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 [email protected]. 

As the organization nears the end of the third quarter of the Optimist year, our overseas Clubs are encouraged to look internally at the health of their Club. 
  • Are projects being planned and carried out? 
  • Does the membership roster contain people who really want to be a part of the Optimist Club?  
  • Are the Club's finances in good order?  
The attention to these details now will enable your Club to work at its best level in the coming months. It also will help in the area of accepting new ideas. 

"As we continue to move ahead, remember that we as an organization have to be open to new ideas and new ways to do things," said Optimist International President Jim Kondrasuk.  "New Members help with that. But as the world changes, it is important to rethink the phrase 'We've always done it that way.'"
New Club Forms in Nepal

Optimist International is happy to announce a new country within the Optimist family.  The Optimist Club of Kathmandu, Nepal became a reality at the end of May. The Club hopes to begin work soon in the area of empowering women in its area of influence. 

"Not only myself, but our team, is ready here to form the Club," says Charter President Uday Niruala, who contacted Optimist International in the early part of May. "We shall fundamentally work to empower the out-of-school adolescent girls here who are the most vulnerable in our society."  

This is the third opportunity for an Optimist presence in Nepal with past efforts involving Clubs formed in 2002 and 2008.
Stream the International Convention

The International Convention in Albuquerque is now just over a month away.  Overseas Clubs are invited to tune in to the Opening Ceremonies, July 7, 2017, at 7:00 PM (MDT) for the Parade of Nations of Optimist International.  Flags representing the countries where Optimist International has Clubs will be paraded through the Convention Hall. New flags this year representing new countries will include Nepal, Senegal, and Mali, with several more expected to be added during the month of June.

Streaming is available here. For all convention information, click here. 
Royal Optimist Club of Kingston 

The May Global Spotlight shines this month on the Royal Optimist Club of Kingston, Jamaica, which recently began work on a project at the Dunrobin Primary School.  

"The enthusiasm displayed by the students was a sign of the importance of guiding our children down the right path," said President Jermaine Peart. 

The Club helped with planting of crops to contribute to the breakfast program at the school. 

"This enthusiasm is visible as they learn to see themselves not only as youth," said Peart, "but also as the generation that can help to build their communities and spread optimism with every attempt made."