We extend our heartiest congratulations to our new President Nominee, Kalyan Banerjee of Vapi, India. RIPN Kalyan was a special adviser to the India RLI organization. We wish him and his wife, Binota the very best for a successful term as President in 2011-12.

“The paradox of our time in history is that we have taller buildings, but shorter tempers, wider Freeways, but narrower viewpoints. We spend more time, but have less, we buy more, but enjoy less. We have bigger houses and smaller families, more conveniences, but less time. We have more degrees, but less sense, more knowledge, but less judgment, more experts, yet more problems, more medicine, but less wellness.”

— US Comedian George Carlin giving us something to think about.
Quote courtesy of Binod Khaitan, Leader of India RLI

During a recent television interview, a Nobel laureate was talking about very advanced brain research by a number of leading scientists. When they sat down at a roundtable and had a free flowing discussion, said the esteemed researcher, there was spontaneity and creativity from the group. The same is true with other types of discussions when everyone is free to express their views and “listens” to others in the group. The role of a discussion leader in RLI is to bring out that spontaneity and creativity of the group. At RLI courses there is no wrong opinion, perhaps only wrong facts (if that). Respectfully accepting participants' ideas as a basis for further discussion is a great educational tool as well as a tool for progress.

RLI is pleased to welcome the Czech and Slovak Division. The new division consists of District 2240 that includes the Czech Republic and Slovakia in Eastern Europe. The Chair of the Division is PDG Petr Pajas of Prague and the District Governor is Frantisek Rynes. We thank PDG Kalcho Hinov, RLI Intl. Regional Vice-Chair for Eastern Europe for his efforts in initiating RLI in District 2240.
 
We are also pleased to welcome the Santa Catarina Division of Brazil. The new division consists of the three districts in the State of Catarina, 4650, 4651 and 4740. Chair of the new division is PDG Alceu Eberhardt and the district governors are Ernoe Eger, Paulo Fernando Branco and Estanislao Diaz Davalos, respectively.  We thank RID Antonio Hallage, RLI Intl. Regional Vice-Chair for South America, for recruiting the new division.

We are very pleased to welcome Rotary International Director-Elect John Smarge of Florida USA as the newest member of the RLI Intl. Senior Leaders Advisory Board. RIDE John was active in the original development of the now 13 member district Sunshine Division in Zone 34. We thank John for his strong support of RLI.

Another festive breakfast meeting has been scheduled for the Montreal Convention on June 23, 2010 at the Intercontinental Hotel. The doors will open at 7:00 a.m. and the breakfast will start promptly at 7:30 a.m. and end well in time for the participants to attend the Convention plenary session on Wednesday morning. Tickets are US$ 32.00 per person and may be obtained from RLI Intl. Executive Director Michael Rabasca. Full information will be soon posted on the RLI website home page at www.rotaryleadershipinstitute.org . Because many of our largest divisions are located relatively close to Montreal, a large turnout is expected and we urge all our members to register early. The event is open to any Rotarian and guest interested in a quality leadership development program for Rotary CLUBS.

The RLI Heart of America Division (Zones 30 and 31) had a successful Annual Meeting on September 11 at the Rotary Institute for the two zones held in Tulsa, Oklahoma USA. Chaired by PDG Dick Wagner, Division Chair,  the Division elected officers for 2010-12 together with 9 regional coordinators. Representatives of 13 of the Division's 14 member districts were in attendance at the meeting. We thank R.I. Director Fred Hahn for his cooperation in arranging the meeting. Director Hahn is a member of the RLI Intl. Senior Leaders Advisory Board
 
The new recommended curriculum for 2009-12 is now in use in much of the RLI world. It is the result of the work of the RLI International Curriculum Committee to continually update the curriculum to keep pace with changes in Rotary International and The Rotary Foundation. It also works to challenge the participants with modern sessions on the subject of leadership. The new curriculum adds additional “leadership” sessions with more problem solving exercises.
 
The Pakistan and Afghanistan Division has published an attractive and informative newsletter that shows a very active course program. The Division is chaired by PDG Muhammad Faiz Kidwai with Vice-Chairs, PDG Saeed Shamsi and Dr. Ali Akhtar, Treasurer PP Jalal Sheikh and Hon. Secretary PP Shireen Kamal.
 
The new Part I outlines have been translated into Spanish and have been posted on the RLI materials website. The translations were made by PDG Julio A. Mendez, Division Courses Chair of the Argentina & Uruguay Central/South Division and Carlos Esquerro, Division Finance Chair, both of Argentina. We thank Division Chair Juan Pedro Torroba, who has arranged many of the Spanish translations found on the main RLI website and the materials website. Other language translations are well underway and additions will be posted soon.

Because of the continued growth of RLI around the world, our International Training Team members have been called on to conduct faculty orientations for new divisions and to meet, during some trips, with prospective RLI members. The very busy schedule includes: October 31, Ontario for the Shining Waters Division and The Netherlands for the new division; November 7-8 Smolyan, Bulgaria Division; November 11, Prague to meet with the leaders of the new Czech and Slovak Division;  Kosovo (tentative); November 13-14, Cleveland, Ohio USA for the North Coast Division; Santa Cruz de la Sierra, Bolivia for the new Bolivia Division; November 14, Truro, Nova Scotia, Canada, for the Atlantic/Atlantique Division; November 27-30, Algiers for District 9010 joining the France Division; December 3-4, Amman, Jordan for the Lebanon and Jordan Divisions; December 5-6, Abuja, Nigeria for the new Nigeria Division;, December 7-9, Accra, Ghana to meet with a prospective member; December 8-9, Seoul, Korea for the Korea Division; December 12-13, Santa Catarina State, Brazil for the new Santa Catarina Division.
 
The Training Team Calendar will be updated very soon on the RLI Website, www.rotaryleadershipinstitute.org (Organizational Information, RLI Calendars). We will provide brief reports on these events in future eBulletins. HE Annual Intl. Curriculum Committee meeting will be held on January 8-10, 2010 at the International Plaza Spa & Resort, Orlando, Florida, USA. Every division is invited to send representative(s) to this meeting. Committee Chairman Tim Schuler, PDG, Chair of the RLI Sunshine Division will be sending out registration information shortly. PDG Bevin Wall, Chair of the Zone 33 Division is Secretary and Editor to the Committee.

“Having leadership skills does not alone assure good Rotary leadership. An effective Rotary leader must ALSO have Rotary knowledge, perspective about where Rotary has been, where it is now going and a vision of what Rotary can be.”