Message from the Chair

Jul 2015Apr 09 2016 John Kenny

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Help us promote peace

It is surely the wish in all our hearts that there is peace in our world.

Our Rotary Foundation is endeavouring to advance this with the establishment of Rotary Peace Centres in various parts of the globe.

The Rotary Peace Centres are the premier educational programme of the Foundation, and this year I am asking Rotarians to foster world understanding, goodwill and peace by promoting and publicising the programme so its work is enhanced.

The programme funds upto 100 Rotary Peace Fellowships per year, for fellows to study at one of the Foundation’s specially chosen universities. Fellows can earn a master’s degree in peace and conflict resolution or a related field at Duke University and University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, in the United States; University of Queensland in Australia; Uppsala University in Sweden; University of Bradford in England; and International Christian University in Japan. Additionally, our professional development certificate programme in peace and conflict resolution is offered through Chulalongkorn University in Thailand.

The idea of the Rotary Peace Centres is to create a cadre of individuals who are dedicated to peace and conflict resolution, and who have been given the tools to succeed in their efforts. Since the programme began in 2002, nearly 900 peace fellows have been engaged in peace activities throughout the world, working for non-governmental organisations, government agencies, the World Health Organisation, World Bank, and others.

To fund the programme, the Rotary Peace Centres Major Gifts Initiative has set a target of US $125 million by the end of this Rotary year. This is a programme pertinent to the 21st century, and one worthy of all Rotarians’ support.

In these days of uncertainty in our world, it is important to remember that the brotherhood of man transcends the sovereignty of nations.