Round Table (club)

Round Table ( RT) is one of the service clubs and is a politically and religiously neutral association of young men aged 18 to 40 years. The idea and the organization of Round Table have their origin in the tradition of the English club life: local and independent " tables " each carry about 15 to 25 young men of different professions and spheres of action together. In Germany there are currently 222 tables with over 3,500 members active. Worldwide, the Association 33,000 members in 70 countries (as of 2012).

• 4.1 Roundtable in Germany
• 4.2 Roundtable in Austria
• 4.3 Roundtable in other countries

• 7.1 Online Literature

The idea

Roundtable expects its members openness and interest over traditional as well as new ideas and developments in accordance with the motto "adopt, adapt, improve". The motto is taken from a speech by the Prince of Wales, who in these words to young men encouraged in 1927 to take proven solutions and develop them to the changed conditions of the present and the future back and improve.

An essential part of club life is, therefore, the information about the causes and effects of current developments and the exchange of professional and life experiences of the table among members dedicated. The individual can get to know others in this way, views and opinions from the viewpoint out and expand his horizons beyond their own experience range. Dealing with different opinions and behaviors promotes the members of Round Table a form of tolerance that develops similarities over differences across ditches and thereby not zuschüttet, but builds bridges over it.

The service concept

Roundtable expects its members continued willingness to engage within their own table and beyond, in the context of " service projects " for others. Behind this expectation is the conviction that the individual also has duties to the community. The commitment to service projects not money, but personal commitment is required, based on the concern for the problems of others and to the joy of joint action. Roundtable is therefore a service club, but no charity.

National Service Projects

Every year, the club is a "National Service Project (NSP ) ". For a year the selected project from all 3,500 members of service clubs is supported. Many still successful projects have started as a National Service Project of the service clubs.

Examples:

• Roundtable Butterfly Kids: Helping the orphans of Medicine: children with epidermolysis bullosa
• Get out of the blind spot: Roundtable explains to children the blind spot
• RT School of Hope: Roundtable builds a school in Kenya
• Round Table Children's Wish eV: Roundtable meets seriously ill children Herzenswünsche
• KID: Roundtable funded six -patient children's hospices
• HOPE: Roundtable supports children suffering from AIDS in South Africa
• NCL- Foundation Roundtable creates the initial capital of the Foundation
• 11FSN: Roundtable builds 11 schools in Nepal and gives children an education

The Club Life

The local tables of Round Table will meet every two weeks to a " table Dinner ". This table evening often begins with a shared meal and usually has a carry forward from their own ranks or from guest speakers to the center. In addition, the " three-minute presentation" of a table belongs to a member today's topic and the handling of table - internal " rules " to the normal course of the evening. Occasionally, a " first- presentation" added, in which introducing a new table member or in which a senior member informs the table about changes in his personal life.

The club life is not confined to the individual table, but goes far beyond. In the variety of meetings and events at regional, national and international level members of Round Table from different regions, countries and cultures meet. The common element here is about all the differences and boundaries, the joy of all " (Round) Tabler " in the encounter with other people and their common attitude.

Once a year, the German tables of " roundtable " meeting to a "AGM " (Annual General Meeting). In addition, neighboring clubs organize joint events, and individual tables set up weekend events from, to which they invite all members of nationwide roundtable.

International table of every German Round Table in the other European countries, has a partner club each. The partner clubs meet once a year for the " Euro Meeting" (also called " numbers " meetings called ), for each year is another one of the tables of the hosts. In addition, organizations of Round Table organized at regular intervals "Mass - tours ," round trips by their countries, where they invite the Roundtable members worldwide.

The social context of such matches and events and the obvious involvement of the partners also leads to a variety of contacts, connections and friendships that often extend far beyond the time of the Roundtable membership addition.

Inclusion in Round Table is done by the recommendation of a member and shall require the unanimous approval of all other members of the table.

The history

Round Table was founded in 1927 in England. The founder Louis Marchesi was going to call an association to life, which leaned on the model of similar clubs, but should act as a counterweight in an important point for him: the age of the members. Membership in other clubs is a lifetime invested in general, what with numerical recording limitations, in conjunction mostly to a high average age. In contrast, the Roundtable membership automatically ceases at the age of 40. In this way, back regularly places for new, younger members table free. This regulation has led Roundtable to an average age of mid 30's and to a high degree of homogeneity among the members table in terms of personal life in work and family.

In many English-speaking countries, the age limit, however, was now raised to 45, to reflect the now comparatively higher age at occurrence, due to longer training times than decades ago, Bill. In Germany and Austria the age limit is, however, continue to 40th

Since the end of the Second World War Roundtable has spread to most countries in Europe, Africa, Asia and North America.

Roundtable in Germany

The first German Club was founded in 1952 in Hamburg. By 2006, the number of " tables " has grown to 221 in the whole of Germany.

Roundtable in Austria

The establishment of the first clubs in Austria took place in Vienna in 1956. By 2006, the number of " tables " has grown to 50 in the whole of Germany.

Roundtable in other countries

In 1991 there were national Round Table organizations in 47 countries that have joined together to form an umbrella organization " International Round Table ". Round Table International has as with other organizations with similar objectives

• APEX in Australia,
• Active 20/30 in the United States and
• Kin Canada

United in the " World Council of Service Clubs ( WOCO )", which meets once a year at a constantly changing place and more than 100,000 members has.

Old Tablers

Many of the retiring members join the " Old Tablers ". Since the Round Table must be vacated by 40 years, Old Tablers in many countries also called " club41 ". The oldest tables in Germany are in Berlin ( OT 1), Konstanz (OT 2) and Wilhelmshaven (OT 3).

Ladies Circle

Since Roundtable and Old Table are in principle subject to men, women have joined the so-called Ladies' Circle as part of the Round Table.