Event Type: WOCO Conferences
Organiser: Round Table Austria
Main Event Dates: September 1961
The 1961 WOCO event in Salzburg marked a historic transition. It was the last Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the old Round Table International (RTI) and the first AGM of the new World Council (WOCO). This new body expanded to include not only Round Table clubs worldwide, but also Apex (Australia), Kinsmen Clubs (Canada), and Active 20–30 groups from the USA, Mexico, and Latin America.
Key Events
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- Thursday morning: The final meeting of RTI took place. President Per Sjogren of Sweden presided over a dignified closing ceremony, marking the end of an era.
- Friday: The WOCO Forum was held at the Congress House, featuring state-of-the-art translation equipment for multilingual discussions. Topics included immigration/emigration and WOCO’s stance on global public issues.
Excursions and Cultural Highlights
Participants enjoyed several trips:
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- A thrilling cable car ride to the summit of Untersberg (~6,000 ft elevation).
- A visit to Hellbrunn Castle—an Italian-style villa with original architecture and famous water features.
- An evening at the world-renowned Marionette Theatre and a chamber music concert.
Social Events & Dinners
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- Buffet/Dance at Hotel Pitter
- Reception by the Governor and Mayor at their historic Residence (including a private tour)
- Delegates’ Lunch at Hotel Winkler
- President’s Banquet & Ball at Klessheim Castle
- Alpinia Evening in Anif: Guests enjoyed performances from the Alpinia Dancers (who had recently performed at London’s Royal Festival Hall) and the Salzburg Boys’ Band. The evening’s highlight was a joint dance by an Alpinia performer and a Belgian Tabler.
Major Decisions at the WOCO & RTI Meetings
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- A Rules Committee was tasked with reviewing proposed constitutional amendments to be presented in 1962. Future amendments would only be reviewed every three years.
- RT West Africa and RT New Zealand were formally admitted as members.
- The Art Schwartz Challenge Cup was awarded to RT 427 Rickmansworth (RTBI) for best club bulletins.
- A World Council Directory would be compiled and published regularly every three years.
- The “Forum” magazine would cost USD6 per copy, primarily in English, with French, Scandinavian, and Spanish supplements.
- A World Council Fellowship Fund was established to support international travel among members (not just officers), overseen by Peter Bush, with Bob Casey (Kin) and Freddy Kalchelhofer (Switzerland) on the review committee. An initial budget of £750 from WOCO funds and ~£250 leftover from RTI funds was allocated.
- In India, Round Table and Apex clubs agreed to work on a joint constitution to eventually form a unified association.
- The 1962 Capitation Fee was set at 4 shillings per member per year.
- Three Round Table projects were endorsed:
- Chair of Race Relations
- RT Holiday Exchange
- RT Save the Children Fund
After extensive discussions, Round Table International was officially closed, and the decision was shared at the WOCO AGM the following day.
Farewell Address – Per Sjogren, RTI President
Per Sjogren delivered a heartfelt closing speech, reflecting on the meaningful role RTI had played since its post-war founding. He emphasized:
“Consciously and deliberately, we have taken a decision today- a momentous decision to wind up the affairs of Round Table International. We have done it after a long and close examination of all the pro’s and cons. We have objectively sought to appraise all the relevant facts and have dispassionately applied ourselves to meeting and acting upon their implications. ‘This is no bad example to set the world- indeed it is the manner in which ideally all decisions of moment ought to be taken.