A Farewell Message of Friendship, Peace, and Service

We have signed a great number Charters in the last two years, and many more are on their way…

About ten National Coordinators have joined those already in place.

Some countries less favourable to ICC have joined us, such as Japan, with whom we have forged bonds of sincere friendship and respect, and Sweden as well recently… several countries have also signed Charters with various African nations… the future of Rotary in Africa… all of this fills us with joy.

The ICCs are a way to motivate and attract Rotarians and Rotaractors.

ICCs: perhaps the future of Rotary?

Why such increased interest about ICCs? … The desire, in this challenging world, to be together, to open ourselves to others, to work together while sharing enjoyable moments… all this at the same time and much more.

But for the ICCs to have a lasting impact, it is essential that they be primarily bilateral, but above all, strong, active, structured, and sustainable.

I want to thank you for your kindness and friendship: rest assured that for the rest of my life I will think of each of you and remember the good times we shared.

I would especially like to thank my team, without whom none of this would have been possible: my team has been my guiding light and my support throughout these two years.

Thank you to Michel Davoudian, DGN of D2452, for your support and contribution to every event; to Guy Cahané, my excellent treasurer; to my secretary, Giuseppe Mosci, for his wise advice and faithful translation; to Bruno Scovazzi for your daily work updating our data; to Pierre-Marie Achart, who has made our website a powerful communication tool; to Anne-Marie Mouchet for managing the Peace Award applications; to Gunes Ertas for his reports at each meeting; and also to Xavier Pacaud, Paco Chapa… and many others… and finally, thank you to Emil Moawad for the youthful energy he brought to our group… not forgetting Serge Gouteyron, our Past President, for his guidance, trust, and friendship.

Our smiles, our kindness, and the emotion we put into our words and actions are the beginning of peace.

Peace cannot be just a dream for us Rotarians and Rotaractors.

Thank you again for everything you do, and please spread the word as widely as possible.

Over the past two years, I’ve also served as a sort of ambassador for Belgium… Feel free to contact me if you happen to be in the area… I’d be happy to welcome you.

I wish Annemarie Mostert all the best for these next two years as president: success, joy, and shared friendship.

Thanks again and see you soon

Nathalie Huyghebaert,
ICC Executive Council Chair 24/26

An answer from Japan

Dear Nathalie Huyghebaert,
President of the ICC Executive Council 2024–2026,

Today, I had the privilege of reading your final and deeply moving message as President of the ICC Executive Council. I wish to express my profound respect for the fact that you have spent the most fulfilling two years of your Rotary life in this role, meeting and connecting Rotarians and Rotaractors from all around the world. You have achieved remarkable accomplishments with people who aspire to do good and contribute to a better world.

You have also gained many wonderful friends. Among the many Charters signed over the past two years, the fact that Japan—previously not part of the ICC has now formally joined is entirely thanks to your warm guidance and generous support. It is certain that many more Charters will follow.

Among the ten newly appointed National Coordinators, I am deeply honored to have  been able to join as the National Coordinator for Japan. This would not have been possible without your warm advice and support, and I am truly proud of this opportunity.

In Japan, thanks to the passion and dedication of Past District Governor Toshihiko Katō, the Japan–Ukraine ICC Charter was established with the unanimous support of all governors. As you mentioned in your message, it is historically unprecedented in Japanese Rotary that we were able to build bonds of friendship and respect with 14 out of the 34 governors, many of whom had not previously been actively engaged with ICC. I am sincerely grateful for this achievement.

On May 28 of this year, we held the provisional signing ceremony of the Japan–Ukraine ICC in Bergamo, and on June 16, during the Rotary International Convention in Taipei, the official signing ceremony was completed in your presence. It is a joy beyond words.

World peace cannot remain merely a dream for Rotarians and Rotaractors. It is essential that we spread awareness of our wonderful activities to as many people as possible.

With the cooperation of Sankei Shimbun, one of Japan’s leading newspapers, an ICC feature article was published on June 29. It included coverage of the ICC World Peace Forum in Bergamo, as well as a large article and photographs of the Japan–Ukraine ICC signing ceremony. I am attaching the PDF file for your reference. Once again, thank you very much. I look forward to the day we meet again.

Takemichi Suzuki
ICC National Coordinator, Japan Section