Peace Through Service

The theme for the Rotary Year 2012-13 announced by the incoming President of Rotary International, Sakuji Tanaka, unveiled at the International Assembly, is :

“PEACE THROUGH SERVICE”

Peace, in all of the ways that we can understand it, is a real goal and a realistic goal for Rotary. Peace is not something that can only be achieved through agreements, by governments, or through heroic struggles. It is something that we can find and that we can achieve, every day and in many simple ways.

No definition is right, and no definition is wrong,
 However we use the word, this is what peace means for us

“In Rotary, our business is not profit. Our business is peace,” . “Our reward is not financial, but the happiness and satisfaction of seeing a better, more peaceful world, one that we have achieved through our own efforts.”
Tanaka will ask Rotarians to focus their energy on supporting the three priorities of the RI Strategic Plan , he said. He added that he will ask the incoming leaders to promote three Rotary peace forums, to be held in Hiroshima, Japan; Berlin; and Honolulu, Hawaii, USA.

Bangkok would be a lifetime experience

There is no reason why we should not be there at Bangkok. This would indeed be a lifetime experience for every Rotarian to feel and experience the internationality of Rotary.
Here's our very own IPDG Madhukar Malhotra, who invites to be a part of the Indian contingent to Bangkok for the RI Convention on May 6-9, 2011. Please register if you have not done so already.

Congratulations on First Year of Polio-free India

Here's a message from our RI President Kalyan Banerjee as we completed one year of polio free India. But it is the time for every Rotarian to make sure that the next two years remain polio free by stepping up our efforts in generating awareness, reaching out to the unreached population, sensitising them, and making sure that every child under 5 years receives the magic touch of Rotary through polio drops.


Rotary celebrates India’s first polio-free year. from Rotary International on Vimeo.

Why is Bangkok so exciting for Rotarians this year?

Check this out with PDG Shaju Peter. And of course, do not go alone. Its got to be a family outing.

News from Noelle's work in Haiti

All of us know Rtn. Noelle Galperin from Coral Gables, Florida, USA, who had been part of our various club projects and has led a number of NID teams to our District in the past, had been working on Project Medishare in Haiti.  I reproduce her update on this project to share with all of you who know her so intimately.  

Our clubs compliments for the good work she had been engaged in along with other Rotarians. 

"Rotarians & Friends,

It was wonderful to spend a celebratory, enlightening and very productive couple of days together in Haiti marking the 50th anniversary of Rotary in the country and getting a personal introduction to the valuable work Project Medishare has been engaged in in Haiti since 1994 (http://www.projectmedishare.org/).

It was a honor to travel with RI President Banerjee, RI Director Smarge, and RI Past Director Rassin and their lovely wives Binota, Cindy and Esther.  We we so warmly received by DG Theodore and the entire Rotary contingent in Haiti.  What a spectacular celebration!  Thank you for your generous hospitality!

The team from Project Medishare - Dr. Ginzberg, Ms. Chery, and their teams - coordinated expertly by Catherine Murphy and Rachel Beltz - took an incredible amount of time out of their jam-packed schedules to share with us Project Medishare's significant accomplishments and future plans.  Thank you for your all you did for us and all that you do for Haiti!

The Rotary - Project Medishare Partnership, which began in 2007 with D6990's U of Miami's Interact Club's $107,000 donation towards the production of Akamil in the Central Plateau, and continued in 2011 with D6990's $70,000 commitment to trauma care training, has been very positive for all.  I look forward to exploring together how we can extend the Rotary - Project Medishare relationship in order to continue to make a positive difference in the lives of the people in Haiti.

Please find a link to photos and videos of our visit:  (Please note that "the best photographer in the world," Frank J. Crothers, took all of the best pictures in this album.  Feel free to use any photos or videos.)

https://plus.google.com/u/0/photos/107485703358858141682/albums/5695844313345596193

My best to all for a magical 2012,

Noelle"