ZI Convention 2026 – Vancouver, Canada
16 July 2026
The Convention concluded on Tuesday, 14 July, with a Gala Dinner Dance held at the Hyatt Regency Vancouver in the Regency Ballroom. It was a very busy and successful Convention, with excellent guest speakers and much discussion regarding the Resolutions. Changes are also underway regarding the Governance Blueprint; however, further work is needed on the document, which outlines the changes needed for the structure of Zonta and will be voted on at the Copenhagen Convention in 2028. Linda will outline some of these matters when she gives her Convention presentation at the September meeting.
The DJ was energetic and vibrant, having previously performed at the 2024 Eurovision Song Contest representing Finland, and the dance floor was packed all night. Given the roaring twenties theme, Linda had expected to be dancing the Charleston to jazz music, so it was a fun surprise how lively the night turned out to be. The DJ kept waving a Finnish flag throughout his set, and Linda couldn’t work out why, until she found out the next day that he was Finnish himself!
Linda enjoyed the Convention very much, having met so many wonderful women and some men, engaged in the work of improving the lives of women and children. There were plenty of serious and worthy discussions, along with good conversations and fun. She also enjoyed connecting with our twinned club, the Zonta Club of Bad Bergzabern.
Linda and her friend Margaret are now setting off on their 21-day trip around Canada.
Linda said the Gala Dinner was great fun, with a “roaring twenties” theme, members dressed in the spirit of the era.
Here are a few photos of the Gala Dinner Dance.
Kerry Kerr Area 3 Director and
Linda Tinning
Linda Tinning and Margaret Holbrook
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Following is a Facebook post by Zonta International…
Please join us in welcoming 2026-2028 Zonta International President Fernanda Gallo Freschi!
15 July 2026
ZI Convention Flag Ceremony
This year, instead of the traditional Flag Parade where representatives walk across the room to the stage to place their country’s flag — flags were displayed on screen for each country, which worked well. It brought back memories of the flags collapsing on stage at the Brisbane Convention!
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Memorial Service Honouring Members Who Passed During the 2024–2026 Biennium
Each Governor placed a yellow rose in remembrance of the Zontians who passed away during this biennium. The music and poetry readings were deeply moving, offering a fitting tribute to those we have lost.
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District 23 Members Reunite at Meet Up
At the District 23 Meet Up, held at the Grain Tasting Bar in the Hyatt, Linda reconnected with fellow District 23 members Dr Julie Monis-Ivett OAM and Dr Joy O’Hazy OAM from the ZC of Adelaide Hills, who in the early 2000s started the highly successful Birthing Kits project.
Linda also caught up with Lauren Neville, Judy Gorton and Carol Theobald from the ZC of Perth, sharing their Convention experiences together as well as it was a pleasure to see incoming District 23 Governor Wendy Quinn.
It was an emotional moment for Linda when she met the only two Ukrainian Zontians from District 27, Lyubov Maksymovych and Diana Kaynts from the ZC of Lviv-Zamok. Lyubov took to the stage to speak about the devastating impact of the war on women and children in Ukraine, sharing her own experiences. It was a heartbreaking and powerful moment.
Zonta Says No Day
The Convention was filled with attendees wearing orange “Zonta Says No” T-shirts. Linda exchanged gifts with two Zontians from the ZC of Cape Girardeau, Missouri, USA. They shared a laugh over the fact that she still had the lip balm they’d given her at the Brisbane Convention.
Following is a Facebook post by Zonta District 23…
Zonta Says NOW
ZontaVancouver kicked off on the right foot!
Day one took us to the Vancouver Seawall, where Zontians walked side by side to say NOW to gender-equal climate action.
Climate change doesn’t affect everyone equally, and neither does its response. Women and girls are disproportionately impacted by climate disasters, yet remain underrepresented in the decisions that shape our response.
Thank you to every Zontian who laced up and showed up. This is only day one, and the energy already tells us this is going to be a conference to remember.
14 July 2026
Following is a Facebook post by Zonta Australia…
“⭐️ Zonta Australia is proud and delighted.
At Day 1 of the Zonta International Convention in Vancouver, Her Excellency the Honourable Sam Mostyn AC was named an International Honorary Zontian— in recognition of her lifelong advocacy for women and girls, in boardrooms, in policy, and now at the highest level of public life.
This honour reflects the very best of what Zonta stands for: recognising women who lead with purpose, speak with courage, and refuse to leave gender equality on the agenda as an aspiration rather than a reality.
We congratulate Her Excellency warmly.💛”
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13 July 2026
Opening Ceremony Highlights
One of Linda’s highlights today was networking with delegates from around the world proudly wearing their colourful national dress, showcasing the diversity and unity of the Zonta community. This year’s convention has attracted 1,484 participants from across the globe.
Linda also had the opportunity to meet the Opening Ceremony keynote speaker, Sally Armstrong, and have her photograph taken with her. Linda described Sally as an outstanding and truly inspirational speaker.
Sally Armstrong is an internationally acclaimed journalist, humanitarian, author, and global war correspondent whose work has focused on the lives of women affected by conflict. Her reporting has taken her to war zones and humanitarian crises across Bosnia, Somalia, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Afghanistan, Iraq, and Guatemala. A four-time recipient of the Amnesty International Canada Media Award, she is also a former member of the United Nations International Women’s Commission. Sally has received numerous honours throughout her distinguished career, including being appointed an Officer of the Order of Canada and receiving the Women of Influence Lifetime Achievement Award.
12 July 2026
Linda Tinning Represents Our Club at the Zonta International Convention: 11 – 14 July 2026
Linda is having a wonderful time connecting with fellow Zontians from around the world, exchanging ideas, building new friendships, and celebrating our shared commitment to creating a better world for women and girls.
She met with President Ann-Kathrin Butscher and Dominique Bouquet from the Zonta Club Bad Bergzabern, Germany—our Twinning Club and presented them with our miniature ZPNS Club banner, a greeting card from our President, Sue Pertile, and a selection of club gifts, including our Rose Cards, Utility Bag, and a copy of our Club Recipe Book.
She also met up with Doris Wunu from the Zonta Club Accra II, Ghana. In a delightful coincidence, they both arrived wearing the same Zonta shirts they had purchased at the 2025 Zonta International Convention in Brisbane.
Additionally, she attended the ZI Twinning Club meeting and met committee members: May (Mei-Hong) Wen, D31 – Taiwan; Shelley Schultz, D07 – Minnesota; and Raisa Valve, D20 – Finland
Representatives from the Zonta Club of Bad Bergzabern shared that they had been told our club was one of the best examples of a successful twinning partnership, thanks to the early connections we established and the ongoing contact we have maintained, including at the Convention.
Linda was also invited to record a short video explaining why our clubs chose to twin and why we believe these international partnerships are so valuable in strengthening friendships, fostering collaboration, and advancing Zonta’s mission.
Here’s a response to the short video Linda recorded from President Ann-Kathrin Butscher:
“Dear Linda,
It was such a joy to see you again at lunchtime today. Every moment we spend together makes us even more grateful that Zonta has brought us together. It really feels as though we have known each other for much longer than just a few days.
We cannot thank you enough for your wonderful video message for our club. Our members absolutely loved it! They were so excited. It was such a special moment for all of us. Your message showed our members far better than words ever could how deep and genuine our friendship has become. We are so thankful that you took the time to do this for us, and we know that our club will remember this surprise for a very long time.”
