One of the great things about being a Soroptimist is the opportunity to develop friendships with women in clubs around the world. Wherever you travel, you will find that clubs are extremely welcoming, inviting you to their meetings or social events or simply offering to show you around their town or city.
We have nine official friendship links throughout the Soroptimist Federations. Individual club members keep in touch with their special link club regularly, sending and receiving news updates on programme actions and other matters of interest.
SI Meru, Kenya (SIFAF)
SI Bingley, Yorkshire (SIGBI)
SI Cape of Good Hope, South Africa (SIFAF)
SI Essen, Germany (SIE)
SI Aosta, Italy (SIE)
SI Versailles, France (SIE)
SI Moreton North, Queensland, Australia (SISWP)
SI Tokyo-Komae, Japan (SIA)
SI Lecce (SIE)
Our Friendship link with SI Lecce in Italy was formed following our work with the club to honour the Via Francigena
The Via Francigena is the ancient pilgrim’s route from Canterbury to Rome. It was established in 990 in the footsteps of St Sigeric and there are 79 stages. The whole distance is 1800k and the UK section between Canterbury and Dover is 30k and is in two stages. In support of SI Lecce’s project to extend the route from Rome to the heel of Italy, we walked from Canterbury to Shepherdswell on a cold, rainy and blustery day in March 2019 together with members from Croydon, Folkestone & Eastbourne clubs. The second leg to Dover was undertaken on a much brighter day in May. The main goal of the VF project is to bring together the Soroptimist clubs along the route and contribute to the enhancement and the promotion of local heritage and cultural sites.
Following my taking part in filming about our part of the route, together with SI-Lecce, on 4 June 2021 la PINK ROAD del SOROPTIMIST INTERNATIONAL – YouTube at 55.55. We formed the official friendship link with SI Lecce.
In April 2019 Ruth, Jane & Carol travelled north to celebrate the 70th Anniversary of SI Bingley
In April 2018 five of our members visited SI Meru as part of a study visit to the Federation project, The Meru Womens Garden project. During the visit we met members of our friendship link club and spent time discussing shared issues,
