Rotary builds peace. Our District 6250 has recently taken a significant step towards advancing Rotary’s peacebuilding initiatives by becoming a “Global Peacebuilder District.” As one of Rotary’s seven areas of focus, individuals working to create peace in our communities does have a global effect.
It’s easier to become personally involved in Peace than you might think. I am borrowing a page from RI President Stephanie Urchick’s playbook by encouraging every Rotarian in our District to take advantage of a free training course available to us through Rotary’s partnership with the Institute for Economics and Peace. This two-hour course titled “Rotary Positive Peace Academy” is designed to help you discover the strategies and tools that can help individuals build and sustain peace. The link to sign up for this course is: https://www.positivepeace.academy/rotary
At a local level, our district has been involved in dozens of peacebuilding activities for decades, including participation in:
- Peace Fellowships via scholarships to Master’s programs and certificate programs
- Global Grants
- Rotary Youth Exchange
- Friendship Exchange
- Fellowships
- Membership in the Rotary Action Group for Peace and many more…
At a macro level, Rotary plays four key roles in promoting peace. Rotary and its members are:
- Practitioners: Our work fighting disease, providing clean water and sanitation, improving the health of mothers and children, supporting education, and growing local economies directly builds the optimal conditions for peaceful societies.
- Educators: Our Rotary Peace Centers have trained more than 1,700 peace fellows to become effective catalysts for peace through careers in government, education, and international organizations.
- Mediators: Our members have negotiated humanitarian ceasefires in areas of conflict to allow polio vaccinators to reach children who are at risk.
- Advocates: Our members have an integral role as respected, impartial participants during peace processes and in post-conflict reconstruction. We focus on creating communities and convening groups that are connected, inclusive, and resilient.
Peace and Rotary are true gifts. As you contemplate this year about what Rotary means to you, please make an effort to share the gift of Rotary with someone. That someone may be a friend, a family member, an acquaintance or a stranger. Lastly, if you complete the Rotary Positive Peace Academy course, please let me know!
District Governor
RY 2024-2025