International Bistro: Where Rotary’s Global Conversations Begin

There is no menu, no dress code and no need to leave home.

Just pour a cup of coffee, tea or your favorite Saturday-morning beverage, settle in and open Zoom.

That is the idea behind District 5470’s International Bistro, a monthly gathering where Rotarians interested in International Service can meet one another, exchange ideas, learn about projects and discover opportunities to turn conversations into action.

The Bistro meets on the first Saturday of each month, beginning at 8:30 a.m. Mountain Time with an optional social half hour. The official meeting begins at 9 a.m. and wraps up by 10. Everyone is welcome, whether you are leading a Global Grant, searching for a project your club can support, curious about International Service or simply interested in meeting Rotarians doing good work around the world.

District 5470’s September Bistro offered a perfect example of what those conversations can become.

Responding when the world needs Rotary

Much of the discussion focused on the devastating flooding in Nepal and how Rotary connections can help deliver assistance where it is needed.

Rotarians discussed ways to work through established Rotary relationships in Nepal, helping ensure that assistance reaches communities directly. Bruce Ward, who plans to spend three months in Nepal beginning later this month, shared his connections with Rotary clubs there and offered to help assess needs and coordinate relief efforts after his arrival.

Ward also shared information about Education Elevated, a nonprofit with which he has worked that is currently supporting Nepal disaster relief. Participants exchanged additional resources in the Bistro chat, including the Rotary District 3292 Nepal Disaster Management website, where information about Rotary relief efforts in Nepal is available.

The Rotary Club of Denver Southeast is also helping coordinate a response with the Rotary Club of Dhulikhel. District 5450’s humanitarian appeal explains that Denver Southeast will collect contributions and wire them directly to the Rotary Club of Dhulikhel, allowing clubs to join together in a more immediate response while receiving updates on the effort.

The conversation was a reminder of one of Rotary’s greatest strengths: we rarely have to begin with strangers. Somewhere in the world, there is often another Rotarian already on the ground, already listening and already connected to the community.

Projects, possibilities and lessons learned

Nepal was only part of Saturday’s conversation.

Rotarians shared updates on projects ranging from the Chinle Navajo project to a diabetes prevention education initiative in Mexico, along with discussion about the long-running Guatemala Literacy Project and preparations for District 5470 to host the 2027 Tri-District International Project Fair in Colorado.

Participants also dropped useful resources into the Zoom chat for Rotarians looking for projects and partners. Among them were MatchingGrants.org, where Rotarians can explore Global Grant projects in progress, and District 5300’s Connecting for Global Grants, an ongoing virtual project fair designed to connect projects with potential partners.

Those exchanges are part of what makes the Bistro valuable. Someone may arrive with a question and leave with a contact, a resource, a project idea or even a new international partner.

The project updates also led to a deeper discussion about what makes an international project sustainable. Participants talked about needs assessments, listening to communities and resisting the temptation to arrive with a predetermined solution. The strongest projects begin not with “Here is what we want to do for you,” but with “What do you need, and how can we work together?”

Another idea emerging from the Bistro could help more District 5470 clubs become involved in International Service. District International Committee Chair Michael Coplan encouraged project leaders to create short, three- to five-minute videos explaining their projects, using photographs, graphics and other visuals. The goal is to make those stories easy for club presidents to share and easier for Rotarians across the district to understand, support and join.

The Bistro is also intended to connect clubs that may not have an international project of their own with clubs that do. Participation does not always require leading a Global Grant or writing a large check. A club can become part of another Rotary club’s project at a level that fits its resources, bringing more Rotarians into the experience of international partnership.

Pull up a virtual chair

That may be the best way to think about the International Bistro.

It isn’t simply another committee meeting.

It is a table.

Around that table are Rotarians who have experience, Rotarians who have questions, people looking for partners, people looking for funding and people who may simply be wondering, How does my club get involved?

Sometimes someone brings a project. Someone else brings a connection. Another brings experience from a project halfway around the world. And sometimes the most valuable thing someone brings is a question.

So bring a cup of your favorite beverage and settle in for a conversation about International Service.

Zoom is your Bistro. Join us.

The next International Bistro is Saturday, October 3. Informal visiting begins at 8:30 a.m. Mountain Time, followed by the meeting from 9 to 10 a.m.

Join the District 5470 International Bistro on Zoom:
Join the Zoom meeting

Meeting ID: 892 2023 8904
Passcode: 273493

From the Bistro Chat: Explore International Service

Want to keep exploring after the Bistro? Rotarians shared these resources during Saturday’s conversation: