September 4, 2019, By Dave King, Published in Rotary Great Britain and Ireland 

Former Rotary International President Barry Rassin has called for Rotarians to help provide financial aid to the hurricane-devastated Bahamas, where at least seven people have been killed – and with the death toll expected to rise. With sustained wind speeds over 160 mph and gusts of more than 220 mph, the category 5 Hurricane Dorian hovered over Grand Bahama for more than 30 hours, after causing catastrophic destruction in the neighboring island of Abaco. Bahamian Barry Rassin, has been using social media to appeal for help. He wrote: “The Bahamas Rotary Disaster Committee has already had meetings and is ready as soon as possible to help our country. They have an account set up for donations."

September 2019, Published in Rotary International

The Open World Program (a program funded by the Congress of the United States) that offers Rotary clubs in the US a unique opportunity to enhance international understanding and peace by hosting emerging leaders from Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kosovo, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Mongolia, Russia, Serbia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, Uzbekistan. Rotary clubs host Open World delegates in their homes. Through this cultural exchange, delegates experience American family and community life, and the Rotary hosts broaden their international understanding. Learn More

August 21, 2019, by Caitlin Fowlkes, Published in Ashland Tidings

To honor the strides Ashland has made in the past year to cultivate a culture of peace, the Ashland Culture of Peace Commission is organizing a Global Peace Conference for the International Day of Peace, Saturday, Sept. 21. It’s also ACPC’s fourth anniversary. The conference will feature a variety of local, state, national and international speakers, including keynote speaker Anwarul Chowdhury, the former Under Secretary General and High Representative of the United Nations, and founder of the Global Movement of the Culture of Peace.

August 20, 2019, By Ebadat-ur-Rehman Babar, Published in Rotary International

Our idea started back in 2018, when I and two other members of my Rotaract club began looking for an innovative, sustainable project. We wanted to submit an entry for the Rotaract Outstanding Project Awards and we came up with an idea of starting a school for child laborers who do not have enough resources for their education. According to a survey conducted by the Federal Bureau of Statistics, out of the estimated 40 million children in Pakistan, approximately 19 million are working as child laborers, the majority of those living in slum areas. These kids can’t even write their own name. Education is the key to success. So, we prepared a project proposal and submitted it to the rest of our team and they accepted it. But due to lack of resources, we weren’t able to begin last year.

August 13, 2019, By Anne Stein, Published in Rotary International

After graduating in 2011 from Hamline University School of Law in St. Paul, Minnesota, Noelle Volin was intent on a career with the FBI fighting human trafficking. But while waiting for the results of her bar exam, Volin, a 2006-08 Rotary Peace Fellow at Tokyo’s International Christian University, volunteered with Breaking Free, a nonprofit that helps victims of sexual exploitation and sex trafficking. She realized that she wanted to work directly with victims and became the organization’s staff attorney and director of policy. Volin is now the training and technical assistance director for the Don’t Buy It Project (DBIP), part of Men as Peacemakers, a Duluth-based organization that works with communities, schools, and individuals to prevent violence and sexual exploitation. DBIP is a campaign that encourages men, in particular, to recognize commercial sexual exploitation — from prostitution and strip clubs to online pornography — and to reject it.

July 30, 2019, by Isabel Rodriguez, published in Rotary International

Friendship Exchange is an international exchange program for Rotary members and friends that allows participants to take turns hosting one another in their homes and clubs. Participants may travel as individuals, couples, families, or groups, and may be Rotary members or not. I led our District 4130’s Rotary Friendship Exchange program earlier this year in February where we welcomed our Rotary friends from six Rotary clubs from District 7080, Ontario, Canada and District 3461, Taiwan to Mexico. During their exchange they visited various cities in our district, learning about our culture, service projects, forging lasting friendships and building the foundations of peace and service.

July 25, 2019, Published in PursuingPeace.org

The Pursuing Peace Conference is designed for those who want to learn more about why Justice is critical for Peace. The purpose is to equip and encourage individuals and organizations to pursue peaceful outcomes by elevating the conversation on Justice. Read More