The Optimist International Global Spotlight was created to provide another means of communication between Optimist International and the Optimist Clubs outside of the United States and Canada.  The newsletter will be sent monthly. If you have suggestions for improvements, Club projects, articles for inclusion and/or other information about your Club, contact communications@optimist.org. 
Meeting for Optimist Club in Chad
New inquiries over the past month have been generated in Togo, Trinidad-Tobago, Chad, and Egypt.  The project in Chad has quickly moved forward with two meetings held in preparation for an organization date in the middle of May. Optimist International is also looking forward to organizing a new Club in Liberia, two Clubs nearing completion in Jamaica, and new Optimists in Nigeria.

If you have any leads in other countries,  contact  newclub@optimist.org .
International Convention Approaching Fast

The 99th Annual Optimist International Convention will be three days of fellowship, networking and continuing education in Albuquerque, New Mexico on July 6-8.
You still have time to register! This is a tremendous opportunity for meeting and networking with fellow Optimists, to take in several workshops that will benefit your Club, and have fun. Optimists from overseas who wish to attend should begin the process immediately so the necessary travel documents can be obtained in time for the event. 
Coming Soon: Training Videos

There is an exciting development to report from International headquarters in St. Louis that will provide more value for our international Members. The Leadership Development Department is embarking on a project to produce a series of short videos to highlight various aspects of being an Optimist and an Optimist leader. Some of the topics already under production include "How to Conduct a Meeting," "How to Ask Someone to be a Member," and "How to be an Effective Club President."  There are also webinars under development that include how to conduct a fundraiser.  You can access various webinars on the Optimist International  website .  The short videos should soon be available and a major production effort will take place at the  International Convention .
Club Optimiste Maroc Prepares to Sponsor Conference

This month's overseas Club Spotlight is actually a tease for next month's Global Spotlight.  We look forward to learning in May about the success of the rally sponsored by Club Optimiste Maroc in Casablanca, Morocco. College aged students and young professionals are coming together for a three-day conference. The event is a cooperative effort between several groups aimed at "Bringing Out the Best" in young people.