By: James Campbell Quick
2020-2023 District 5790 Peace Fellowship Chair
We celebrate Rotary’s 117th birthday on 23 February and we focus on Peace and Conflict Prevention/Resolution all February long. Therefore, I invite you to consider two ways of advancing peace and world understanding in these challenging times, globally and domestically. The challenges are great yet our capacity as Rotarians is even greater. So, what can we do?
First, I invite you and your Club to be alert for one truly outstanding woman or man who will be our next Rotary Peace Fellow nominee from District 5790. The sweet spot for Rotary Fellows pursuing the master’s degree is ~ 30 years of age, but our successful District nominees have been as young as 25 and as old as 35. The sweet spot for those pursuing the professional certificate is about 40 years of age, but our successful District nominees have been both over & under. What to look for is one outstanding individual with a passion for peace. The District Peace Subcommittee looks forward to your Club’s recommendations for our next District nominee.
For more information about Rotary Peace Fellowships, go to the District 5790 website at the RI Foundation tab (https://rotary5790.org/sitepage/peace-fellowships) and on TRF website at the tab (https://www.rotary.org/en/our-programs/peace-fellowships).
The District deadline for nominees is 15 April 2022. TRF has opened the application process this month since it is February. Remember, your District 5790 Peace Fellowships Sub-committee, to include our two Peace Fellow alumni, are available to answer your questions
Second, I invite you to consider giving to Peace Centers at The Rotary Foundation, as a Club or individually. Read in the February issue of ROTARY Magazine about one local program in Chicago (Emcee Skool) that is targeting the outbreak of violence there…and that’s just one of a plethora of programs locally and globally that TRF Peace Centers support. During our District 5790 Foundation Gala, before the pandemic, Sheri and I were inspired by PRIP Ian Riseley and established a Peace Centers Endowment in 2020. We will add to it this month, February…the month in which we focus on Peace and Conflict Prevention/Resolution.
Let there be peace on earth and let it begin with…