Rotary helps mark Nelson Mandela Day with Youth summit

By President of Rotary Club of Carlton, Ian Ada

Nelson Mandela International Day, established by the United Nations, was celebrated on 18th July. Nelson Mandela Day is a global call to action that celebrates the idea that each individual has the power to transform the world, and the ability to make an impact. Since 2020 the Centre for Optimism in Melbourne has organised a Nelson Mandela Youth Leadership Summit on this day to bring together a diverse group of youth to create a gathering of connected future leaders. This year eighty-eight students from a number of Melbourne and Shepparton schools came together in the Legislative Assembly Chamber of the Victorian Parliament to listen to international leaders and to experience speaking in the Chamber. The Rotary Clubs of Carlton, Fitzroy, Collingwood and Richmond were responsible for liaising with secondary schools in their area to have about twenty students selected to attend the Summit. Seven students from Princes Hill Secondary College participated, accompanied by assistant principal Anthony Avotins. Key note speakers included the President of Nelson Mandela Day Australia Dr Steve Rametse, the Ambassador for Ukraine Vasyl Myroshnychenko; and the Consul General for the USA, Kathleen Lively. Students had the chance to sit in the Speaker’s chair and chair individual speaker’s sessions. Dr Rametse had been imprisoned in apartheid South Africa before escaping to Botswana and eventually being accepted as a refugee in Australia. He provided many examples from Mandela’s speeches about the role of leadership, optimism and resilience. He noted that everyone can make a difference if they are dedicated to, and passionate about, what they do, and when people are determined they can achieve anything. One of Mandela’s well-known quotes was ‘resentment was like drinking a poison and expecting it to kill your enemies’. Ambassador Myroshnychenko gave a potted history of his own leadership journey. He was an exchange student for a year in the USA at age 15. He studied at a range of universities in Kyiv, the United States and United Kingdom, and joined the European Youth Parliament at 19. He has helped 800 young people get scholarships at the best European and North American universities. The Ambassador co-founded the youth public organization European Youth Parliament - Ukraine

of which he was the President for the first three years. He is a member of the Rotary Club of Kyiv. He also spoke about resilience and the role of young people in changing the world. He said resilience comes from optimism in a better future. Youth can make a difference by using social media and their phone was their most powerful tool. Consul-General Lively focused her talk on the role of women in leadership and foreign policy, particularly in the United States. She noted that the first female Secretary of State Madeleine Albright and new Ambassador to Australia Caroline Kennedy were trailblazers. She also noted that resilience came from youth who believe in themselves, and staying vigilant and informed about issues. Other speakers included Mount Everest summiteer Daniel Bull, Rotary District Governor Mandi Wendt, and South East Water CEO, Lara Olsen. The key message from these speakers was that, although they all had different stories and backgrounds, all agreed that having optimism and being resilient and persistent helps make a great leader. The youth were then invited to come to the microphones and share their views on optimism and leadership. About 20 took advantage and expressed optimism for the future, although from different viewpoints. The conclusion was that the Summit provided such a positive environment to empower the youth present to believe that change was possible. This was emphasized in the conclusions drawn by a couple of the Princes Hill students “Great opportunity to meet like-minded people to discuss some generational type plans and share hope and optimism.” — Thomas Zarro, Year 10. “So many different speakers leading the way on leadership, hope and optimism. Thanks so much. Awesome.” — Celeste Rose, Year 8.

“The Rotary Club of Carlton meet at Naughtons Hotel, Royal Parade, Parkville, 6.30pm on the third Tuesday of each month. Luncheon meetings on 2nd and 4th Tuesday of each month are held at Graduate House. If you would like to join us on any of these meetings, to find out a little more about Rotary, please give me a ring beforehand, and we would make you most welcome” Ian Ada President, Rotary Club of Carlton email: iada@bigpond.net.au /mobile: 0447 173 084

Ambassador for Ukraine, Vasyl Myroshnychenko, speaking at the Summit Princes Hill Secondary College (PHSC) students