The European Federation

The beginning of the European Federation

Kiwanis International was more than forty years old before it was accepted to extend the organisation to other countries. Many discussions took part before it was accepted and some were heavier than others. The men had fought endless battles over this issue. The main disagreement was on the cost that this would most certainly bring the organisation. The ballot at the Convention in Toronto shows that disagreement was deep, but the conclusion was that 2394 said “aye” and 1762 said “nay”.

Following is a summary of the guidelines for International extension adopted by the Board at that July-August meeting 1961:

• Clubs shall be permitted to exist only in nations that permit freedom of assembly, expression and action.
• Each Club shall adopt and adhere to the Objects of Kiwanis International and shall pay on the same basis as all clubs of Kiwanis International such dues and fees as shall currently be required.
• The assistance, guidance and promotion of such clubs at all times shall be under the direction, supervision and control of the Board of Trustees of Kiwanis International.
• Every aspect of control shall be vested in the Board of Trustees of Kiwanis International.

On May 15 1962, the Kiwanis Club of Tijuana, Baja California, Mexico, received its charter from Immediate Past KI

President J.O. Tully Jr., as the first Kiwanis club organised outside the United States and Canada.
Past International President Tully who seems to be one of the strongest supporter of expanding the organisation reports to the International Board in October 1962. “Statement re Federation Plan” and “Reports on Organization Structure and Policies.”

Especially pertinent to the discussion is the following statement from Past President Tully:
“I think we must recognise the fact that, in order to make it possible for Kiwanis to exist in other countries, that having set up this course of action, the only sound decision we can make upon that choice is to financially support that action to the limited and relatively small extent that would be necessary to embark it upon a federated plan or affiliated plan of organisation.”

He went on to state that any other approach would result in inadequate support for clubs organised. Such clubs would have limited opportunity for success. President Tully was fully aware that the influence from the Mother Organisation should be as limited as possible. Each country and Continent should design their club to their own needs and customs within the limits of the KI Constitution.

In the meantime extension continued. The Kiwanis club of Nassau, the Bahamas was organised on December 13, 1962, becoming the first club in the Caribbean and the second outside of Canada and the United States. Growth in Europe was not far behind with the Vienna club, Austria, being organised February 25, 1963, sponsored by the Kiwanis Club of Cleveland, Ohio. Next came Basel, Switzerland, April 1, 1963; Brussels, Belgium, April 9, and Zürich, Switzerland, September 17. Anticipating this growth in Europe KI President Tucker proposed a European Tour sponsored by Kiwanis International. It would take place at the time of the chartering of the first European club.

The first federation plan

By the time of the International Convention in Los Angeles in 1964, ten extension countries had active Kiwanis clubs: Mexico, Switzerland, the Bahamas, Austria, Belgium, Germany, Norway, Iceland, Japan and Jamaica. By the October meeting of the Board, there were twenty-five extension clubs organised and the Board voted to adopt the Federation Plan as set forth in the policies governing the organisation and administration of Kiwanis clubs outside of Canada and the United States. Thus the Federation Plan came to be mandatory. To implement this action, the name and emblem were to be registered in Europe and a corporation established in Switzerland to further protect the interests of Kiwanis International.

After much discussion and several suggestions as to how Kiwanis International could help all the clubs, it was agreed to form a European Committee to work with the Board on an informal basis until a more permanent organisation seemed feasible. Professor Dr. Werner Bartschi of Bern, Switzerland, chaired the committee. Prominent among those involved was Dr. Gottfried Reimann of Basel, often referred to as the father of Kiwanis in Europe.

This committee was the forerunner of the European Commission and the Council of Founders and led to the formation of Kiwanis International-Europe in 1968, with an office in Zurich, Switzerland. Past Kiwanis International vice-president Kenneth P. Greenaway, who had been handling extension matters in the KI General Office for a time, was asked by the KI Secretary to handle the assignment in Zurich as European Administrator and Secretary of the European Federation. Jean Ladriere was elected the first president of the Federation, serving during the year of 1969.

It was obvious from the beginning that the Europeans believed that a strong relationship between Kiwanians in Europe was necessary. It is also interesting to know that from the beginning Kiwanis International believed that the Europeans would be the best group to lead the way in this new structure of Kiwanis International.

A world secretariat

Although there was a general agreement that a World Federation should be established to bind all clubs together and to facilitate discussion of mutual problems and administration no specific action was taken until 1968 when James M. Moler became KI President. He called a meeting of a special committee at the Marriott Hotel near O’Hare International Airport in Chicago to consider structure. The date and place of the meeting call up bittersweet memories for those in attendance. During the session the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was announced. Even so, the work of the meeting had real significance. It resulted in the drafting of a charter for the World Secretariat, which was approved by the Board at its May 1968 meeting. This Board meeting also saw approval of the Kiwanis International-Europe Constitution and bylaws. The purposes of the World Secretariat which held its first meeting.
June 9-11, 1969, were to:

• Safeguard the six permanent objects of Kiwanis
• Act as the advisory body co-ordinating the functions of Kiwanis International as these are related to all of its affiliated bodies.
• Promote unity of purpose and common understanding of the fundamental principles of Kiwanis throughout the world.
• Suggest activities of mutual interest to all affiliates.
• Preserve the unique character of Kiwanis in community service.
• Explore and evaluate problems and concerns referred to it by Kiwanis International or other representatives of its affiliated bodies.
• Refrain from action that shall violate the autonomy of any of the affiliated bodies.

The Clubs outside N-America did not have equal status to the clubs in N-America. In order to gain this status the clubs in Europe had to unite and stay united through whatever disagreements there were.

Annual spring meetings of the World Secretariat continued through 1977 when the need for such sessions seemed unnecessary because of the change of the status of clubs, especially those of a Kiwanis International-Europe. It was apparent that there were advantages in the Federation Plan for Europe with its many countries all fairly close to each other. Disadvantages also existed, as pointed out by the clubs themselves. The Europeans wanted equal status with all other Kiwanis clubs. That would allow all clubs to take full advantage of the years of experience inherent in the organisation. It also would provide for uniform leadership education procedures and equal service by Kiwanis International to all clubs.

Equal status

Still the Europeans were not inclined to give up some aspects of their Federation. During the 1970s these questions and others resulted in a continuing study of how best to solve the dilemma. Eventually on October 1 1978, all clubs were made part of Kiwanis International on an equal basis. Clubs in Europe continued to pay additional dues to underwrite the cost of the remaining aspects of the Federation Plan - namely, the selection of officers who would give special attention to districts and clubs within the Federation, supervise and promote growth and hold an annual convention.

There were leaders in Kiwanis International-Europe who believed that the Federation Structure should be abandoned. The rank-and-file Kiwanians however, did not agree with the opinions of their leaders. The Kiwanis International Board, meanwhile, was attempting to follow a path believed to be the best for the total organisation. This was evident in the fact that the Federation System was not picked as the structure for other areas of the organisation. In fact, very little reference to federations was inserted into the Kiwanis International Constitution and Bylaws. Only matters needing clarifications were inserted, such as whether a past president of Kiwanis International-Europe, even if he had never served as a district governor, would be eligible to be named as a specific representative to the Kiwanis International Board from Kiwanis International-Europe.

Historically, the whole period of nearly three decades reflects a continuing discussion of how best to proceed with international extension. There were those who still thought the decision taken in 1961 was a mistake. And as some Kiwanians of this persuasion became members of the Kiwanis International Board, their goal was to minimise the impact that the growth outside North America had on the total organisation, both financially and otherwise. Others, strong for rapid implementation of what they believed was a good mandate, were equally undecided as to how best to establish and control new clubs world-wide. It was during this period that the most gratifying announcement that could be made, was in stating the number of new countries and geographic areas which had been approved for extension and which had at least one club in existence. Unfortunately, in many instances, additional growth was not forthcoming, and the original club was the sole representative of Kiwanis in that area for a long period. In fact some of these clubs even disappeared and with it the Kiwanis representation in those particular countries.

It took the European clubs ten years to gain equal status to the clubs in United States and Canada. Who knows how many more years it would have taken had we not had Kiwanis International-Europe. Equal status brought many good things, for instance, more service to the clubs from Kiwanis International, training for club officers, training of District Governors with their colleagues from every District in the world at special training session in Chicago and later Indianapolis when headquarters moved there, translation in different languages, et cetera, et cetera, et cetera.

Wherever we look, we see evidence of changes made possible only because of Kiwanis International-Europe.

Equal status also meant that we had to pay dues to Kiwanis International. Until 1978 we paid dues only to Kiwanis International-Europe. In 1974 it was accepted that the dues to KIE should be CHF 42.- forty-two Swiss Francs. When we began paying International dues it was taken from these CHF 42.- and the difference went to KIE. The dues were not increased.

Although European clubs and districts now got the same training and the same administrative work the equality was still not complete. The International Board of trustees was still made up of N-Americans and Canadians. It was often very obvious from the Boards decisions that it was so. Both the KI Board of Trustees and the KIE Board of Trustees realised that this would not work in the long run.

Guaranteed seat to Europe on KI board

Various areas of the Kiwanis world were asking when it would be possible for them to participate in the decision-making process of the Organisation by having a member on the KI Board. Europe had five districts and its clubs and membership were increasing steadily. The answer, after a long debate, was delegate action at the Atlanta convention in 1975, followed by action also at the San Diego convention in 1976, which established a specified representation plan. The plan provided that Kiwanis International-Europe, Eastern Canada and the Caribbean, and Western Canada each have representation on the KI Board.

This was another step forward. One KI Board member was now elected in Europe at the KIE-convention. A victory, not only for Europe but for the whole Organisation.

But such a plan only put the problem to rest temporarily. Other geographic areas soon saw that they had little chance of winning a seat on the KI Board. Their candidates would have to compete in the open election process with twenty-eight districts in the United States also eager to back their “favourite sons.” These districts outside the U.S. and Canada also realised that specified representation from Europe and Canada reduced the number of openings to be filled through the election process. Sentiment also was growing that the areas outside Canada, the U.S. and Europe, never having been represented on the KI Board, should be.

A conference in Hong Kong 1970 with KI President-Elect T.R. Johnson and representatives from five South Pacific Kiwanis nations attending, discussed the future for Kiwanis in that part of the world. This conference is the forerunner of the Asia-Pacific Conference started in 1971 and yearly ever since.

In 1981 it became obvious that the KI Board was not ready to present to the delegate body the complicated set of amendments that would make major changes in how the Kiwanis International Board was structured and how members would be selected. The whole matter remained a hot issue and no official action seemed imminent until a decision was reached to test the interest of the delegate body in changing KI Board structure by submitting an administrative resolution at the 1986 annual convention in Houston, Texas. The resolution was prepared by an Ad Hoc Committee chaired by Immediate Past International President Raymond Lansford.

The delegates overwhelmingly mandated the KI Board to bring about the needed Constitutional adjustments to assure adequate representation on the KI Board from various areas of the Kiwanis world organisation in the short term and to set long-range goals as well. In the meantime, to satisfy the great desire of members in the Asia-Pacific area to have a representation on the KI Board, this was granted by delegate action in 1982.

Five regions

A special International Committee on Constitution and Bylaws chaired by Robert McCurley, a past governor of the Alabama District, was appointed to draft the necessary amendments to carry out the principles expressed in the Administrative Resolutions. The delegate body approved the amendments in 1987.

Based upon membership figures at that time, five electoral regions were set up:

Region I All districts that include one or more of the fifty states of the United States.

Region II Eastern Canada and the Caribbean District and the Western Canada District.

Region III Europe, including all European Districts.

Region IV Asia-Pacific Area, which includes the Districts of Australia, Japan, New Zealand-South Pacific, Philippine Luzon, Philippine South and the Republic of China.

Region V All other areas of the world.

The Constitution set forth how the members of the Kiwanis International Board would be elected : either by being given a guaranteed seat from a region or being elected directly by the delegate body at an annual convention. The amendments also provided that when the membership in Region V reached 2.5% of the membership of Kiwanis International and when that figure was maintained for two consecutive years, then Region V would qualify for a guaranteed seat on the Board.

Another important provision called for an increase in guaranteed seats outside of the United States when membership in the United States decreased below 80% and an increase of one additional seat when the percentage was below 75%. A new study of the KI Board structure was mandated if the membership figure in the United States dropped below 70% of the total organisations membership.

To amend the Constitution and Bylaws and add the Federation structure to it was the next step forward. At the International Convention in Seattle 1988 the Delegate body granted amendment to the Constitution and Bylaws as follows:

FEDERATIONS

Section 1. For the purpose of promoting the best interests of Kiwanis, the International Board of Trustees has the authority to create, supervise and control federations of districts and shall establish the boundaries of federations. The International Board of Trustees shall have the power to establish and change the boundaries of federations in such manner as it may deem best. Prior to any proposed change becoming effective, not less than ninety (90) days notice shall be given to the affected federations, district or club may submit a written statement of support or protest and/or may request that a hearing be held before the Board of Trustees during its meeting at the next Annual Convention. If a hearing is requested, the Board shall schedule such hearing and give notice thereof to the affected federations, districts and clubs. Before any change becomes effective, the Board shall consider all matters presented at the hearing, if held and all written statements of support or protest.

Section 2. Each federation shall hold an Annual Convention in accordance with the bylaws of the federation, unless in any year the International Board of Trustees shall determine that there exists a condition of emergency and because of such an emergency the holding of such convention would not be practical, in which case the International Board of Trustees by further resolution shall have the power to establish and fix provisions and procedures for transacting, by any means deemed best by such International Board of Trustees and or all business that would normally be transacted by and at such convention.

Section 3. Each federation, through its convention, shall adopt the federation bylaws. Any modification of or amendment to said federation bylaws shall become effective only upon approval thereof by the International Board of Trustees, shall replace any constitution or bylaws in effect prior thereto.

Section 4. Each district and each club within the territorial limits of a Kiwanis federation shall be a member of said federation and such district or club must comply with the Constitution and Bylaws of Kiwanis International and the federation bylaws and any amendments as adopted or amended.

Section 5. Federation may incorporate in the same manner and upon the same conditions provided for clubs.

This is the text in the Constitution of Kiwanis International. It is really open to every area that wants to create a Federation. Every Federation can have its own bylaws as long as they do not come in conflict with the Constitution and Bylaws of Kiwanis International. To assure that, Federation bylaws must be approved by the Board of Trustees of Kiwanis International. Such is our situation in the structure of Kiwanis International today.

The new federation structure: Kiwanis International Europe - Regional Office

When the general structure of Federations had been agreed upon by KI with additions and amendments made to the Constitution and Bylaws of Kiwanis International the KIEF was forced to change its Bylaws. Coinciding with the changes which had to be made to the European Bylaws was the opening of the KI Regional Office in Zurich.

As mentioned before, the KIE office had prior to these changes, been handling most of the necessary service work for European Kiwanis Clubs, but with the changes this service was to be taken over by the Regional Office. With both changes taking place simultaneously a vacuum of sorts was created within KIEF since the European organization was not prepared for the changed conditions.

In the following years considerable tension was created between the two offices, primarily because the European Board had difficulties in adjusting to the changes and did not realize that they were made in order to relieve it from the duties of following all the daily routine jobs of the KIEF office and to create opportunities to strengthen the cooperation of Districts within the region.

Kiwanis International was also unprepared for the great influence on the KIEF operation caused by the changes. In the turmoil following the adoption of the new order both parties therefore failed to realize that it was one thing to carry out the changes and another to realize the effects of the changes on the Kiwanis operation in Europe.

At the outset of the 1988-1989 administrative year the European Board was not aware of the role of the European movement. Nobody had thought of preparing for the definition of new goals under the new order. European Kiwanis Clubs did not know whether they should turn to the KIEF office or to the KI regional office for service.

Arguments over trivial matters continued for too long. Instead of joining forces in building up and reorganizing the European movement the two sides were busy discussing details of no consequence. Confusion reigned, the manager of the KIEF office quit his job and individual members of the KIEF Board took on duties in the operation of the KIEF office which amateurs in Kiwanis should never be required to attend to.

The new version of the European Bylaws proved to be a millstone for the operation of the European movement. The Board deliberated on issues at its meetings and made decisions only to have them rejected by the European Council at its meeting the following day. The Board could not do anything without the consent of the European Council and these two groups were continuously at odds with each other. In reality it is safe to state that the KIEF Bylaws adopted in 1990 were written in such a manner that an effective operation of KIEF was impossible. Finally things came to a showdown at the European Convention in Nice in 1993.

At the initiative of a few former Kiwanis leaders in Europe it was decided at the Nice Convention to appoint a committee to prepare a proposal for a reorganization of the European movement and for ideas about the future goals of KIEF. The proposal was presented at the planned European Convention in Innsbruck, Austria, in June 1994.

Goals

1. To manage the build up of the Kiwanis movement in Europe in cooperation with Kiwanis International. The main emphasis is to be on areas outside Districts and on countries where a few or no clubs are working.
2. To unite the European Kiwanis movement for more influence on the future organisation of the world movement. To discuss at European Conventions all matters concerning the World movement before they are dealt with at International Conventions.
3. To unite the European Kiwanis movement for international service projects. To organise European Kiwanis Worldwide Service Project, IDD, in cooperation with the European Kiwanis Districts.
4. To support cooperation within Europe by introduction of Kiwanis work of individual Districts at European Conventions.
5. To call attention to customs and the daily life of individual nations within Europe. At least two nations each year - in order to increase the knowledge of the members of the daily life of other people and thus increase the understanding of the importance of international Kiwanis work.
6. To introduce to Europeans the work of Kiwanians in other parts of the world.
7. To increase interclub relations within Europe. To urge the Districts to organise inter-family visits with families in other countries in Europe and elsewhere in order to understand better the customs and the ways of living of other nations.
8. To publish a magazine/newsletter with news of Kiwanis work in Europe, International work, service work, club building in countries in Europe where few or no clubs are working, introducing Districts, Federation and International Conventions, with news of important proposals presented at International Conventions and what happened to them.
9. To work on the building of Kiwajunior in Europe in cooperation with individual Districts and KI.

The goals were approved by the House of Delegates and a special committee was elected to study the KIEF Bylaws. At the European Convention in Reykjavik, Iceland 1995 new Federation Bylaws were presented and approved by the House of Delegates. The KIEF operation is still based on these bylaws.