Category Archives: Promoting peace

Trip to World War I sites provokes thoughts of war, peace

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Rotary Peace Fellows from the University of Bradford visit World War I sites in France and Belgium.

By Holly White, Class XV, Rotary Peace Center at the University of Bradford, England

Earlier this month, I took part in a tight, four-day trip to World War I battlefields and commemorative sites in France and Belgium with other Rotary Peace Fellows at the University of Bradford (including one Fellow’s sweet, energetic daughter!), host coordinators, and a few others connected to Rotary.

From the perspective of a Peace Fellow, it was interesting and, at times uncomfortable learning about the “Great War,” and how war is interpreted, commemorated, and, at times, glorified. Continue reading →

Deeply wounded world needs Rotary Peace Centers

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Maire-Paule Attema, right, and her husband, left, with host Rotarians in Brisbane, Australia.

By Marie-Paule Attema, a Rotary Peace Fellow at the University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia

After months of anticipation, I finally arrived in Brisbane, Australia, where I will be for the next 18 months while I pursue the Masters of Peace and Conflict Studies at the University of Queensland Rotary Peace Center.

I quickly felt at home after being picked up by our “Australian parents,” who have been extremely helpful in our transition.  I have enjoyed the pros and cons of Australian living as I have quickly adapted to 30 Continue reading →

Why host a Rotary Peace Fellow?

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Masao Mizuno meets with a Rotary Peace Fellow.

By Masao Mizuno, Rotary Club of Ageo West, Japan

Hosting a Peace Fellow substantially changed my life in Rotary. Since joining Rotary, I have been running a company that imports industrial tools, mostly from Israel and Europe, so I am familiar with talking to people from other countries. Continue reading →

Changing the world is possible, through Rotary

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Bethany Lerch, right, takes notes while speaking to a female attendee during a national mine awareness conference in Kabul.

By Bethany Lerch, former Rotary Ambassadorial Scholar, 2010-2011

I knew little about Rotary eight years ago when my former high school counselor encouraged me to apply for an Ambassadorial Scholarship. He was retired, but still active in Rotary, and knew a master’s was my next step. At the time, I had just graduated from the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh and knew I needed to go to graduate school. But where and how? Continue reading →

Prestigious award to Rotary Peace Fellow in Uppsala

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Peace Fellow Lindsey Doyle (far right, first row) and other prize winners with Vice-chancellor Eva Åkesson

By Magnus Elfwendahl, Rotary Club of Uppsala Carolina, Sweden

In January, I had the honor of watching as Rotary Peace Fellow Lindsey Doyle from the United States received Uppsala University’s foremost award to teachers and students supporting human rights. Doyle was awarded the Martin H:son Holmdahl prize at Uppsala’s doctoral conferment ceremony. Continue reading →

More than friends, Rotary Peace Fellows are a family

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Rotary Peace Fellows at Chulalongkorn University in Bangkok.

Rotary Peace Fellow Class 22 at Chulalongkorn University in Bangkok.

By Hermanto Hasan, A Rotary Peace Fellow at Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand

When I found out I was accepted for the Rotary Peace Fellowship at the prestigious Chulalongkorn University in Thailand, I was filled with happiness and also surprise. I had applied for several fellowships in the past, but all required a university degree, which I do not have. Continue reading →

How is your club celebrating Rotary’s anniversary?

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Rotary clubs around the world will mark Rotary’s 112th anniversary by holding fundraisers, illuminating famous buildings, and hosting events of all sorts. We’ll add a sampling of photos from around the world to this gallery. Send us one from your club’s celebration. Please include a brief description.

Bringing about reconciliation

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A community reconciliation event in the Solomon Islands

A community reconciliation event in the Solomon Islands.

By Nadia Mahmood, Rotary Peace Fellow, University of Queensland, Australia

Over the past two and a half months, I have been working with Prison Fellowship Solomon Islands (PF), a grassroots peace-building organization which runs conflict resolution, restorative justice,and reconciliation programs and provides support for families of inmates.

It is honestly hard to put into words how inspiring and engaging it is to work with this team of local volunteers who exemplify everything that Rotary stands for. Continue reading →

Brothers and sister in peace

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Rotary Peace Centers at Chulalongkorn class of 2016.

Rotary Peace Centers at Chulalongkorn Class of 2016.

By Ana Patel, 2016 Rotary Peace Fellow at Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand

“Sawatdee” is a useful phrase in the Thai language. It means everything from hello and good morning, to goodbye and peace be with you. I learned the phrase on the second day of my three-month International Rotary Fellowship in Bangkok this summer, along with the traditional gesture of putting Continue reading →

5 reasons to support The Rotary Foundation on Giving Tuesday

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Girl with water container

A girl in Ghana balances a container of water on her head.

By Rotary staff

When you make a donation to The Rotary Foundation, you are helping Rotary members make a difference in the lives of millions of people around the world, by promoting peace, preventing disease, supporting education, bolstering economic development, and providing clean water and sanitation. Your gift this year will also help us reach our goal of raising $300 million in celebration of the Foundation’s centennial.

Here are just a few ways your generosity is changing lives. Continue reading →