Austria, Belgium, England, France, Hungary, Italy, Netherlands, Poland, Scotland, Spain, Germany, Ireland and Malta.

Dear Presidents,

During these weeks of the joy and peace of Easter we Europeans have been experiencing the terror and scare of the war in our neighbouring country Yugoslavia as well as the expulsion of hundreds of innocent people from their native country. The threatening and deeply shocking pictures and reports about "ethnic cleansing" in Kosovo, by the abundance of which we are overwhelmed every day, are hard to integrate into the "hallelujah" of our Christian belief.

As we alumnae are firmly convinced of the SC spirit and live according to it, we simply can't but feel compassion, sympathy and affection for these people who are now encountering great poverty and hardship. That is why I am now asking all national presidents of Europe to look for possibilities within and with the help of their associations of how to join the humanitarian relief programmes in their countries and offer them contributions in kind and money. The simultaneity of such an SC - initiative on the European level which might even enable ourselves to feel the value of the international SC - family on whom, we know, we can lean.

We also desire that the "Bicentenary Congress" at Brussels in October 2000 shall strengthen the international S.C. friendship. Kathleen Dor and her team are preparing and planning the contents and course of events with a fascinating overview, with a vivid engagement in the matter and great inventiveness, so that the meeting will embrace all generations. I have no doubt at all that the event will be a success, after knowing that 24 (!) European S.C. schools/ S.C. successor schools have expressed their willingness to participate in the project; commendably, Sister Chantal de Jonghe is in charge of this project. The 15-18 year old students of each school will be approached for this.

Today I would like to bring your notice to the fact that the 20-40 year alumnae have, to a large extent, lost interest in our association. The reasons for a similar development in nearly all European S.C. countries during the past 20 years are as follows:

Most boarding schools hvae been closed down, lay women and men have been charged with the headship and some schools are being maintained by institutions of the church; moreover studies, occupations, professions and families make particularly heavy demands on the lives and time of many alumnae. On the other hand there is a growing search for communities with clear aims and friendship without prejudice.

In my opinion we should face this challenge. In view of this I have drawn up a list of possible approaches which, according to our experiences in Germany, might lead to success on three pre-conditions:

1. mandate of one person responsible for this task
2. private study groups of the persons responsible with about 8-10 representatives of the last 20-25 years school graduates
3. creating personal contacts between as many members as possible and younger generations ("snowball effect")

To finish today's letter I want to express my appreciation to the Austrian S.C. board under the supervision of Barbara Nagamine for preparing the meeting from 15-17 October 1999 in Vienna, where the European presidents will do their work. I know that each one of us is looking forward to seeing the others. This joy makes us strong in believing ourselves to be able to achieve the objectives which we have set ourselves in the spirit of M.S. Barat.

In this sense I send my cordial regards

Charlotte Bardenhewer

To start with, approach about 10 "young" alumnae from various years who left school up to about 25 years ago. Members are to create such contacts on a personal level, should the occasion arise by asking students who know about former students who can be motivated. Arrange to meet them in private, and there:

• report about the aims and tasks of the association
• indicate to them the world-wide link via Hospitality
• make them aware of the European meeting at Brussels in 2000
• read and speak in groups about personal involvement, work of current importance and example of M.S. Barat

Such private meetings should be continued and repeated regularly up to 3-4 times a year. In doing this, we should encourage the "young alumnae" to

• express their ideas and suggestions for undating the method applied
• help organize and carry out local and national meetings (such as lectures on their occupations and professions)
• create personal contacts both a national and international level (e.g. by telephone, letter, email)

We ourselves should accept and implement their suggestions for improvement, be willing to consider neew perspectives for actions to be taken and further developing our association (e.g. create our periodical bulletins in cooperation with them, design an advertising leaflet about our association and so on).