A PROMISING FUTURE FOR KIWANIS IN EUROPE

From May 1 to 3, Kiwanis Europe gathered its youngest members in the beautiful city of Lisbon for the European Young Kiwanis Summit (EYKS). What unfolded over those three days was both heartening and inspiring — a reminder that the values at the heart of our organisation are alive and well in the generation that follows us.

Young Kiwanians travelled from across the continent, bringing with them a genuine sense of purpose and a deep enthusiasm for the future of our movement. Seeing them in action was a powerful reminder that the Kiwanis spirit does not skip a generation.

The three-day programme was carefully designed to address the themes most relevant to our clubs today. Participants took part in workshops on topics including the use of artificial intelligence in volunteer organisations, social media, fundraising, and how clubs can better bridge the gap between generations. Alongside these discussions, they also worked on hands-on sessions in which they developed real initiatives, concrete plans they intend to bring back and implement in their own clubs.

What moved us most was not only the quality of the ideas that emerged, but the spirit with which they were shared. These young Kiwanians are eager to contribute, determined to open new clubs, and ready to carry the Kiwanis mission forward across Europe.

If your club has younger members who have not yet attended an EYKS summit, we warmly encourage you to point them in this direction. It is a wonderful opportunity for them to connect with peers from across Europe, deepen their commitment to Kiwanis, and come back to your club with fresh ideas and renewed energy. Information about next year’s edition will be shared in due course — do keep an eye out.