made cooperation plans, shared ideas and suggestions. We had several meetings with the coordinators Malik Aviral, Aris Zachos and Usama Barghouthi and RID Corneliu Dinca. At the end, Director Dinca met with the senior officials of our District, DG Zolak, DGE Randjelovic, DGN Matic and ARRFC Stefanovic and assigned us tasks! Many thanks to the ladies from Novi Sad, Leskovac, spotless all the time, making sure than everybody gets what they need, thanks to everybody who participated, the turnout has exceeded the expec- tations – in Thessaloniki. In these several October days in Greece, I was very proud to be the 2483 District Governor! We have functioned flawlessly, all for one, one for all, a true orchestra! Let’s not forget, the Rotary depends on us only, on our will and faith, our engagement. Whoever has not got that will and that faith honestly does not belong in our organization. We can make things happen when we try! When we gather around good ideas and projects, we can be the best, like we have been at the Institute!  Velibor Zolak District Governor D2483 Montenegro & Serbia C +382 69 01 74 44

District meeting on 17 and 18 September 2016 Page2 ROTARY FOUNDATION AND GRANT MANAGEMENT The Rotary Foundation and Grant Management Seminars were held on 17 and 18 September 2016 in Andrevlje, at the hotel Ceptor, Fruska gora. The seminars were hosted by the RC Novi Sad Alma Mons. During the Seminars, a District Meeting was held and a series of conclusions and decisions (on the National Rotary Day in Serbia, observance of the World Polio Day, etc.) were adopted and they will be covered below in the Newsletter. The meeting and seminars were attended by 66 participants, representing 40 clubs, out of a total of 62 active clubs. This two-day event in Fruska gora was characterized by excellent lectures, very pleasant working atmo- sphere, interesting discussions, and good conclusions. As many as 66 participants showed that they really cared about Rotary and that they were committed to the mission represented by the badge they have. After the exhaustive discussions, in order to eliminate voluntarism, it was decided to set up a com- mission comprising DG Velibor Zolak, DRFC Darko Mitic, Nela Vitic, RC Bar, Svetislav Milovanovic, RC Beograd Stari grad, Zoran Matic, RC Krusevac i Zoran Markovic, RC Kragujevac, tasked with prepa- ration of draft documents nece- ssary for the District, including a rulebook on global grants, a rulebook on district grant (amendments to the existing one), a rulebook on tender procedures for district and global grants, a rulebook on submission, collection and archiving records of club and district documentation, and a rulebook on selection of scholars (as an independent document or as part of the first two rulebooks on grants). All the abovementioned documents will be submitted for public consultations to the clubs in District 2483 before their adoption at the District Legislation Meeting. The commission is open to new members who wish to contribute to the development of these documents of importance for the functioning of District. 

    All clubs - 24 October WORLD POLIO DAY According to the conclusion of the District Meeting in Fruska gora, WORLD POLIO DAY will be observed in this Rotary Year on 24 October 2016 with all clubs organizing adequate lectures on contribution of the Rotary International and the Rotary Foundation to eradi- cation of polio (poliomyelitis) at their meetings during that or the one pre- ceeding that week. Alternatively, ADGs may bring all their clubs together for a joint meeting in order to organize an adequate lecture. All clubs are suggested to pay US$100 to the Polio Fund of the Rotary Foundation during that week.   27 October 2016 - Budva FINAL STAGE OF THE MARATHON FOR GUINNESS A man with the will of steel has been running for 43 days already! If he perseveres until the end, if he makes it through the unimaginable 55 days, the Rotary Club Budva is organizing a well-deserved welcome reception for him outside the 2000-year old Budva Old Town. The runners and marathon runners from Serbia, who have been following him in certain sections over the last 43 days, are already announcing that they wish to run the final marathon together with our Goran. Welcome! Welcome Goran! In a truly extraordinary way, you are showing what a strong resolution, dedication, and human will can do! Budva and the Rotarians of Montenegro are waiting for you! Page3

5 November 2016 PUBLIC RELATIONS SEMINAR A District Public Relations Seminar will be held on 5 November 2016 at the hotel Park in Belgrade. The se- minar will be hosted by the Rotary Club Beograd Skadarlija. The programme of this one-day seminar is intensive, and the speakers are the leaders in news and marketing communications all of whom are Rotarians. The seminar is moderated by Dr Dinko Gruhonjic, the Chairman of the PR Committee at D2483. Since our Director Corneliu Dinca has announced a visit to our District for 5 November, it is possible that there will be some minor changes to the programme. The purpose of the PR seminar is to get acquainted with the importance of pu- blic relations and image building, lear- ning how to write the most important journalistic form – news, get acquainted with digital communications and capa- city building for development and imple- mentation of a club’s PR plan. The participants in this seminar will find the knowledge acquired on this occasion useful in all aspects of life. At the end of the day, the attitude other people have towards us primarily depends on the image we project (personal, club’s, business image and so on). The seminar targets PR Committee Presidents, Club Presidents and Secretaries as well as all the Rotarians who are aware that a successful action cannot be carried out without a serious PR. The registration fee for the participants in the Seminar amounts to €22 and is payable in the dinar counter value. The participants should register no later than 2 November 2016 by e-mailing the District Secretary at [email protected]  All clubs in Serbia - 2 December 2016 NATIONAL ROTARY DAY OF SERBIA! Page4

It was decided at a District meeting in Fruska gora that the National Rotary Day of Serbia would be observed Page5 on 2 December 2016 (Friday) in all the cities in Serbia with Rotary clubs by organizing appropriate events including an adequate cultural and artistic event and a lecture on Rotary. In the cities that have more than one club, all clubs should join forces to organize this event. The clubs are recommended to organize concerts, plays, exhibitions, sporting events or similar public events attracting a large number of citizens. On the same day, before the event, a public meeting of the Rotary club will be held - the lecture “Why I am part of Rotary” featuring the prominent Rotarians well known to their fellow citizens who will talk about the reasons why they are at Rotary. The lecture should not include more than five to six Rotarians of diff- erent professions, while the presentations should not take more than five minutes per speaker. The club president and ADG (if there is any at the club) introduce the speakers and give an introductory note about the club, explaining the reasons for organization of the lecture. A PowerPoint slide should be prepared for spe- aker, including their photograph, name, year of birth, profession, and a few key details focusing on what they are known for. The club should prepare 5-6 slides presenting major club actions and leave enough time for questions from the audience. The National Rotary Day is an Open Door Day which has to be announced through all media outlets. For the purpose of the announcement, the clubs should prepare a press release to be distributed to all media outlets. The media, friends, family members, citizens, representatives of public and nongovernmental organizations, companies, sports organizations and all interested people should be invited to the National Rotary Day (concert/play/exhibition + lecture). The Rotary Day is the opening of our door to the public, great communication with the community, but also an opportunity to find a partner for the club projects.   New District 2483 action in the pipeline SENSOR MATTRESSES After the end of the great District action “Mara- thon for Guinness – 55 marathons in 55 days”, at the proposal of the Chair of the Committee of the RC Budva Foundation, Bozena Jelusic, following a broad discussion at a District meeting in Andrevlje, it was concluded that the possibility of organization of a new District action involving the procurement of alarm equipment (sensor matt- resses) for early detection of SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome) should be analyzed. This syndrome affects the infants between the day one and eight months of age and the purpose of this action is to donate the sensor packages to the hospitals i.e. maternity wards in Serbia and Montenegro. The price of one package is approximately €60, and the sensors detect if the infants stop breathing, allowing their parents and medical staff to react on time. 