Organiser: Round Table Switzerland
Event Dates: 21–25 June 1995
Lausanne hosted the regional meeting European Mediterranean and America Table Meeting (EMATM), which saw Tablers arriving from the European, Mediterranean, and American associations. The following is an account of the event, as written by a member of RT Switzerland 1 Lausanne, Jean-Marc Probst.
EMA 1995 IN LAUSANNE
From June 21 to 25, Lausanne hosted the EMA Meeting, which is the gathering of all the Tables from the Europe, Mediterranean, and America Region.
After France, Norway, and Israel, this was the first time in the history of the Table that Switzerland had the opportunity to host the delegations of all the region’s Tables. The Lausanne Round Table, chartered in 1951, was chosen as the host over the candidacies of Rimini and Chicago, partly due to its central location in Europe but mainly because of its organizational experience: WOCO in 1962, Swiss AGM in 1972 and 1993, EuroMeeting in 1975 and 1991.
Before going into the atmosphere, here are a few figures from this major event:
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- 30 countries represented
- 236 registrations
- 369 overnight stays
- 2 delegations from outside the region (India and South Africa)
- Budget of CHF 200,000
- 1,000 oysters at the Friday aperitif
- 320 liters of beer at the Woodstock evening
There were many reunions, renewed friendships, and countless emotional moments.
Here are some of the major highlights of EMA:
Thursday evening – Swiss chalet, fondue evening: The white wine flows, and the champagne pops. The Icelandic delegation was celebrating a birthday!
Friday morning – Visit to the Olympic Museum, opening ceremony: speeches, applause, and a film on the Olympic movement. The Italian delegation, as usual, arrived late!
Friday afternoon – Working session on the boat “Lausanne”: Dr. Figola spoke about his social action in Egypt, financed by Round Table. “I have photos for those who would like to see.”
More than twenty questions were asked about his life, family, and work. “I have two daughters, aged 20 and 22, studying medicine.” The French IRO immediately responded: “Do you have pictures of them?”
Friday evening – Montbenon Casino, Woodstock-themed evening: Joe Fouc and his orchestra, straight from New York. Beer, Coca-Cola, and 300 Tablers in disguise for the party. The atmosphere was electrifying, with dancing continuing until 2 a.m.
Saturday morning – Beau-Rivage Palace, General Assembly in the magnificent La Rotonde hall. The most constructive EMA assembly in years, thanks to the excellent presidency of Mark Taylor. The next host city was chosen: La Rochelle, the island of light, will organize EMA 97.
Saturday evening – Under the stars of the Swiss Palace Beau-Rivage, candlelit ambiance, Indian smoke effects filling the room.
The mood was extraordinary, with a sudden flash of lightning illuminating the sky. A Tabler with an Indian background had an unexpected vision: “I just saw a great ancestor… and he told me that someone in this room must go and smoke outside!”
A night filled with emotions, a gala evening, a moment where friendships are forged forever.
After reading these paragraphs, you might have guessed: EMA is not just an event, it’s a celebration of life.
See you in Malta in 1996!
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