Round Table on visit to raise awareness on prostate cancer |22 June 2013

RTI president Jeroen de Graaf said the visiting members had an informative discussion with President Michel, and gave him more information on the activities Seychelles Round Table is involved with and its cooperation with Round Table Germany in a project relating to raising awareness about prostate cancer.

“The idea of the Round Table is to support each other and to keep learning, this is why we have the motto ‘adopt, adapt and improve’ and Round Table Seychelles is of course one of the associations with several ongoing projects.”

According to Mr de Graaf, the organisation plays an active role in visiting other member countries to learn more about the culture and activities of the various Round Table associations around the world.

“We are only here for four days, so it’s very hard to get all the information in four days, but that immediately gives me a reason to come back and learn more about this beautiful country,” he said.

The delegates took part in the Seychelles Round Table annual general meeting (AGM) yesterday and are expected to conduct their African regional AGM today before leaving the country tomorrow evening.

“Round Table Seychelles is doing a very good job, and furthermore I would like to ask the people of Seychelles to support certain projects, because without their involvement, the projects will not work,” he said.

“One of the projects we are doing now is the prostate cancer awareness for men. I think it’s very important that men do go for medical tests because prostate cancer is one of the silent killers.”
President Michel praised the active role the Seychelles Round Table has in society and thanked the organisation for its contributions.

"It is good to see young professionals working together to help the community, for social empowerment and charitable causes. We appreciate the work of Round Table in Seychelles, especially the activities organised such as the annual Regatta, which is popular," said President Michel during the meeting.

Mr de Graaf added that Round Table International supported the Movember campaign in the month of November each year to raise awareness and funds by growing moustaches.
“This is a signal to people to take care of themselves and go and get tested. Without the test, you don’t know if you have prostate cancer.”

The first Round Table was formed in Norwich, England in 1927. The founder, Louis Marchesi, was a young member of the Rotary Club in Norwich who felt there was a need for a club aimed at the younger businessmen of the town. His vision was for them to exchange ideas, learn from the experiences of their colleagues, and together contribute to the civic life of the town.

Moffat Nyirenda, the vice-president of RTI, explained that the Round Table is now an international movement that targets young male entrepreneurs and professionals from the ages of 18 to 40, with 40,000 active members in almost 60 countries.

He further encouraged all young professionals and entrepreneurs in Seychelles to join hands with the organisation for the good of the country.
The Round Table Africa and Arabian Gulf chairman, Dominique Moncheaux, who is also the Round Table International treasurer and is from Madagascar, said that Round Table was mandated to promote best practices in the region.

“We are here to learn about what is done in Seychelles, and the President highlighted what is being done here for the protection of the environment,” he said. “As you know, in Africa, this is a big issue, so we are trying to bring back with us what is being done in Seychelles and try to make things run differently and improve things, as our motto says.”