The Lions Clubs International is the largest service club in the world in terms of membership – Founded in 1917 in the United States by Melvin Jones and established in more than 200 countries and territories – The motto “We Serve.” The Lions Clubs International has consultative status with the UN, UNESCO, UNICEF, WHO, and the Council of Europe.
The total funds collected by the 42,000 Lions Clubs members worldwide amount to an average of 450 million US dollars per year and are entirely distributed for the benefit of various causes.
As we approach the time for transitions, we would like to honor a man who means a lot and has dedicated much of his time to Lionism. We asked Governor Gérard MELANI to tell us about his role.
NP > Gérard Mélani, as the Governor of District 103 Côte d’Azur, what does your mandate involve?
G. MELANI > First of all, it is essential to define the terms: governor and district 103. The 103 designates France. The Côte d’Azur-Corse district includes all the Lions Clubs of the Alpes Maritimes, Var, and Corsica departments, representing 84 clubs and 1,800 members. The governor is the official representative, in this region, of the international bodies and must promote the international president’s program. As in any democracy, there are two entities: the legislative, which is all the clubs gathered in a general assembly, and the governor fulfills the executive function while respecting international statutes. To ensure continuity, there is governance composed of the governor and the 1st and 2nd vice-governors. The governor acts as a conductor to manage the district, while social action projects are carried out by the various clubs.
NP > What are the specificities of the District 103 Côte d’Azur Corse compared to other districts?
G. MELANI > None, except that it has an island attached to the continent.
NP > With 45,000 clubs and 1.3 million members in 2010, Lions Clubs International is the largest philanthropic club organization in the world. How do you explain this?
G. MELANI > Indeed, Lions Clubs International, with 1,350,000 members present in nearly 206 countries or territories, is the world’s largest service club. The Lions Clubs International Foundation has been designated by international bodies as the number one NGO in the world for aid provided during major events. The motto of the Lions is “We Serve” by giving of oneself. In France, men and women dedicate evenings and leisure time to organize events whose proceeds fund the charities of the clubs. All the collected funds are redistributed to charities to help disadvantaged people. Each year, nearly 20 million euros are collected, and Lions devote nearly 1 million hours to this fundraising. The figures speak for themselves.
NP > During an official lunch held on March 24, 2010, at the Hermitage Hotel in Monte-Carlo, His Serene Highness Prince Albert II of Monaco accepted the honorary presidency of the Lions Clubs International of Monaco in the presence of gathered members. Does the Lions Clubs International of Monaco work in synergy with our district on occasional actions?
G. MELANI > The Principality of Monaco, which has two clubs, is directly linked to the international headquarters, thus independent of our district. However, we have been twinned for nearly twenty years, and with our common Italian twins, we carry out joint actions related to the environment and the preservation of the Mediterranean Sea.
NP > What is the role of Madame Melani in your role as governor?
G. MELANI > The governor’s spouse plays an important role. During club visits, she interacts with the members’ spouses, sharing experiences. She is also a support and help in human management. She brings a feminine touch and intuition to the governor when making decisions without being a Lion.
NP > Regarding yourself, what is “the post-Governor”?
G. MELANI > The Past-Governor statutorily is part of the governor’s cabinet. In this role, they are the guarantor of continuity. With the experience of a recent year of governorship, they can be very useful for the district; they are available to the governance to provide their experience. On a personal level, Lionism does not end with the transition of responsibilities; I return to my club, which I had set aside during my mandate. I am back as a “basic Lion.”
