On Friday, 27 May 2005 we arrived to Stockholm where the annual general meeting of RiEN members took place.

*Reflexology in Europe Network

Other participants were already awaiting us in the KOM hotel and welcomed us with warmth and friendliness.
After dinner the organizers prepared a Salsa party, which encouraged us to make a few dancing steps together.

The following day we began with the programme. The schedule was extensive and the time of events very precisely set. The overall number of partaking delegates was 40, coming from 12 European countries.
The opening speech was held by the hostess Mrs Prijo Sóderman, followed by the president of RiEN, Daphne Gardner, announcing the president of the Swedish Reflexotherapy Association, who made the first, extremely interesting presentation. Their motto is based on four principles: business, profession, insurance, influence.
The financial report was given by Evelyn Haukaas. Afterwards we divided into two groups:

RRG – RiEN Research Group
REG – RiEN Education Group

We all made suggestions about the future of RiEN, based on our visions and ideas.
We finished at 5 p.m. and afterwards a ship brought us to the royal palace.
The service was excellent, food and wine deliscious, and we felt as though we had known the others for ages.
Outside the temperatures had dropped quite significantly. Through the window we admired the beautiful Swedish landscape, the intact nature, its peace and quietness. Also the people there are very polite, friendly and easy-going.
We concluded the evening in a pub called Limerick, drinking Guiness and already preparing ourselves for the nex-year conference, which will be held in an Irish town with the same name as this pub.

The following day Mrs Leila had a detailed presentation on research.
Later a lecture was given by Mr Rafelo Cuter from FIRP, the association of Italian reflexotherapists, followed by Danish representatives (FDZ) who introduced new methods of research.

And then it was time for the Slovenian presentation (it is available on web site: xxxxxxxxx), given by Mrs Nada Tomazin – Dokl. She introduced our society and, among other things, emphasized the importance of a good psychophysical condition of reflexotherapists. This means that in order to work well, we must first be able to help OURSELVES.To stress the symbolic meaning of the contents of our work we presented everyone with a heart-shaped gingerbread, which symbolized a reflexotherapist who should work with their heart. The presentation was very well accepted and received compliments.

We concluded the two-day congress with a lunch, bade farewell, exchanged addresses and went our seperate ways.

The two of us took a walk through the old part of Stockholm and bought a few things.
On the way back we stopped at a church to listen to a wonderful vocal concert of Verdi's sacral music.
Next day we flew back to our beautiful Slovenia.

Nada Tomazin – Dokl and Ema Blejc