A unique, inspiring and motivating Rotary Peace Conference was held in the Scottish Parliament Building on the 10th May organised and led by Rotarians from the South West of Scotland. The opportunity to use such a venue was facilitated by our local MSP Alex Fergusson. The intention was to bring together MSPs, Police Scotland, Rotary Peace Fellows, media, legal and educational representatives along with Rotarians, parents, university students, staff and pupils of secondary schools to celebrate how young people are currently making a difference as Peace Ambassadors in their schools and communities. The intention was met by 175 delegates of whom one third were young people along with representatives from Sweden, United States, Mexico, the whole of Scotland and Rotarians from England and Wales.

The conference was inspired by and created under the leadership of District 1020 Rotary Peace Officer, Jean Best, a Rotarian from the club at Kirkcudbright. It was designed and led in part by the first Kirkcudbright Peace Ambassadors who are now continuing their influence at university. The conference keynote speakers were Rotary Peace Fellows Flor Yanez and David LaMotte, Dick Hazlehurst experienced coordinator of Rotary Peace Scholars at Bradford University and David Scott, campaign Director of ‘Nil by Mouth’ the anti-sectarian movement based in Glasgow. School based Peace Ambassadors from Kirkcudbright and Newton Stewart addressed the Conference to help to inspire and to inform the young people, as well as to influence the decision makers present.

Read the full article here.