The “International” in ReCII
We talk about the eClub part of Rotary eClub Ibiza International quite a lot.
It describes how we meet: three times a month online via Zoom and once a month in person. Our projects and events sit outside that meeting pattern, with members working together in plenty of other ways.
At our latest online meeting, though, we found ourselves talking about another word in our name.
International.
Caroline Ostara Teugels, Chair of International Rotary Clubs of Europe (IRCE), joined us live on Zoom from Belgium to introduce the network, explain how it has developed and talk about what comes next.
IRCE brings together clubs like ours:
Rotary clubs based in European countries where English is not the main local language,
but where English is the club’s shared language.
ReCII itself is a pretty good example. Our members come from many different cultural backgrounds, and some speak three or four languages or more. English happens to be the language we all share.
Put clubs like that in touch with one another and there is an enormous amount to swap. A project that worked brilliantly in Belgium might spark an idea in Ibiza. Someone in Italy may already have dealt with a problem another club has just encountered in France. And somewhere among all those conversations is the rather lovely possibility of ending up with friends in countries all over Europe.
ReCII member Jörg Fabri is already part of the IRCE working group, alongside Rotarians from several other European countries. The network remains informal and member-driven.
Rome, 9-11 October
The next IRCE gathering takes place in Rome from 9-11 October 2026, hosted by Rotary Club Rome International, and various ReCII members are looking at attending.
Friday starts around a table, with an informal trattoria dinner.
Saturday moves to Sapienza University for a full working day. The sessions are designed to be collaborative, with the people taking part helping to lead the conversations, share experience and look at where clubs might work together. The weekend will also begin work on a Manifesto of International Rotary Clubs in Europe.
Saturday evening brings everyone back together for a gala dinner.
Sunday morning is free, with an optional guided tour of some of Rome’s less obvious corners. For visitors, that means the chance to see a little of the city with people who actually live there rather than simply following the usual tourist trail.
We may keep talking about the eClub part of our name, because it does matter.
But we’re rather enjoying discovering just how much International can mean as well.
Are you part of a Rotary club somewhere in Europe where English is the club’s shared language, even though it isn’t the main local language?
We’d love to hear from you.
(Please note this articles Header Image is AI-generated)