International Director Dr. Ahmed Salem
3rd Africa forum in Tunisia
Dear Fellow Lions and Leos,
Greetings from Africa leadership, International Director Dr. Ahmed Salem.
It gives me great pleasure being with you in Tunisia attending the 3rd Africa forum in the Lovely City – Hammamet.
Lions in the world stand for peace and understanding – we unite through kindness to serve those in need. It has been since we began Lionism in Africa back in 1953 that our clubs have been places where individuals join to give their valuable time and effort to improving their communities and the world.
Not long after Lions Clubs International entered the Middle East in 1952, the organization expanded to north Africa. The popularity of Lions was spreading in the 1950s, and Africa quickly joined the movement to serve. Morocco and Algeria can both claim to have Africa’s earliest Lions clubs. In February 1953, the Casablanca club in Morocco was organized but received its charter later in May. Sponsored by the Vichy Lions Club in France, the Alger Doyen Lions Club in Algeria accepted its charter on Mach 27, 1953, making it the first chartered Lions club in Africa. Our 35 thousand members in Africa are stepping up to serve their communities wherever and whenever it is needed.
My service journey started 27 years ago when I was invited to a Lions Club meeting. At that meeting, I realized how Lions are serving the community by offering multiple unique services to the people who are in need, such as delivering food, helping people to get jobs and supplying medical equipment to hospitals and clinics. From that moment, I decided to join this global service organization to be an active member and participate in these unique works that serve the community with determination and sincerity.
Lions Clubs International is the largest service organization in the world, with 1.4 million members serving locally and globally to help take on some of the biggest challenges facing humanity. As lions, we hold ourselves to the absolute highest standards in everything we do. Our members and clubs are dedicated to serving others and to improve their lives, and that positions us as the champions of kindness in our communities.
Dear Lions of Africa: Ensure your local community understands the role of Lions in bettering our world. Promote your accomplishments to boost the profile of your district to help bring in new clubs and members. Take action to make a difference. Give the members the opportunity to grow as individuals to be community leaders. Create the right solutions. Transform lives to the better. Think big to solve big problems. Help people everywhere and believe that nothing is greater than helping others. Thank you very much and I wish you all the best.
Together we can serve with passion
