Numerous members from Rotary Club Malta and their spouses participated in the annual Inter-Country Committee, also known as CIP, held in Brunnen, Switzerland which gathered Rotarians from Italy, Malta, San Marino, Switzerland and Liechtenstein.
Rotary Club Malta has historically been very active in the Inter-Country Committee that groups together Rotarians from Italy, Malta, San Marino, Switzerland and Liechtenstein and the annual meeting held in September 2018 was no exception. The annual event is known as the CIP - its Italian acronym for Comitato Inter-Paese.
This year’s cultural meeting took the participants to Brunnen, a magical little town on the waterfront of Lake Luzern. Our club was represented by PDG Alfred Mangion (far right in photo), Simon and Lydia Bonello, Remigio and Sina Zammit 
Pace, Frank and Monica Salt and Rob and Liz von Brockdorff (far left in photo). The meeting was held between the 27th and 30th September 2018. CIP 2019 will be held in Malta between the 26 and 29th September 2019.
Pace, Frank and Monica Salt and Rob and Liz von Brockdorff (far left in photo). The meeting was held between the 27th and 30th September 2018. CIP 2019 will be held in Malta between the 26 and 29th September 2019.The participants during this weekend were Italian, Maltese, Swiss and Liestentein Rotarians. Although the official language spoken at these yearly fellowship meetings is Italian, there were several participants who spoke English well and therefore we were always comfortable communicating with most participants. The yearly event held in September is hosted by a club from a rotating participating country. Each host club goes to great lengths to have participants visit the best of their region and this year we had a well executed programme prepared for us.
On arrival on Thursday we gathered to welcome drinks at the hotel’s waterfront garden and renewed our acquaintances, and right after this was followed by dinner.
On Friday morning we visited an outstanding museum that displays the documentation evidencing the unification of the cantons as early as the 11th century, and consequently the Swiss nation.There were unique items to view of particular interest. We then went on to visit the Einsiedeln Benedictine Abbey. It contains the Einsiedeln Abbey Library displaying a collection of priceless manuscripts and prints and over 230,000 books with an annual intake of up to 800 volumes (worth a browse on Google). Saturday started with a high standard address by eminent speakers who addressed the dangers of climate warming, its consequential changes, and what can be done to reduce these dangers. This was followed with a delightful boat ride while we had lunch on board this luxury paddle boat all the way to Luzern.
Our guide took us around the city where we were shown the historical and architectural highlights of the city. Rather tired after the walk around we were pleased to return to Brunnen on a large coach that took us back to the hotel. Saturday evening was the farewell gala dinner, our only elegant evening. Sunday morning ended with mass for those that wished to attend.
Next year’s meeting will be held in Malta between the 26th and 29th September 2019. Read more about CIP 2019.