SI Oakland member Dr. Catherine Pinkas is leading the effort to encourage greater international cooperation.  She has been contacting our friendship clubs individually and has plans to keep in touch with them on a regular basis.  This year she will help organize a special reception to welcome all friendship clubs and is encouraging them to send representatives to speak.  The event will be held October 24, 2024 at 6 p.m.  

As part of reviving our interaction with our friendship clubs, Catherine Pinkas is encouraging our club members to consider joining the Open Heart-Open Door community, established years ago by Heidrun Konrad, Past President SI Europe. This program encourages members to interact with clubs internationally by visiting other clubs and welcoming visiting members  from other countries.
 
This is your chance as a Soroptimist to create and strengthen bonds of friendship worldwide! Participating in Open Heart – Open Door constitutes a valuable contribution to International Goodwill and Understanding.  You can apply to participate in one of these ways:

• To offer home hospitality to one or two Soroptimists or a couple.
• To be contact person and/or guide in my own town.
• To meet professional counterparts.
• To take part in a holiday exchange program e.g. home-exchange
• To swap houses or a certain period on mutual agreement.
  
• To participate in the youth exchange program for young relatives.

SI Oakland members can access the application forms on the Restricted section of this website.
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