I know it’s now March, but I was so inspired by our speaker last week that I wanted to give a Rotary Minute on last month’s theme in Rotary – Peace and Conflict Prevention / Resolution month.
The month of February is very special in the Rotary calendar because it includes the anniversary of the first meeting of Rotary, which was held on February 23, 1905, in Chicago. That day is now designated as "World Understanding and Peace Day". Last week on February 23ed Rotary it celebrated the 109th anniversary of the first Rotary club meeting.
Rotary focuses on Pease started in the beginning and is still are a large aspect of Rotary today. Even today millions of people all over the world are currently displaced by armed conflict or persecution. In fact, according to the United Nations, 90% of casualties in armed conflicts are civilians, half of which are children.
Through service projects and Rotary programs, the Rotary family is committed to pursuing projects that address the structural causes of conflict, including poverty, inequality, ethnic tension, lack of access to education, and unequal distribution of resources.
One example is from District 5100. Each year Rotarians from District 5100 are involved with the Cyprus Friendship Program (CFP) which brings together Turkish-speaking Muslims and Greek-speaking Christians in Cyprus.
Historically these communities have been divided by a United Nations buffer zone since 1974. CFP is a year-long peace-building and leadership training program with a four-week cultural exchange component in the United States. By developing cross-cultural friendships, participants build mutual respect for each other, breaking down historical stereotypes and mistrust. Upon returning to Cyprus, these young leaders encourage their communities to embrace the idea of Greek-speaking and Turkish-speaking Cypriots living together peacefully.
So thank you to all Rotarians around the world who help in Peace and Conflict Prevention and Resolution! You are a reason why Rotary is making a positive difference in our world! And that is today’s Rotary Minute!