About us

About us

The European Ohara Teachers Association (E.O.T.A.) was founded in 1979 by the Grand Master of the Ohara School Mrs Jenny Banti Pereira, Founder and President of the Ohara Chapter of Italy at that time and now Founder and Honorary President of E.O.TA. E.O.T.A. as a multinational association organizes annual conventions and seminars on the Japanese traditional art of Ohara Ikebana for its members in Europe. The main goals of these conventions are:

  •  to promote the Ohara School Ikebana,
  • to establish bonds of friendship between the European Instructors and Masters of the Ohara School and offer them the  opportunity to exchange cultural ideas about the magnificient Japanese art of Ikebana and Japanese culture in general,
  • to introduce and recommend new Ohara Ikebana books, literature and other traditional Japanese arts,
  • to offer its European members high quality Ikebana seminars directed by Japanese Grand Masters. This allows E.O.T.A. members to learn about the latest trends, developments and new techniques directly from the source.

The E.O.T.A. Presidency is transferred from one country to another. The normal term is two years, renewable once.

Italy : 1979-1982
Jenny Banti Pereira,
Founder and Honorary President


France : 1984-1988
Annik Gendrot, President


Switzerland : 1990-1994
Eliane Gagneux, President


Germany : 1996-2000
Edeltraut Kokocinski, President


Netherlands : 2001-2004
Jeannine Koster, President


Greece :2005-2009
Joanna Charitou Barczyk, President


Belgium : 2010-2013
Greta Vervoort, President


Italy : 2014 – 2015
Annamaria Ratto, President


France : 2016-2019
Anne-Marie Morin, President


Belgium : 2020-2023
Greta Vervoort, President


The Netherlands : 2024+
Conny van Dongen, President

Actual board members :

  • President : Conny van Dongen (The Netherlands Chapter)
  • Vice-President : Noriko van Lit Suzuki (The Netherlands Chapter)
  • Treasurer : Ria Hoogervorst (The Netherlands Chapter)
  • Secretary : Corrie Wilmot (The Netherlands Chapter)
  • Public Relations : Tae-sook Cornelis (The Netherlands Chapter)