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>From the Nairobi Institute website http://www.nicentenary.com/index.html ------------------------------------------------ The Nairobi Institute Centenary Celebrations 1905 -2005 One hundred years ..... the countdown begins >From Goa, a Portuguese overseas province, the bold and the beautiful came to Nairobi. Some came as adventurers while others came as fortune hunters and did what they did back home, which is play, eat, drink and be merry. In 1890, they formed the Portuguese Cricket Club, which was the birth cell of the Goan Institute. Since culture is a critical factor in the development of any society, they needed an anchoring point and an identity so as to instil a sense of belonging, direction and purpose. On the 11th of June 1905, so as to capture that spirit and identity, they convened a general meeting and re-designated themselves as 'THE GOAN INSTITUTE NAIROBI' affectionately known as the 'GI.' Dr. Ribeiro was its first President. Mr. Leandro D'Mello laid the foundation stone of the first GI club house situated on Ronald Ngala Street formally known as Duke Street courtesy of the colonial government. In those days, the Institute was one of the few stone structures in Nairobi and served as a focal point for Goan social and sporting activities up to 1955 when the Golden Jubilee was celebrated in those hallowed premises. The idea of erecting the present building to Juja Road, that was within close proximity to Eastleigh, Pangani, Ngara and Parklands where there was a huge concentration Goans was proposed in 1946 by Romeo Fernandes. The property on Duke Street was sold to East African Breweries and the proceeds of sale as well as the fund raising efforts of the members contributed to the construction of the present clubhouse. The foundation stone of the new Goan Institute was laid in September 1955 by Sir Evelyn Baring, Governor of Kenya who later opened the building on the 11th of June 1957. An indoor badminton court was added in 1965 and bar and kitchen extensions were carried out in 1972. The Institute has continued to make progress over the years and in 1979 two squash courts were built. A beer garden and children's play area was constructed in 1984 and in 1985 a Roll of Honour plaque incorporating the names of Trustees since formation was unveiled. 2002 saw the refurbishing of the lounge, card room, children's play park and play room. The Goan Institute has served social, literary, dramatic and sporting needs of its members. It was the nursery for outstanding sportsmen and women who ushered Kenya on to the world-sporting scene. At least on one occasion more than half the Kenya hockey team comprised of the GI players. Its hockey team was the first winner of the M.R.D'Souza Gold Cup, the blue riband of club hockey in East Africa. Our current hockey team endeavours to achieve the same in the year 2005. In 1981 the Goan institute heeded the call for eradication of ethnic names and was christened the NAIROBI INSTITUTE. Although the GOAN INSTITUTE was basically an exclusive Goan cultural enterprise it is worth noting that today, the club is a multi-cultural Institution. Those from the hills of Hindustan, those from the plains of Pakistan; those from the slopes of Mount Kenya and those from the shores of Lake Victoria are all seated at the table of brotherhood and sisterhood with shared friendship and laughter and all because of those who came FROM GOA WITH LOVE. DateTimingsEvent Function 1Sun 1st MayAll DayPicnic/Camping for members and guests 2Sat 28th MayEveningDinner/Dance for MEMBERS ONLY 3Sat 4th JunEveningBBQ/Disco 4Sun 5th JunDaySports Activities 5Mon 6th JunDayFree day * EveningSporting activities 6Tues 7th JunDayFree day * EveningSporting activities 7Wed 8th Jun Evening Welcome Cocktail 8Thur 9th Jun Day Day Trips (mainly for overseas guests) EveningVariety Show/Concert 9Fri 10th JunEveningKaraoke/Sing-a-long 10Sat 11th JunAfternoonMass EveningAnniversary Ball 11Sun 12th JunAll DayFarewell For further Information : write to [EMAIL PROTECTED] 00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000
