European Forum

 European Forum Committee 30th June 2024 - 1st July 2026. 

Estonia - Kadri Mettis.
Finland - Henna Peratalo.
Great Britain - Diana Bell.
Germany - Thi Finkemeyer.
Iceland - Vilborg Asa Bjarnadottir.
Norway - Muriel Marsh. Secretary, minute taker.
The Netherlands - Carola Van Zanen van Rijn. Chair.
Sweden - Anette Nyberg.

The Regional Director is Marie-Antoinette de Wolf, The Netherlands.

European Forum Meeting Held on May 25^th 2024 at Helga Skeidsvoll’s House in Vestnes, Norway.

Marika Heimbach (Chair 2022 -2024) began the meeting at 10.35am. Minutes of the meeting on April 11th. 2024 were approved and can be seen on the European Forum website at www.dkgeurope.org.

The Survey, that was sent out after our previous meeting in Spain was discussed. 148 members out of 750 answered. Many topics were highlighted-the wellbeing of teachers, violence in schools, impact if immigrant pupils, mobile phones and digitalization

Helga said it was vital to also talk about the political decisions behind the lack of teachers (respect and status, low salaries) DKG should be leading light towards getting more resources and there should be more lobbying of our representatives.

Carola suggested we share our good practices in our respective countries and writing to our Ministers of Education is an effective way. After lengthy discussion Marika said she would write about the result in the Convention Booklet. There will be a proposition about an amendment to the Guidelines and Policies/Procedure about the reimbursement of the travelling costs of the EFC Chair to travel to the International Conventions

It was suggested we had an e -booklet at the Convention (with all the information in it) but it was then decided to have a paper booklet.

At the Convention there will be a joint meeting with the other Forums 9 US, Canadian, European. Latin -American. The theme PEACE video) Mrs Marion Blumenthal Lazan’s presentation after which she will be present online to answer questions. As a committee, it was decided, we should be more committed to informing our members about everything. The President should ensure she disperses all the information she receives from HQ to members. It is important that the member of the EFC is always being invited to participate in State Board Meetings.

Marie Antionette ran us through the finances. The Committee received USD3000 (2681 Euros) We still have 447 Euros in our Emergency Fund for emergencies or projects

A raffle will be held at the European breakfast for the emergency fund.

One Euro per member is paid towards the travel costs of the Regional Director.

The board went through the individual costs of the board members and 300 Euros will be paid by the EFC and the rest by the States

It was decided to leave the guidelines as they are. The new committee will review them later

The States have different practices as to the selection of the new EFC member. We agreed that the new Chair has to be a person who has served on the committee for the last biennium.

Carola will be announced as the new chair of the committee for the next biennium 2024-2026 at the convention in Maryland. Muriel was asked to serve as secretary and she agreed.

Marika, Reeli, and Evelyn are finishing their biennia. New members are; Thi Finkelmeyer, GER, Kadri Mettis EST. Heene Peratalo FIN and Diana Bell GB.

The next meeting will take place on Zoom on the 20^th June at 6pm GMT. It will be a joint meeting for old and new committee. Marie Antoinette will send a link and Marika will send it to the in-coming member together with the Agenda.

There is a possibility of the Maryland joint forum meeting being streamed. Marika will inform us about it.

Marie- Antoinette has been in contact with a teacher from Poland, Joanna Skiba and we are investigating on the chance for Poland to become a new DKG State. There is a proposition for an amendment of $400 to every new member state We will use our contacts to reach out to Polish and Latvian teachers/ schools.

Artist of the month will be continued but renamed as Artist in the Spotlight. Estonia will be next with Meeri Sild, then Sweden.

Marika also volunteered as she is a quilter.

Marie-Antoinette gave us an update about the planning stage of the EF Regional Conference at Sussex University in Brighton

The meeting ended at 7pm.

Evelyn Goodsell, Member of the European Forum representing Great Britain 2022 - 2024.

European Forum Meeting 2023 held in Spain at Marika Heimbach's House. 

Pictured from left Pia, Astrid, Helga, Marie-Antoinette, Marika and Carola in the garden. The meeting was at Marika's house, near Alicante.

Seven of the EF Committee Members, plus the Regional Director, Marie-Antionette, met at Marika Heimbach's beautiful home near Alicante (Spain) for  a Forum meeting. (lovely to be in some sunshine.) 

Marika had enlisted her husband and a neighbour to collect us from the airport. We had all arrived by Friday afternoon and spent the time relaxing and getting to know our fellow committee members. Because of Covid it hadn't been easy to really meet each other before in the 'flesh'.

Saturday morning we were up bright and early, enjoyed a super breakfast and then our work started. The Main theme was collaboration 'with Canada, US, and Latin American representatives. We then had to Elect the recipient for the European Achievement Award. No outright winner so a decision to be announced later.

EU Forum guidelines and finances were discussed.

There was a reminder for all of the 'Artist of the month' Competition, followed by EU States educational presentations. GB agreed to take their turn on May 20^th, Marie-Antionette is to invite the States by Zoom.

A committee member had received an Invitation to conduct a survey on matters relating to Europe. No one knew how/why and, as time was running out, it was agreed to return to it at our next meeting.

We were reminded to encourage our members to attend the Conference in Tampere at the end of July and also to apply to join International Committees.

The weekend concluded with a delicious meal, prepared by Marika and her husband – delightful hosts. We had worked very hard but were satisfied with what we had achieved.

Evelyn Goodsell GB                                                                                               

European Forum committee Member for GB 2022-2024.                                                                                            

For a history of the emergence of DKG Europe, written by Dorothy Haley, click here.