GRAND ORIENT DE SUISSE

GROSSORIENT DER SCHWEIZ

GRANDE ORIENTE DI SVIZZERA
(FEDERATION DE LOGES – VEREINIGUNG DER LOGEN – FEDERAZIONE DI LOGGE)

CLIPSAS 2011 - 50th Anniversary

(Rappel: Promouvoir l’idée d’une Maçonnerie libérale et adogmatique,
réunir ce qui est épars dans une chaîne d’union universelle.)

Reflections from an Obedience: G.O.S. Grand Orient de Suisse

How the World will look like in the next 50 years? Is there a new challenge for
CLIPSAS? How can the emerging issues be addressed? And, what are the
actions required?

There will always be a place for individual efforts and personal actions towards
the complexity of economic transformations, global migration trends, raising
inequalities of all kinds, and youth movement demands for justice, democracy
and liberty. Notwithstanding, team work and collective action are the levers for
growth and effectiveness. To act alone is good but acting together is much
better.

It is important to realize and be accountable for what CLIPSAS have done and
what we can still make in the coming years. How will we deal with the
challenges and opportunities ahead? How other actors can interact within
CLIPSAS? How knowledge and best practices can be shared for an increased
and concerted impact?

The issue seems to be: How to reinvigorate and revitalize CLIPSAS: by

designing dynamic tools to address the challenges of the future, by
encouraging each Obedience and Lodge to become an Ambassador of
CLIPSAS, once willingness expressed. The recurrent question to address is:
How?

Some ideas in terms of questions and propositions

 To perform an organization assessment of CLIPSAS.

 What our ambition will be over the medium and long term? What our priorities
will be? What will be the strategies to adopt?
 To work out a plan to modernize our management structure to nourish the
quality of our contacts and exchanges. Not being a matter of the chosen
governance structure, it will be important to count with some measurement
(i.e. performance indicators) to evaluate the impact our actions. For example,

Grand Orient de Suisse – Case Postale 2048 – 1211 GENEVE 2 – Suisse

contact@g-o-s.ch
 any action that may be undertaken at improving our visibility initiated by the
Governance Body and/or affiliated member(s) should be measured in the
interest of a sustainable and durable effort.
 To implement a performing database for our members and partners, mapping
the opportunities and potential partnerships to mobilize and empower them.
The quality of our decisions might be improved by providing guidance, and, by
encouraging the value of members’ contributions once potential opportunities
identified.
 To reassume our place as a creative masonry: an incubator of ideas, a
catalyst of new initiatives that shapes and rethinks the agenda of outside world
with an innovative approach, that takes the realities of our time into
consideration, for presenting solutions to decision makers (media,
conferences, political leaders) without juxtaposing personal appetites and/or
interests.
 To defense Masonic values over considerations based on ethical, cultural,
political, scientific, religious and/or philanthropic nature.
 To consolidate our (real) fraternity and union based on total freedom of
conscience, mutual tolerance and respect.
 To be consistent with ourselves and not only think internally. An outward
approach might require thinking “CLIPSAS and the world” around to explain,
improve our message and publicize the actions of CLIPSAS. This will to
promote our symbols, humanistic ideals and the contribution all Freemasons
can make to an ever changing world.
 To write a new page in the history of youth current desire for democracy.
CLIPSAS has the opportunity and should position itself as a broker for
improving pluralism in the World.
 To involve our members (obediences and lodges) at different levels by
providing and granting the access of information to multiply and spill over the
effect of any campaign and/or concerted action.
 To reinforce Social Peace as a source of balance and cohesiveness.
 To listen to the youth and younger generations, learn and maintain special
relationships with them, to discuss their views and their every day life
problems. Intergenerational dialogue and the guidance provided will help to
improve the state by asserting youth personality and identity.
 Do not worry about countering the influence of the United Grand Lodge of
England. This is about gathering together what is scattered and dispersed
and work in this direction.

In conclusion, CLIPSAS to maintain its fertile ground for diverse exchanges, both in
size and influence: of its Obediences and Lodges, the SS and FF, all ventures in
active collaboration to strengthen the construction of a vast Universal Masonic
reunion.

Reporter
MHJCharoton
april 2011

Grand Orient de Suisse – Case Postale 2048 – 1211 GENEVE 2 – Suisse

contact@g-o-s.ch