Right now, I couldn’t feel more happy and inspired. Why?
We’re today launching our myIOGT – Life Set Free Together campaign.
I feel so inspired because the myIOGT campaign offers a great platform for all the heart-driven members of IOGT International, from all around the world, and it offers a channel for them and their Member Organizations. Every time our members get the chance to shine, a little bit of magic happens and a little bit of greatness can be witnessed.
- Like when SCAD in Kenya arranges its ArtBeat festival,
- or when CEM in Bosnia arranges theatre performances,
- or when SDN stages huge manifestations for public health and against oppressive free trade agreements (between Thailand and the EU),
- or when IOGT Poland calls “time for color” to bring hope into the EU’s poorest urban neighbourhood,
- or when CIJ in Mexico arranges its famous annual conference on narcotic drug policy,
- or when Brain Society in India gathers women and girls to empower them,
- or when ADIC Sri Lanka arranges a workshop for parliamentarians and civil society representatives from the South-East Asian region,
- or when Active in Europe conducts the Human Rights Generation campaign,
- or when PDP-Center works heart-driven to advice and support the Cambodian parliament and government on how to device the best alcohol policy bill,
- or when UYDEL cooperates with leading American researchers and scientists to build a stronger evidence base concerning alcohol harm in Uganda,
- or when JUNIS in Sweden holds its summer camps for children…
Those are eleven examples from among our vibrant membership base. I could easily extend the list and examples of the fantastic work that’s being done all over the world to achieve a life set free from harm caused by alcohol and other drugs; a life set free to live up to our fullest potential.
Our members and Member Organization are the heart of IOGT International and the myIOGT – Life Set Free Together campaign offers a platform and channel to them all to express what IOGT means to them and to indicate where IOGT International should go, headed into the future.
myIOGT – Life Set Free Together campaign consists of two pillars, and each pillar consists of two elements:
The bond between each member and IOGT International
- Photographs of members worldwide on the topic:
What is your 1 word to describe what IOGT means in your life?
- One word on what IOGT means to you, what IOGT represents for you.
- One word that comes from your heart when thinking of IOGT.
For me, as you can see, it is “Genuineness”.
It is about being authentic and original. And it is about the fact that I’ve met so many members of IOGT throughout my years in our movement who simply deeply care for making the world a better place; who deeply, truly and whole-heartedly care for how children and youth fare, that addicts get opportunities to recover and to re-integrate into society, that democracy and Human Rights are followed principles in everyday life, and that global justice and equality become reality.
- Short films about our members, their stories and their life with IOGT:
What does IOGT mean to you?
How would the world look like without IOGT?
What’s the difference IOGT has made in your life?
Yeah, this element is real fun. It’s great to give space to our members and let them tell their stories. IOGT is very versatile, multicultural and colourful – and therefore it means different things to our different members; it has had different impact on the lives of our members. I am looking forward to these short films and the stories they convey.
The democratic mechanism that it’s our members and Member Organisations who make IOGT International
- You decide what IOGT International does in the future (2015 – 2018):
The Plan of Action, the thematic and geographic focus areas, our policy positions concerning alcohol policy as well narcotic drug policy.
Therefore, we’ve produced the Template for Motion to World Congress 68.
I invite all Member Organisations to use this opportunity and forward motions to the 68th World Congress. I can’t wait to discuss them and the vision you, all our members, have for IOGT International.
- One of the highlights of the World Congress 68: The Exhibition Promising Practices:
The idea is simple: in an open space, much like a fair or market place, every Member Organisation present at World Congress 68 will be exhibiting one or some of their projects, activities, campaigns that they are most proud of – that they think is a Promising Practice, to be shared with the IOGT family.
As I indicated above, with the eleven examples of what our Member Organisations are capable of. These and many more Promising Practices will be exhibited during the World Congress 68.
We call them promising practices because we know they make a difference in society and communities and they can be exported to other parts of the world, where other IOGT Member Organisations can culturally adjust and adapt them and run them themselves.
And now, I am eagerly looking forward to your contributions, your pics and short films, your motions and your promising practices. My IOGT is your IOGT, is our IOGT… we work towards Life Set Free together.
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Follow myIOGT as it gets bigger and see all the pics submitted and films made here…
What does IOGT mean to me?
My one word = HEALTHY
Great word! Thanks so much Jean. Fee free to make your own photograph and send it over to us, please.
Hej Hej Jean!
Thanks so much for your comment. It’s a good one.
I’d like to encourage you to take a picture of yourself (or ask someone else) with your word written on a piece of paper/ into the sand/ on a tablet PC/ into your note book etc. – whatever medium works for you – just so we get a great pic with you and your word.
You can send it to my e-mail and it will be part of the big myIOGT gallery.
Hi Maik and Kristina
Where can all the myIOGT portraits be found on the webpage? Many members of IOGT Switzerland have participated but I have hardly seen any of these pictures.
Hugs, Alex