“Working in harmony with each other, and with external groups and individuals, will improve our impact and help Rotary survive and prosper into the future.”
February is Peace and Conflict Prevention Month
" Peace cannot be kept by force; it can only be achieved by understanding". Albert Einstein
So what can we do? Treat all people with kindness, regardless of race, gender orientation, sexual orientation, religion or any other factor that you consider different than yourself. Embrace diversity and get to know other cultures by travelling through your own neighbourhood and beyond. Research and share growing knowledge with friends and family. Education seems to be the key to not only peace and conflict resolution but to bettering humanity as a whole. Call out people who are being sexist or racist etc. Spend time in nature. Stay abreast of current affairs but remember to take a break from watching the news when you need to. Create a safe space or sanctuary in your own home and welcome friends and family to share it with you. Have fun engaging in random acts of kindness on a regular basis.
These ideas are just the tip of the iceberg. I'm sure that you can think of many, many more ways to support peace and conflict prevention not only during February but throughout the entire year and beyond.
Following the inspirational presentation by Aviv Palti, the board voted to support a student with their education. The student is a member of Cambodia Rural Students Trust, and is are also members of the Rotaract Club of Siem Reap.
Cambodia Rural Students Trust (CRST) By giving people a hand up rather than a hand out, they currently sponsor 105 bright students from poor, rural families, to study at the best high school and university in Siem Reap, and empower them to become Cambodia's future leaders. The NGO is managed on the ground in Cambodia by senior students, who are mentored in managing the organisation as well as the 6 social enterprise Projects which address a variety of community and social needs. 100% of all donations are used for education, mentoring and community projects.The Rotaract Club of Siem Reap was chartered in August 2022 with 54 CRST students as charter members. The club has an independent Board and has plans to recruit non-CRST members by inviting their university friends to join volunteer activities and introducing them to the Rotary organisation.
The Rotaract Club of Siem Reap members already have extensive knowledge of community needs assessment processes, project planning, delivery and reporting. Current and future projects will continue to be supported by CRST, Rotary Clubs and Rotarians, led by these leaders of social change in Cambodia.
You will find the introduction letter from the student Port Phillip Rotary are sponsoring, so very heartwarming and heart wrenching simultaneously. It certainly underpins this years theme CREATE HOPE IN THE WORLD. We welcome Sreypich with open arms and open hearts.
"The Port Phillip EcoCentre works with community and government to protect and improve Port Phillip Bay and the urban ecology of Greater Melbourne in the traditional lands and waters of the Kulin Nation. Our dedicated team of scientists, educators and volunteers design and implement innovative environmental programs. We use the physical world as our classroom to connect people with their local nature. Since 1999 our collective impact has transformed the way Melbourne understands wildlife, waterways and well-being in the age of climate change."
International Women's Day was celebrated at Mac Robertson Girls’ High School with a breakfast. They invited a guest speaker, Queenie Chow, who addressed the audience. The focus of the talk was COUNT HER IN, Accelerating Gender Equality Through Economic Empowerment.
Pam Dittmer drops off around 70 Care bags fortnightly to the Alfred Hospital for the clients in the Mental Health Unit. These items are critical for many reasons. Bronwyn Stephens has written an update (see below). There are 40 still at the Notting Hill warehouse so a packing day is needed.We are hoping we might get some support for a packing day planned by Rotary Hawthorn on:
DATE: Tuesday 26th March 2024
TIME: 9.30am to 12 noon
VENUE: 6 Industrial Drive, Notting Hill, Vic 3168.
ZONTA believes in making the world a better place by empowering women. They find joy in doing this in a supportive community of like-minded professionals from diverse countries and cultures. ZONTA and Rotary have had a relationship for many years through common causes and similar philosophies.
