You are in the Scotia Bank Saddledome in Calgary, Alberta, and it is nearly filled. It can seat almost 20,000 people. You are there for the opening session, the morning plenaries, and the closing. You hear top-quality speakers and entertainment, all in person, except for Bill Gates. His face suddenly appears on the giant screens, and he promises to continue matching, two to one, Rotary's contributions to the war on polio. When the first session ends, you go outside and past the big blue sculpture for free pancakes and sausage (and invitations to contribute to Polio Plus).
Then, you enter the BMO Center, a huge complex of meeting rooms. You step into Hall A and find a Hall of Friendship in which hundreds of Rotary clubs show their areas of interest and specific projects. Some partnerships are formed on the spot. There are special areas for Rotary and for Peace, in which brief informational sessions are presented continuously. Also, there are many vendors of Rotary and Non-Rotary merchandise.
Back in the wide hall, surrounded by Rotarians from nearly a hundred countries, many in typical clothing, you might walk to Hall F for a luncheon in which you can hob-nob with top RI executives. Photo opportunities abound, including with the incoming RI President. The food is good, although one speaker quips that the only mystery is how the chicken will be prepared.
Your afternoon is filled with small-group presentations, and then you might attend an evening activity. For your author, it was a rodeo for Rotarians. One personal highlight was when a lady on horseback jumped over a small car. When not attending an activity, you can go to any restaurant and run into Rotarians.
All in all, what a convention! A year from now, Rotary will be in Taiwan. Do move quickly. The earlier you register, the less you will pay.
The Rotary Club of Gaithersburg is now officially a Peacebuilder Club. This distinction has just been given to us by the Rotarian Action Group for Peace. RAGFP is committed to Rotary International’s objective of "creating a global fellowship that advances international understanding, goodwill, and peace, joined in the ideal of service."
A website states that: "Rotary Peacebuilder Clubs are Rotary clubs that have committed to focusing on peace and conflict resolution as a core part of their activities. They aim to promote peace within their communities and globally by addressing the root causes of conflict and engaging in peace-related service projects. These clubs work to educate members on peace initiatives, empower them to demonstrate their passion for peace, and connect them with other peacebuilders."
Therefore, peacebuilder clubs do the following:
- focus on peace
- try to address the root causes of conflict
- engage in service projects that promote peace
- educate their communities about peacebuilding
- connect with other peacebuilders.
Since conflict has so many causes, including ignorance and hunger, we have already carried out projects that qualify us for this distinction, and we we are highly likely to carry out others in the near future.