2011 District Conference in Kungälv

District 21's 13th District Conference was held last 20-22 May 2011 and was hosted by the Zonta Club of Kungälv. Club President Christina Rylander Bergqvist and Vice President Susanne Andersson were Sundsvall's Zonta Club's official delegates. Club Secretary Lena Sandersjöö and Past Club President Annika Bränström attended the conference, too. And I, MaryLou Espiritu-Olsson participated in my role as D21 UN Committee Chair.
The current biennium, 2010-2012, under the leadership of Governor Ruth Brunner, goes under the motto "Visibility (Synlighet), Objectivity (Saklighet), Support. The District Board is shown on the inset photo with Governor Ruth shown farthest to the left.
The Zonta Club of Sundsvall has been successful in member recruitment and care amongst other activities. Representing the club, Lena, Annika, Christina, Susanne and MaryLou shared the club's success factors - well-defined international and local goals and purpose, conditions for member participation, clear communication, individual member's will to make a difference, effective leadership. These building blocks result to increase engagement and fellowship amongst members as well as improvement in sharing and using the collective and individual competence of members. These bring about a sense of pride as a Zontian and fun as club member!
Moments of seriousness filled the conference hall during deliberations and debates. Delegates voted yes (green) and no (red) depending on the issues in question. Club delegates Christina and Susanne are seen in the middle high up in the last row of delegates on the "yes/green" picture.
Zontians from Sundsvall shown on the way to the fortress on Marstrand.
Christina, Annika and MaryLou enjoying food and company inside the Carlsten Fortress.
The District Board for 2012-2014 was officially elected on the last day of the conference and will be led by the Incoming District Governor Liisa Sulin Elmqvist, above far right.

Annika was elected as the Incoming Vice Area Director for Area 1.
I, MaryLou Espiritu-Olsson, addressed the conference in my capacity as District 21 UN Committee Chair. I talked about the UN's endeavors in safeguarding women's rights. I took up the challenges that face the least equipped women and the continuous need for advocacy to improve women's rights and status. I presented what I deem important to focus on in my function as UN Committee Chair - for women, for peace and for prosperity!
The District Conference ended with Christina presenting Sundsvall as the venue of the 2013 District Conference with the Zonta Club of Sundsvall as host.

This was my first district conference thus completing my "zonta-chain" - club meeting, area meeting, district conference and international convention.

I thank Kungälv's Zonta Club for a memorable district conference. And I thank Therese Shroeder for letting me publish her photos on this blog.

To enlarge the pictures, click on the respective photo collage.

Photos were taken by Therese Shroeder of the Zonta Club of Kungälv, Lena Sandersjöö and MaryLou Espiritu-Olsson of Sundsvall.