History of Toastmasters District 109
District 109 is relatively young! The History began in 2018, 1st July.
The countries of future District 109 would be Austria, Bulgaria, Cyprus, FYR Macedonia, Greece, Italy, Lichtenstein, San Marino Republic, Switzerland, and Vatican City.
During the first year, the District 109 achieved the Smedley Distinguished Award, during the first District Director Francesco Fedele term.
The Smedley Distinguished District designation is the highest recognition level that a district can achieve. Moreover, this designation serves as a testament to the district’s exceptional performance, and it is a great honor to receive it.
2019-2020
For the term of District Director Metaxia Kritsidima,
a better structure of the District was founded in a diverse distribution of Countries, with New Names for the Divisions:
To clarify the changes made, Division G was split into two new divisions: Division A in Italy and Division B in Greece, Cyprus, and Bulgaria. Furthermore, Division I was reorganized into Division C in Switzerland, while Division J was transformed into Division D in Switzerland. Additionally, Division E remained unchanged but became a part of Switzerland. Finally, Austria was moved to its own Division, Division F in Austria.
2020 – 2021
We have a committment to passionately pursuing the District Mission of creating new clubs and providing support to all clubs in their pursuit of excellence. Let us join hands and work together to make our journey a memorable and enriching learning experience. In line with our 2020 District Motto “Trust, Thrive, and Together”, we aim to increase our membership to 2500.
Lorenzo Gios (District Director 2019-2020)
2021 – 2022
The Diversity of cultures, languages and people is the strenght of our District 109, said District Director Lilian Shaftacola
.
In 2021, District 109 underwent a major expansion and now boasts 14 countries, with four new additions that promote inclusivity. We proudly welcome Malta, Israel, Slovenia, and Turkey to our community.
The District is now divided into eight divisions, each with its unique representation. Division A comprises Italy, Malta, San Marino Republic, and Vatican City. Likewise, Division B includes Bulgaria, Cyprus, and Israel. Switzerland represents Divisions C, D, and E, while Division F has Austria and Slovenia. Meanwhile, Greece is the sole representative of Division G, while Turkey represents Division H.
Overall, we are thrilled to see our community grow so inclusive and diverse. We believe our expansion will only strengthen our community and foster greater collaboration and understanding among all members.
2022 – 2023
Today, we celebrate together as we continue our journey in the wonderful world of Toastmasters. We all agree that it is a privilege to be a part of a fantastic district that spans two continents with multiple time zones, bringing together different countries, languages, cultures, alphabets, food, and music. Moreover, we have a diverse range of everything you can think of, with numerous versions of it. From various dialects to different cuisines, we have it all.
So, what do we all have in common?
Our passion!
Our motto this year is:
Passion beyond borders (Turan Tanin, District 109 Director)
2023 – 2024
more to come….
Happy 98th Birthday to Toastmasters International!
22 October 2022
A few words and a light bulb turns on, an idea you can turn into something extraordinary: thank you, Fatima!
I’ve been part of TM since … (Fatima Carbonara)
