The Chapter-to-Chapter Exchange program invites chapters to make connections with fellow members in other countries or regions. Members might share educational information from their region, how their local members are involved in DKG, and other personal stories. Formats for exchanges can include email, video conferences, recorded videos, Padlet, or any other platform that works for both partners. It’s up to each chapter.
Members and chapters may log onto the new Chapter-to-Chapter Exchange Community on dkg.org at MyDKG > Communities > Chapter-to-Chapter Exchange to find a partner.
Here are a couple of stories of European connections from recent years:
Netherlands and Norway
In June 2019, three members of DKG Netherlands accepted Norway's invitation to attend an anniversary meeting in Kristiansand.
Janny Kisteman, Jeannine de Jong and Marie-Antoinette Hubers were warmly welcomed by Astrid Bie Skaaland and stayed there for four nights. They visited schools, museums and the famous Ravnedalen park in Kristiansand.
They learned a lot from each other, and the intention was that a group of members from Norway would go to The Netherlands in May 2020. Unfortunately, this has not taken place due to the Corona epidemic, but new plans are being made.
Netherlands and Germany
Last spring, the Epsilon chapter in The Netherlands organized an exchange with a chapter in Germany.
The German guests visited Groningen where they had a beautiful day together. They visited the Groninger Museum, went on top of the Forum in Groningen and had a delicious dinner together.
Next year the Netherlands chapter hopes to visit Germany!
The International Task Force hopes that members will embrace the Chapter-to-Chapter program and use the power of technology to enjoy DKG fellowship with friends across the globe.
It was great to meet our Norwegian DKG sisters
ReplyDeleteWhen we stopped sitting with our countries/states in Austin in 2018 because we were going to vote electronically, we began a practice of DECREASING connections -- old and new -- with members from other states and countries and even within the same state or country in which we lived. I used to take all sorts of photos and other things to give to members in other states/countries for their archives or personal memoirs, but in Austin I could not find anyone easily. I could not go look at a drawing of the session floor and tell where a group was sitting and go and say "hello" to old friends and then often they would introduce me to other friends from their state/country. So in Austin I found myself sitting each session with 2-3 of my chapter members and had fewer chances to meet new friends.
ReplyDeleteWhile I don't advocate returning to sitting with states/countries at each business session, I suggest that perhaps at one session or one meal function, state/country members sit together so that those of us who want to go and say hello or leave notes, photos, for members in another state/country would be able to find them. I used to come home with a little notebook with 25-30 new names of members in states/countries other than my own -- I miss that! And I do think not sitting with those we know well or want to know better from our own states/countries has changed the climate a bit from the "dear fellowship" we all say is the #1 reason we stay in the Society.
Europe has smaller number of chapters and they communicate well between states so they have had excellent chapter to chapter exchanges for a long time. Let's make sure that we don't decrease the opportunities to meet members in other chapters, particularly here in the states and let's make sure that we use a variety of ways to communicate between chapters. All the electronic ways to communicate are good and efficient, but what built the lasting fellowship for many of us was meeting other DKG educators face to face at one Intl Convention and then anticipating meeting them face to face at the next Convention.