ZIWA was officially founded in November 1985.

We owe our founding to Liesbeth Quaadgras who first had the idea in 1981. We begin with her story.

“In 1977 my husband was transferred from the USA to Korea which had just started to develop. Many western corporations saw a future there, but we had to adjust to very different circumstances in a non-western culture. However, there was SIWA, which stands for Seoul International Women’s Association, and it was my first marvelous experience to interact with women from many different backgrounds. The Korean members were vital for advising all those strangers. I became involved and ended our four-year stint as President.

When I learned our next assignment was going to be Switzerland I discovered, to my disappointment, that there was no such institution in Zürich. Friends and I joked to start something similar there and then change the S to Z. It never left my mind. But you need knowledge and friends to do so, and I had neither when I arrived in 1981.

The first few weeks in a new country were difficult, as many of you may also have experienced. We lived in a hotel, and it rained day in and day out. Fortunately, our children went to AISZ, and the school had a “mother’s club”. And very important, because my ties with the USA (our oldest daughter had just started university there), I was allowed to become a member of the American Women’s Club. My life improved a lot, but I still realized that there were many women not as fortunate as I was and who had to be very lonely.”

In the autumn of 1985, when Liesbeth’s youngest child left for university, she had enough time and energy to pursue her dream. She discussed it with some friends with international backgrounds and the ball started rolling. They divided the board positions very democratically and together planned what would be necessary and important for ZIWA. Each had her own responsibility and took it seriously, while having a lot of fun as well. Joan Donleavy recalls the first planning meeting.

“I arrived to live in Zurich, from the UK, with my husband, two small boys and a cat in August 1985. My earliest memory of ZIWA is being taken by Silla Fry to a meeting at someone's apartment a few weeks later. I was still totally culture shocked and mistakenly thought ZIWA was something that was up and running. Wrong. That meeting was to form a Committee from the 15 or so women who were present and to plan the first public meeting.

A lengthy discussion followed: a venue, programme and refreshments were all decided upon. Then the Committee: Chair was easy - Liesbeth Quaadgras who'd had the original idea for an International Women's Association. Vice Chair - Letitia Vollenweider - also an easy choice. Silla Fry volunteered to be Treasurer and look after the cash. "And now" said Liesbeth "we need a Secretary." Silence. "Come on ladies, ideas, volunteers?". An even lengthier silence.

Opening my mouth for the first time all afternoon, I took a breath and said hesitantly "Er, I can type". 14 pairs of eyes swiveled, 14 mouths smiled, and I was IT.”

So the story goes, and the following women are named as the founders of ZIWA:

Liesbeth Quaadgras (Dutch)

Joan Donleavy (British)

Silla Fry (Swiss)

Carol Marks (American)

Madeleine Steiner (British)

Letitia Vollenweider (American)

ZIWA held its first public meeting on 26 November 1985 at the Pressehaus in Stadelhoferpassage in Zurich. Some members recall their impressions of that first meeting and the early years.

Valerie Ruegg:

I first heard about ZIWA as a work in progress as I knew two of the founder members. I thought it a good idea and went to the inaugural meeting at Stadelhofen in November 1985. My memories are vague, but I seem to recall the monthly meetings alternating between the Gemeindehaus Kilchberg and Zumikon. I particularly enjoyed the Bridge group which was up and running from day one in the home of founder member Carol Marks. I later ran it for a couple of years. We were very few people and took it in turns

to have the monthly bridge events at our homes. The official ZIWA tables and chairs were transported from house to house. I attended cultural events and joined in gardening group activities and other groups when they were formed. This didn't happen overnight. There was an enthusiastic, pioneer spirit: one had an idea, discussed it with friends, rolled up one’s sleeves and got on with it. Altruism ruled!

Mary Ellen Zogg:

ZIWA was originally thought of as an attempt to gather women of all nationalities together, speaking the common language English, and sharing experiences and cultures with each other. The first meetings were primarily hosted once a month by an individual. Internet was in its early stages, so reservations were called in by telephone or mailed in with the slip from the monthly newsletter. The general schedule as to which country would be taking care of which meeting was arranged at the beginning of the year. The individual country members would present some kind of programme for entertainment: not a huge event each time, but perhaps a lecture about an aspect of the country, a slide show or a peek into the traditions or favourite tourist spots. They would also provide some kind of refreshment: usually coffee and tea with cakes and cookies traditional to that country. And they were in charge of seeing that the cleanup was done when it was all over. There were not as many working members at the beginning, so it was a lifesaver to have an outlet for women/wives who had landed in Zürich, coming from an active life back home and suddenly unable to work and not speaking the language - we all know the rest!

Joan Donleavy:

In the beginning, minutes and the early editions of ZIWA News were bashed out on a small portable typewriter on my dining room table. (Computers? In 1985? You're kidding. That was when "cut and paste" meant literally that and copious amounts of Tippex were splashed onto the so-called finished page when a last-minute change had to be made).

I think there were about 90 women at the very first monthly meeting and that's when the mighty oak that ZIWA was to become started to grow from the small acorn of Liesbeth's idea. I was constantly in awe of all these amazing women who came up with fantastic ideas and volunteered their time and skills so willingly.

I remained a staunch member of ZIWA up to the time we left Zurich in 1996 to move to beautiful, rugged County Donegal, Ireland. I remember my 11 years with ZIWA with great fondness. That time certainly taught me to "bloom where you're planted", which I've tried to do ever since.

I'm left to ponder on how many women have passed through ZIWA's "doors" over the years and have been enriched by the experience? A staggering number, I've no doubt.

* This is a history compiled from various ZIWA News archive records and accounts from long-time members. We can’t guarantee it’s 100% accurate, but we believe it’s close.