Transcript ROTARY AND PEACE

PRESENTATION MADE FEBRUARY 16, 2005
TO ROTARY CLUB OF RECIFE BOA VIAGEM, BRAZIL
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
ROTARY AND
PEACE
(OR “HOW TO
BUILD A BETTER
COMMUNITY
AND WORLD”)
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Why I joined
Rotary - The
Rotary PolioPlus
Vision:
to eradicate polio
and a number of
other diseases
Object of Rotary:
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The Object of Rotary is to encourage and
foster the ideal of service as a basis of
worthy enterprise and, in particular, to
encourage and foster:
FIRST. The development of acquaintance as
an opportunity for service;
SECOND. High ethical standards in business
and professions, the recognition of the
worthiness of all useful occupations, and the
dignifying of each Rotarian's occupation as
an opportunity to serve society;
THIRD. The application of the ideal of service
in each Rotarian's personal, business, and
community life;
FOURTH. The advancement of international
understanding, goodwill, and peace through
a world fellowship of business and
professional persons united in the ideal of
service.
Rotary International Conference
Calgary 1996:
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“peace is the most
worthwhile cause
and you should do
something”. (RIP
Herb Brown; Nobel
Laureates Oscar Arias
and Betty Williams.)
Some say I had an
epiphany. I did decide
to do something.
Rotary’s Fourth Object:
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international
understanding,
goodwill, and
peace.
February, which is the
month of the
anniversary of the
birth of Rotary, is also
the Rotary month for
international
understanding,
goodwill and peace.
My search:
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Everything you
wanted to know
about peace but
did not know who
to ask.
I wished to know
peace and how I
might fit in.
What I found:
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There is an ocean
of information
about peace – the
problem is that you
can drown in it.
What I found:
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violence in our
communities and our
world is the most
complex problem.
(Violence and peace at
the world level,
community level,
family level and
individual level are
inter-related.)
What I found:
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The UNESCO motto
– “Since wars (and
violence) are
created in the
minds of men, it is
in the minds of
men that the
defenses of peace
must be
constructed.”
What I found:
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Most Rotary Programs
indirectly contribute to
peacebuilding (eg.
During National
Immunization Days,
countries stop wars;
exchange programs;
using the Four Way
Test ; community
service; humanitarian
aid; Club twinning and
joint projects;
fellowship; etc.)
What I found:
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Major programs
that directly
contributes to
peacebuilding Rotary Centers
for International
Studies in Peace
and Conflict
Resolution
(Rotary World
Scholars)
What I found:
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Many individual Club
and District programs
Rotary
International Peace
Parks;
Rotary Peace Cities
Program;
Turn Off The
Violence Programs;
etc.
What I found:
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Two key RI
publications:
“The Seven
Paths to Peace”
“Building Peace
in the
Community”
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Available online at
http://www.peace.ca/rotaryse
venpathstopeace.htm
What I found:
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Individual
Rotarians who wish
to do something to
advance peace
need more
resources and
support, from their
Clubs, Districts, RI.
What I found:
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Some fear and
misconceptions
about entering into
difficult
conversations (eg.
Politics and
religion).
Page 19 of the Rotary Manual of
Procedures:
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"Rotary and Politics
- RI and its member
clubs must refrain
from issuing
partisan political
statements. Rotaria
ns are prohibited from
adopting statements
with a view to
exerting any
corporate pressure
on governments or
political authorities.
However, it is the duty of
Rotarians:
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1) in their clubs, to keep
under review political
developments in their own
communities and throughout
the world insofar as they
affect service to their
vocations and communities as
well as the pursuit of the
Rotary objective of world
understanding and peace.
They are expected to seek
reliable information through
balanced programs and
discussions so that members
can reach their own
conclusions after the fair
collective examination of the
issues;
However, it is the duty of
Rotarians:
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2) outside their clubs, to
be active as individuals in
as many legally constituted
groups and organizations
as possible to promote, not
only in words but through
exemplary dedication, the
awareness of the dignity of
all people and the respect
of the consequent human
rights of the individual. "
(89-134; RCP 2.120.)
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Religion is not
mentioned at all in
the Rotary Manual
of Procedures
Quote from ‘The Seven Paths to
Peace’:
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"Is it not one of the
goals of Rotary
membership to
replace political
passion with a desire
for understanding?
We cannot escape
controversial
issues. How we face
them is one measure
of the club's mettle."
Quote from ‘The Seven Paths to
Peace’:
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"Divergence is the very pith of
Rotary. In church and trade
associations we explore ideas
with people we agree with. The
germ of Rotary is bringing
different kinds of men together;
the butcher, the baker, the lawyer,
the doctor. Through differences,
not similarities, Rotary seeks
understanding.
Because in Rotary we disagree
without being disagreeable, many
differences are resolved. But the
fundamental is not that we must
agree, only that we must explore
and inform our minds so that our
service to society as we go out of
our meeting may be informed,
intelligent service."
What I found:
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Rotary needs more
resources for peace
(eg. Peace library,
peace expertise for
consulting, peace web
site information,
Fellowship of
Rotarians for Peace)
to support Rotarians,
Clubs or Districts that
wish to do something
to advance peace.
What I found:
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most Rotarians and
Rotary have good
intentions to build
peace, but do not
know what they can
do.
(Not surprising:
Government also has
good intentions, but
also do not know what
they can do. We can
not just rely on
Government – we
have to help.)
What I found:
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violence is a disease +
we have the antidote, it
is peace education = all
we have to do is
inoculate all the
children with peace
education.
(This conclusion is based
on the excellent research
done by UNESCO and
others. Peace education is
at the heart of the violence
problem.)
What can we do?
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Take the
initiative.
Make a
commitment.
Make it a matter of
importance.
Act.
What can we do?
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Peace Education:
Education (for action)
is the most worthwhile
investment we can
make for future
generations.
(I will talk more about
my and the Canadian
Peace Education
experiences in more
depth tomorrow.)
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Available online at
http://www.peace.ca/EVOLVING_
CANADIAN_MODEL_FOR_PEACE_
2005.ppt
What can we do?
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Raise our own
awareness and
understanding –
peace begins with
me.
Read “The Seven
Paths to Peace”.
available online at
http://www.peace.ca/rotary.htm
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consider translating
into Portuguese
What can we do?
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Host Annual Peace
Education
Conferences:
create “Open
Spaces to Open
Minds to Peace”.
Network, dialogue,
disseminate
information, learn.
What can we do?
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Work with your
local Universities
and Colleges to
provide peace
education.
Establish a Peace
Library Resource
Center.
Consider a Rotary
Chair in Peace
Education.
What can we do?
Course examples:
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understanding macropeace
or the big peace picture,
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how to teach
peace/pedagogy,
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servant leadership,
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peace psychology,
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relationship building,
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conflict transformation,
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open space technology,
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having crucial
conversations,
 peace education at the
family level and good
parenting, etc.)
What can we do?
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“E-peace” - Create a
Web Site
(everything anyone would
want to know about
building peace in your
community; who is doing
what, with contact
information; background
reading; problem
identification; potential
solutions; upcoming
events; communication
tool such as a discussion
board or email listserver.
See http://www.peace.ca
for example.).
What can we do?
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Work with your
local School Boards
to create a
Culture of Peace
in all classrooms.
Give teachers the
tools – they want
to teach peace and
how to build a
better world.
What can we do?
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Work with your
Municipal
Government to
create a Culture
of Peace in the
community.
Build on the
assets we
already have in
the community.
What can we do?
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The potential projects,
once you get into it,
are many.
Use your business
sense to spend your
energy where it will do
the most good, and
what excites you
most.
Be a Peace Leader.
Have a long term,
community asset
building perspective.
Have Patience.
Conclusions:
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Rotary did its job –
it ignited a passion
for peace in me.
Conclusions:
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Rotary’s Mission =
the Fourth Object:
international
understanding,
goodwill, and
peace
Conclusions:
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We need to help
Rotary achieve its
Fourth Object – its
Mission.
Conclusions:
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Can you imagine if 1.2
million Rotarians
around the world were
doing something that
directly builds peace?
Can you imagine if we
teamed up with 1.2
million members of
the Lions Clubs to
build peace? And
members of
YM/YWCAs … and Red
Cross … and UNESCO
… and …
Conclusions:
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Rotary PeacePlus
vision: to
significantly reduce
the human cost of
violence (direct and
indirect) in our
communities and
world, through
peace education.
Following the
PolioPlus model.
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For more information, visit
http://www.peace.ca/rotary.htm
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Questions?
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Thank you

Bob Stewart
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[email protected]
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www.peace.ca