Renske Boslooper, 27 january 2025
Positive Impact Dinner: A Night of Connection and Inspiration
The Positive Impact Dinner is an annual event where members of the Positive Impact Circle come together to connect and inspire each other. This year's edition was hosted at the vibrant GaleriAAA, a unique venue where art and Mediterranean cuisine blend seamlessly. The restaurant houses the gallery and atelier of the AAAFresh-collective, a Rotterdam-based artistic group that has been making waves in the global art scene for over a decade. The collective, consisting of Hans Kleinjan, Maikel Kleinjan, and Roderik Faasen, draws inspiration from their upbringing in the historic Dutch city, known as the 'Gateway to Europe.'
The evening began a welcome drink and warm welcome from board members Renske and Romee. The evening was facilitated by Tom Marshall, an Erasmus Alumni, former Strategy and Innovation consultant, One Young World Social Impact Ambassador, and active member of Extinction Rebellion. Tom's mission is to help people discover how they can make a positive impact and build careers in sustainability. Tom shared his personal impact journey and defined what impact means to him. Attendees were then invited to share their thoughts on impact with their neighbors and the group.
As a delicious vegetarian three-course meal was served, the conversation shifted to reflections on the past year and setting goals for 2023. Attendees discussed their personal impact goals in small groups, fostering a sense of community and shared purpose. The main course was followed by an exercise where attendees identified what support they needed and what they could offer to the impact club. Profiles were written on A4 papers and displayed for everyone to see.
During dessert, a networking exercise took place where attendees wrote post-it notes on each other's profiles with offers of support and contact information. The evening concluded with closing words from Tom and Renske, who invited attendees to suggest ideas for the club's future activities.
The Positive Impact Dinner was a night filled with meaningful connections, inspiring stories, and a shared commitment to making a positive impact in the world. For more details and photos from the event, check out the new short article.