The first student sent by the Rotary Club through the youth exchange program to a summer camp in Denmark was Timur Kunitsyn. He was the only representative from Israel in an international team of 15 young people from around the world.
Young people from Poland, Ireland, Brazil, Ukraine, Hungary, Germany, Spain, and eight other countries spent two unforgettable weeks together. They sailed for six days on the North Sea aboard a sailing ship, spent nights in a Viking village, stayed in the homes of Rotarians, visited museums, factories, and farms. And, of course, they connected and shared experiences with each other.
To join the camp, Timur went through a selection process at the Rotary Club level and then at the Rotary District 2490 level. He was chosen through a competitive selection process to represent Israel with dignity at the international summer camp.
Timur writes:
It was an incredible experience—an intense exchange of emotions and knowledge among all 15 participants from different countries. We quickly became close friends, not only with each other but also with the organizers, who were always there for us, treating us with kindness and trust, as if we were just as grown-up as they were.
Over two weeks, we visited a wide range of places—from a small sheep farm, a Viking village, and a museum, to the vibrant capital, Copenhagen. On the last day of the camp, we said our goodbyes with tears in our eyes, not wanting to leave.
A huge thank you to the organizers and Rotary for this unforgettable journey and life-changing experience!
The Rotary Club intends to continue actively participating in international exchange programs.