By Eve Conway, March 4, 2019, Rotary International

The launch of the Indus Peace Park Project comes at a time when tensions between the two neighbours have been heightened over the disputed region of Kashmir. The project is designed to bring the peoples of Pakistan and India closer together in harmony. The aim is to create an international peace park on the border of India and Pakistan by August 2022 to promote lasting peace, goodwill and collaboration and to put a stop to loss of life across the border. The Indus Peace Park Project is an initiative being led and supported by Rotary members from around the world, including leading Rotarians in India and Pakistan who were behind the start of the project.

By Summer Lewis, February 22, 2019, Published in Rotary International

When you think about peace, do you think about actions, like how peace is lived and practiced? Are you seeing images of violence and war and thinking peace is the “opposite” of that? Actually, there is no one right way to define peace. There are many ways to work towards it. That’s why Rotary has partnered with the Institute for Economics and Peace (IEP) to lead the conversation to define what peace is (and isn’t), how peace is measured, and how peace is practiced. IEP is an independent think tank and leader in the study of peace and conflict, dedicated to providing research and tools to help shift the paradigm of peace by making it a tangible and concrete measure of human well-being and progress.

By Keri B. Lynch, February 19, 2019, Published in Rotary International

In 2011, Kiran Singh Sirah turned 35 — “halfway through our life’s journey,” he says, citing Dante’s Divine Comedy. The UK native had been living in Edinburgh and Glasgow for a decade, working on a variety of cultural endeavors. “I felt I had done everything I needed to do and learn in Scotland. It was time to take my experiences and move them to the next level.” That’s when Sirah heard about the Rotary Peace Fellowship. Since the program began in 2002, more than 1,200 peace fellows have received fully funded scholarships to study at one of six peace centers at universities around the world. 

February 19, 2019, Published in EmpowermentSquared

Join Empowerment Squared and partners, including the Rotary Club of Hamilton, for a public conversation with 2011 Nobel Peace Laureate Leymah Gbowee - peace activist, social worker and women’s rights advocate. She is best known for leading a nonviolent movement that brought together Christian and Muslim women to play a pivotal role in ending Liberia’s devastating, fourteen-year civil war. This historic achievement paved the way for the election of Africa’s first female head of state, Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf. 

By Reem Ghunaim and Mike Green, February 13, 2019, Published in Rotary International

We launched our Peacebuilder Clubs Program at the Rotary International Convention in Toronto. Peacebuilder Clubs were pioneered eight years ago by past Rotarian Action Group for Peace (RAGFP) Board Member and Past District 5100 Governor Mike Caruso as a way of building support for the six Rotary Peace Centers around the world. With the support of RAGFP, District 5100 registered 21 Peacebuilder Clubs in Oregon and Washington, USA. Last year our RAGFP leadership team was determined to champion this program in Rotary clubs worldwide as an essential call to action for Rotarian peacebuilders.

By Charlie Ruth Castro, February 7, 2019, Published in Rotary International

I had to go to prison to understand how education for innovation is the path for empowering millions of Latin American and Caribbean women economically. I’ve never committed a crime; I belong to that group of people who believe education is the most sophisticated tool we have to opening any door. In 2016, I founded MujeresConDerechos.org with the idea of reminding society that all girls and all women are powerful. For this reason, I have dedicated myself to gathering the most influential leaders through summits, marches, and a television program. The attention and support I have received has been converted into generating innovative programs for girls and women most in need.

By Azka Asif, January 22, 2018, Published in Rotary International

Dr. Vasanth Prabhu from the Rotary Club of Central Chester County (Lionville) in the United States and Galo Alfonso Betancourt Criollo from the Rotary Club of Santa Rosa in Ecuador have been working together on humanitarian projects for over ten years. They first met at the District 4400 (Ecuador) Project Fair, an annual event where local Rotary clubs exhibit their projects to international visitors. Visitors have the opportunity to see first-hand the community needs, as well as experience the local culture while cultivating new friendships with local Rotary members. We asked Vasanth and Galo to share their experience forming a relationship and implementing projects over the years.

By Rotarian Action Group for Peace, January 30, 2019

This is our 2nd annual Top 5 RAGFP Membership Countries newsletter. It highlights only a fraction of the stories Rotarian peacebuilders generously and courageously create on the ground, daily, in 74 countries around the world. Thank you for leading countless stories such as these every day in your Rotary clubs and districts. Your stories are our inspiration at RAGFP. We hope you enjoy reading and learning from each other's experiences, initiatives, and ideas.

By Rotary Service and Engagement, January 28, 2019, Published in Rotary International

Vocational Service is the essence of Rotary and serves as the foundation from which we serve our communities around the world. Vocational Service calls on us to empower others by using our unique skills and expertise to address community needs and help others acquire or refine skills and advance their professional opportunities. January is Rotary’s Vocational Service Month, a great time to start leveraging vocational service in your club projects and activities. 

By Rotarian Action Group for Peace, January 25, 2018 

Rotarian Action Group for Peace (RAGFP) launched our Peacebuilder Clubs Program at the RI Convention 2018 in Toronto, Canada. Rotary Peacebuilder Clubs were pioneered eight years ago by former RAGFP Board Member and Past District Governor 5100 Mike Caruso as a way of building support for the six Rotary Peace Centers around the world. RAGFP supported this effort and District 5100 registered about 21 Peacebuilder Clubs in Oregon and Washington. Last year, our RAGFP Leadership Team determined to champion this program in Rotary clubs worldwide as an essential call to action for Rotarian peacebuilders. Peacebuilder Clubs are now a 21st-century movement in Rotarian peacebuilding.