A symposium for world peace
World peace begins with enlightened public opinion at home, and to achieve it we should bring peace to our homes and communities,” said TRF Trustee Chair Elect Paul Netzel, inaugurating the International Understanding and Peace Symposium at MAEER’s MIT College in Pune. The two-day programme conducted by D 3131 and hosted by RC Pune Shivajinagar and World Peace Centre, MAEER’s MIT and Development Education International Society, threw light on various aspects of peace building.
“Peace is at the core of Rotary’s DNA. We promote peace through grass-roots training, community-based programmes, diplomacy and peace scholarships. Every time you work in one of the six focus areas of Rotary, you are working for peace,” he said. When Rotarians from two countries engage in international service projects, they work beyond cultural differences and borders for the common good of humanity. Rotary sends 9,000 students every year on exchanges.
PDG Chandu Agarwal and Dr C P Anto, Founder and Executive President of Peace Channel, Nagaland, received the Rotary National Peace Awards. Dr Vishwanath Karad, founder, MAEER’s MIT, was recognised with the Rotary World Peace Prize. “Only a union of science and spirituality will bring in harmony; following the Indian path of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam will help achieve this,” he said.
The event, conceptualised by Rtn Pradeep Wagh, had 30 speakers from India, US, Germany, Nepal and Australia, addressing about 700 delegates.
