Chat with the Chair Returns in January

Join Zoom Meeting: https://zoom.us/j/5336326427

Meeting ID: 533 632 6427

Youth Voice: This meeting is for any young person, i.e. Interact/Rotaract age – but not inclusive to Interactors or Rotaractors.  It too welcomes ‘not so young’ folk   You are encouraged to let young people know about this so that they might join and tell us what they want to discuss.  Our first meeting will discuss “what are the barriers for peace in my community/country”.  The Chair is assisted by Peace Fellow Phil Gittins.  Youth will also learn more about a pilot project between the RAGFP and World Beyond War which will take ten youth (18 years and above) from ten different countries and take them through a six-week online training course.  They will be mentored by Rotarians and helped to identify, develop, and implement a peace project in their country at the close of the course.  They too will be given to chance to return to the next course to assist in mentoring.

Peace Through the Arts: This meeting is for all.  This group worked with Karim Wasfi of Peace Through the Arts and produced a video for World Peace Day called Shaping Peace Together which is available on YouTube.  It plans to put together an online Concert to further support the work of Karim Wasfi (himself a renowned Cellist and Conductor) who takes the peace and beauty of music to the communities in Iraq.  It too is exploring the possibility of the Rotary family around the world joining in Rotarun for Peace, an idea and project coming out of Serbia.  It has several artists joining the call and the possibilities seem endless.

Peacebuilder Rotarians/Clubs and Would be Peacebuilders:The group attendees have built relationships, shared projects, best practice and taken part in peace initiatives with one another.  New members have learned about how to become a Peacebuilder Club. We invite all to join us, tell us what you are doing, exchange ideas and expertise, tell us what support you need and we will do our best to help. There are plans to have one week on Educate (learn about all of courses that are available to you) another on Engage and another on Empower.

Turkey Peacebuilders:  Those who attended the Turkish Global Virtual Peace Conference over the weekend of 12th and 13th December will be well aware of what has been happening on this call.  Since July, members of Rotary, Interact and Rotaract in Turkey have been meeting with the Chair and other interested Rotarians.  The Peace Conference was mooted by the Turkish Rotarians, they grew a Committee, everyone on the call pitched in to help, both in the planning and in taking part in the actual conference.  The rest is history!  Over 64 countries in attendance.  1500 registrants.  Speakers/Panelists from multiple countries, including Palestine, Israel, Cyprus.  Join us on a Thursday, the journey has only just began.  They plan to do more!

Hong Kong Peacebuilders: We are delighted to say that Hong Kong is one of three pilot Chapters of the RAGFP.  The other two being Germany and Serbia.  (We will hear more from each of these in the New Year).  Hong Kong began their conversation on Chat with the Chair back in March.  From there they formed their Chapter.  Brought 70 new members into the RAGFP, helped to create 30 Peacebuilder Clubs and put 55 Rotarians through the RI Peace Academy online training.  They had a joint Multi-District Conference (District 3450 and 6690) in September bringing together DG Eric Chak and DG Steve Heiser.  Peter Kyle was the keynote speaker.  They have undertaken much training, including Every Rotarian/Rotaractor is a Peacebuilder offered and presented by Tom Carlisi of Columbus, Ohio.  They put on an amazing display of the work of Rotary and they have Chartered and began the work of their Chapter.  More will follow.  They too welcome Rotarians from around the globe to join in this Chat on a Friday.