VOL. 08-2017/18
FEBRUARY 2018
Rotary
Peace and Conflict Prevention/Resolution
| Governor’s Monthly Letter | February 2018
District Governor’s Message Fellow Rotarians,
District Governor Ovais Ahmed Kohari
Imagine a world where conflict didn’t exist and peace was a reality. In February our theme is Peace and Conflict Prevention/Resolution. Since its beginning, one of the cornerstones of Rotary has been world understanding and peace. As Rotarians, we are united in building a better world for all the people through our service projects. We Rotarians are taking action to improve people’s lives by focusing on the underlying causes of conflict, having food, shelter, water, education, and health. It is said that Peace does not mean the absence of conflict, rather it is ability to handle the conflict by peaceful means. Through academic training, study and practice the Rotary Peace Centers program develops leaders who become catalysts for peace and conflict resolution in their communities and around the globe. Some of the best candidates for Rotary Peace Fellowships are in your community. I encourage you to go to My Rotary and discover all the information available about the Peace Centers and promote this very worthwhile program.
“We Rotarians are taking action to improve people’s lives by focusing on the underlying causes of conflict, having food, shelter, water, education, and health.”
As we all know that one of the major objectives of Rotary is to advance “international understanding, goodwill, and peace through a world fellowship of business and professional persons united in the ideal of service." But what are we, as members, doing in our club or community to promote peace? This is the question we should be looking at! With warm regards,
Sincerely, IAN RISELE Y REMINDER: TORONTO 2018
Ovais Ahmed Kohari District Governor
Ian Riseley personally invites you to attend the 2018 RI Convention, 23-27 June 2018 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. This Convention is sure to be the most inspiring Convention yet with an impressive turnout from Australia and New Zealand.
The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams and work for their dreams. ~ PRIP Bill Boyd
G O V E R N O R ’ S M O N T H LY L E T T E R VOL. 08-2017/18
FEBRUARY 2018
Editor
KISHWAR T. ALLAWALA Layout Concept & Design
ABBAS LAVINGIA Please submit articles to: Editor: Kishwar Tariq Allawala; Penthouse 1, 143-M/2, PECHS, Karachi 75400; cellular: +92 333 2291708; eMail: gml.d3271@gmail.com District Chair Publication: Abbas Lavingia, 503 Alamode Apartments, Block 8, Clifton, Karachi 75600, Pakistan; line: +92 21 32635257; cellular 0300/0321/345 8239019; eMail: abbas@lavingia.net District Secretary: Ali Hafeez Azmat; 4-C, Mohammad Ali Housing Society, Saeed Hai Road, Karachi 75350; line: +92 21 35214418; cellular: +92 333 2298098; eMail: ali.h.azmat@gmail.com District Governor: Ovais Ahmed Kohari; 17 M. A. Jinnah Road, opp. KGA Ground, Karachi; line: +92 21 32250703, 32257213; cellular: +92 331 2713271; eMail: ovais.kohari@hotmail.com News Media Coordinator: Jawaid Babar; cellular: +92 300 3313252; eMail: jawaidbabart@gmail.com Send stories, queries, tips and photographs by mail or e-mail (high resolution digital images prefered). We assume no responsibility for unsolicited materials. Published monthly by District Governor 3271, Pakistan. Circulation restricted to rotarians only. Concept, layout and printing by: Capricorn Printers; eMail: abbas@lavingia.net Drop Mail You are welcome to make contributions to the GML. However, the editorial board reserves the right to edit or reject the material for reasons of suitability, accuracy or space. Please send your articles, club activity and attendance report to: RotarySecretariat3271@gmail.com. If you have old file photographs of any memorable events related to Rotary at district or international level, you are welcome to share with the GML team.
World needs people of vision, people who are capable of dreaming dreams. ~ PRIP Bill Boyd
Editorial February is the Peace and Conflict Resolution Month as per the Rotary calendar. According to Rotary International, millions of people all over the world are currently displaced by armed conflict or persecution. During this month we are celebrating our commitment to build peace and mitigate conflict. Through service projects, fellowships, and other campaigns, members train adults and young leaders to prevent and mediate conflict, and aid refugees. Members also pursue projects to address the underlying structural causes of conflict, including poverty, inequality, ethnic tension, lack of access to education, and unequal distribution of resources. Fostering Peace and Understanding is at the heart of all of Rotary’s work. Rotary refuses to accept conflict as a way of life. Rotary projects provide training that fosters understanding and provides communities with the skills to resolve conflicts.
Each year, Rotary selects up to 100 professionals from around the world to receive fellowships to study at one of our peace centers Through academic training, practice, and global networking opportunities, the Rotary Peace Centers program develops leaders who become catalysts for peace and conflict prevention and resolution. These fellowships cover tuition and fees, room and board, round-trip transportation, and all internship and field-study expenses. In just over a decade, the Rotary Peace Centers have trained more than 1,000 fellows for careers in peacebuilding. Many of them are serving as leaders at international organizations or have started their own foundations. Our fellowships Each year, the Rotary Foundation awards up to 50 fellowships for master’s degrees and 50 for certificate studies at premier universities around the world. Master’s degree programs: Last 15 to 24 months and require a practical internship of two to three months during the academic break. Professional development certificate program: For experienced professionals and lasts three months with two to three weeks of field study.
www.rotary3271.org
More than 1,000 peace fellowship alumni are working in over 100 countries.
Kishwar Tariq Allawala Editor
Is a peace fellowship right for me? Peace fellowship applicants must meet these requirements: - Proficiency in English; a second language is strongly recommended - Demonstrated commitment to international understanding and peace - Excellent leadership skills - Master’s degree applicants: minimum three years of related full-time work or volunteer experience, bachelor’s degree - Certificate applicants: minimum five years of related full-time work or volunteer experience, strong academic background
| Governor’s Monthly Letter | February 2018
Archives
Putting Rotary into Rotarians
selection based on classification, minimum attendance and our special emphasis on fellowship. All this and more make it an organization with a difference. Rotary’s philosophy is based on eternal values of thoughtfulness for others, on kindness, on promoting truth and honesty by personal example and on service to humanity - all values that are not only acceptable to all religions and beliefs but are enshrined in them. Rotary is live and throbbing because it is democratic, it is changing with the needs of the times and has for its l e a d e r s h i p m a n y d e d i c a t e d, knowledgeable, enthusiastic and influential individuals. Knowledge leads to understanding and appreciation of the rules and procedures which we ourselves have chosen and framed to govern our activities.
PDG Kassim Dada
1919 - 2001
Looking at reality we cannot conceal the fact that most of us are Rotarians only in name. Therefore, there is a clear need to put Rotary into Rotarians! Putting Rotary into Rotarians is a topic that could cover a vast area of Rotary – the Object of Rotary, its philosophy, its strengths and weaknesses, its progress and problems, the quality of its leadership, its organizational structure, its image, its programmes, and so on. The first message that emerges from this is that Rotary means service rendered with enthusiasm, planning and enjoyment. To make this happen we use the science of management, worldwide experience of thousands of clubs, our concept of membership
Rotary’s strength lies in the quality of the individual Rotarian. A club is what its members make it, and the RI is what the clubs make it. Another reason for Rotary’s strength is that it is something that is supported by the families of the members. Rotary philosophy of service is expressed through its motto Service Above Self and the Rotary’s guiding principles are incorporated in Rotary’s 4 Way Test. It helps to sharpen our conscience, if we choose to use it. We can be Rotarians only in name, or Rotarians to advance our personal sphere of influence or trade, or profession. We can just be Rotarians to enjoy our weekly meetings and listen to speeches, or enjoy food, or to bring guests. Or we can use it to make contacts abroad. Or we can use our membership to benefit ourselves in the real sense by helping others by
giving money, time, ideas, talent and experience in working with others to implement projects with enthusiasm and joy. The benefit we receive then is the real gain, and is something that endures and enriches our lives in such a way that it tends to spread to others and benefits them too. The basic objective of Rotary is to change the world for the better. When influential members of society become affected by the ideals of Rotary they are then in a position to change the thinking of people they come in contact with, and thus spread the concept of service. The reason why we lay great emphasis on fellowship is that through fellowship we tend to become friends, and it is a pleasure to meet and work with friends. Fellowship is an essential part of Rotary’s success. In a club where there is sufficiently a high degree of fellowship, the attendance is high. A club should adopt its own projects primarily keeping in view the need of the community. Respect the rules and procedures. To be familiar with our own rules and procedures members must read the club constitution and bylaws at least once a year. The programmes at weekly meetings should normally be motivational and informative so that we become increasingly better individuals ready for better service. As far as possible, the weekly topics should be related to the Four Avenues of Service. There should be a few minutes of Rotary information at each meeting.
More important than what we do during rotary meetings is what we do during all the time between rotary meetings.
The search for individual joy, satisfaction and happiness is universal, & I strongly believe it is a goal that can best be fulfilled by helping others. ~ PRIP Cliff Dochterman
| Governor’s Monthly Letter | February 2018
Visit of the Canadian Team
The Second Canadian Team
The team members who visited are as under:
A team of seven Canadian Rotarians visited Pakistan to participate in the NIDs from 9th - 13th February. The team was led by PP Aruna Koushik and her husband PE Sadashiv Koushik, Rtn Geraldine Carey, AG Margaret Louise Little, Theresa Shuurman, PP Gordon Card and Gloria Milburn from Districts 6400 and 7820.
Badar Shamim, Saima Shamim, Norman Bindon, Hajra Wilson (Team Leader) and Heather Maria Manson. The Canadian group of Rotarians arrived on 13 January to fully participate in the NIDs between 15th and 18th January 2018. After arriving early morning they were taken to Indus Hospital where a lot of free volunteer work is carried out. There was networking with clubs from RCK South, RCK Karsaz and RCK Creek. Then there was RCK Gateway and RCK Sunset Millennium. On the 15th they assembled at the PNPPC office to be taken to Sikandarabad, Kemari Town Resource Center and EP Town Office after which they went to the Gulshan Resource Town to participate in the NIDs with the field teams visiting homes of families in the vicinity. They also visited permanent Transit Posts on the Super Highway to administer polio drops . On the 16th they were taken to Bizerta Lines School, Jahangir Park, a public project and PDG Iqbal Qureshi’s office for a meeting and lunch. On the 17th after breakfast they departed for Islamabad, District 3272.
The Canadian Team was taken to an underprivileged school where the students were given stationery and books. This school building has been renovated by Rotarians. Next they met up with members attending PETS at Royal Rodale where they had lunch and enjoyed fellowship and some members picked up semi precious jewellery designed by a Rotarian. Later they attended the Literature Festival at the Beach Luxury Hotel. There was a fellowship and project meeting with RCK Creek over high tea. A Sunday morning brunch was hosted by the National Polio Chair PDG Aziz Memon, they were taken to see the Permanent Transit Post on the Super Highway and the Rotary Resource Centre in Gulshan e Iqbal where they administered polio drops with the polio teams. They also planted neem tree saplings in a school. Every evening the team met up with different clubs at a dinner meeting and networked with local clubs to discuss the projects and work being done.
Rotary Club Karachi Port City - Charter Feb 23
I am blessed because Rotary has made me a better person. Rotary has made me look beyond myself. ~ PRIP Rajendra Saboo
| Governor’s Monthly Letter | February 2018
Rotary Pakistan Literacy Mission (RPLM)
Tree Plantation at Rotary Club Nawabshah
Annual Dinner was held at the Sindh Governor House on Feb 02, 2018. Honorable Governor Sindh, Mohammad Zubair was the Chief Guest. PP Anis Younus, the master of ceremony, welcomed the guests. Opening remarks were given by District Literacy Chair PDG Iqbal Qureshi. RPLM Chairman PDG Muhammad Faiz Kidwai gave a detailed presentation on working of RPLM, the school adoption and mobile library program. DG Ovais Kohari gave his welcome address. Honorable Governor Sindh in his speech appreciated the efforts being put in by Rotary as a whole with respect to polio eradication and now literacy. Closing remarks were given by President Elect, RC Karachi Anjum Nisar. Zia Mohiuddin in his usual intellectual humour entertained the guests. The program was organized mainly because of the efforts of PP Anis Younus.
Tree Platation
Rotary Club Mirpurkhas PP Jawaid Babar visited a local primary school at a village where he updated students regarding Rotary Polio Mission for Polio Free Pakistan. He distributed polio social mobilisation items among the students. This was a public image event - visit supported by DAWN Media Group & DAWN TV.
Each Rotarian is the cornerstone, every club is the pillar of Rotary’s edifice. ~ PRIP Rajendra Saboo