Weekly Program - Jan 6 - "Rotary 2012: Year in Review"
Kristin K
After going an entire year without a new reported case of polio, India was removed from the list of polio-endemic countries by the World Health Organization (WHO). Ghulam Nabi Azad, India's minister of Health and Family Welfare, made the announcement at the Polio Summit 2012 in New Delhi on 25 February. The news was a huge boost to the morale of Rotarians, who have been laboring to eradicate the crippling disease since 1985. Only three countries -- Nigeria, Pakistan, and Afghanistan -- remain on the polio-endemic list. In May, Rotarians at the RI Convention in Bangkok, Thailand, celebrated Rotary's having exceeded the US$200 Million Challenge for polio eradication efforts. The challenge was Rotary's response to $355 million in matching grants from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
The Rotary Foundation has a new Grant Model called Future Vision
The Rotary Foundation's new grant model, Future Vision, will go into effect for all districts on 1 July. For the past three years, 100 pilot districts have been testing this Future Vision model, and providing feedback. The model includes three types of grants: district, global, and packaged.
District grants offer clubs and districts flexibility in carrying out activities that further the Foundation's mission, and can be used for short-term projects in both local and international communities. For example, Rotarians in District 5340 (California, USA) used district grants to provide clean water for rural communities in South Sudan and to boost the capacity to carry out search-and-rescue efforts in their own community, among other projects.
Global grants support large international activities with sustainable, measurable outcomes in one or more of the six areas of focus. For example, Rotarians in Mozambique used a global grant to provide water and improved sanitation for 2,500 students and staff at a primary school. Meanwhile, packaged grants provide opportunities for Rotary clubs to work with the Foundation's strategic partners on predesigned projects and activities that support the areas of focus and that are funded entirely by the World Fund and the strategic partner. Some partners include ShelterBox or Mercy Ships.
RI Theme and new President Sakuji Tanaka
The 2012-2013 Rotary theme, "Peace Through Service" was announced by RI President Sakuji Tanaka at the International Assembly. During his speech at the International Convention, President Tanaka described how there are many ways that we can provide peace through acts of service. He also encouraged support of the World Peace Centers, and 3 Rotary Global Peace Forums that were held during the year: in Berlin, Hawaii, and Hiroshima, Japan.
2012 Rotary International Convention
More than 35,000 Rotarians from 181 countries and geographical areas converged on Bangkok, Thailand, in May for the 2012 RI Convention. Her Royal Highness Princess Chulabhorn represented His Majesty the King during the opening ceremony, thanking Rotarians for their good work around the world. During four packed days of plenary and breakout sessions, Rotarians heard from a number of fabulous speakers including microcredit pioneer and Nobel Peace laureate Muhammad Yunus; antipoverty crusader Hugh Evans; Gillian Sorenson, senior adviser and national advocate at the United Nations Foundation; and Grammy Award-winning singer-songwriter and activist Angelique Kidjo. (Having been there in person, I was completely inspired by these amazing people and the impact they have made in the world!)
During the World Peace Symposium that preceded the convention, former Sudanese child soldier Emmanuel Jal talked about the atrocities he had witnessed, and Liberian Nobel Peace laureate Leymah Gbowee urged attendees to continue working for peace. What a fantastic venue for not only the Foundation Alumni, and World Peace Fellows, but also for Rotarian members to enjoy some fascinating brain-storming sessions, and hear about the exciting impact that so many of these Peace Fellows are making.
Anniversaries of Interact, and the World Peace Centers
Two big anniversaries took place in 2012 - Interact celebrated the program's 50th Anniversary, while the World Peace Centers have been around for 10 years! The first Interact Club from Melbourne, Florida, received its charter in November 1962. Therefore, World Interact week was celebrated November 5-11th. Meanwhile, the World Peace Centers program has been offering master's degrees in peace and conflict resolution at leading universities in Australia, England, Japan, Sweden, and the United States since 2002. In 2004, a three-month professional development certificate program was added at Chulalongkorn University in Thailand, and is open to both Rotarians and non-Rotarians.
So, friends, how about you? What were the highlights for you in 2012? What are the successes that you are proud of within your Rotary Club, work life, family/home life? By reflecting back, and thinking of your accomplishments, it can make you feel good and inspire you to do more. Best wishes to you, and may 2013 be filled with many inspiring, successful highlights that bring joy and peace to your life!
Yours In Rotary,
Kristin
Information provided from Rotary.org: News. Full article can be found on this link: http://www.rotary.org/en/MediaAndNews/News/Pages/121221_news_top5.aspx