Next year, Rotary takes a step toward supporting peacebuilding in the Middle East and North Africa region when recruitment begins for our newest peace center in partnership with Bahçeşehir University (BAU) in Istanbul.
A series of events in the coming year will recognize the new center at BAU and Rotary's work to promote peace. The 2024 Rotary International Convention in May will mark 25 years since the first Rotary Peace Centers were announced — coincidentally at the Rotary Convention in Singapore in 1999. Recruitment for the first cohort of Rotary Peace Fellows at BAU also starts in 2024, and selected candidates will begin their program in early 2025.
Since its beginning, the peace centers program has prepared more than 1,700 peace fellows working in more than 140 countries to create a more peaceful world. That is certainly worth celebrating, but Rotary Peace Fellows are more than statistics on a page. Their actions have helped Create Hope in the World and will continue to do so.
For example, Jennifer Montgomery and Gorett Komurembe — peace fellows from the program at Makerere University in Uganda — are co-founders of Magenta Girls Initiative. The international nongovernmental organization equips Ugandan girls and young women with the support and tools to overcome harmful gender norms, generational poverty, gender-based violence, trafficking, and trauma.
Ndzi Divine Njamsi, another peace fellow who studied at Makerere, has taken lessons learned about Positive Peace and is sharing them with students of his own in Cameroon. He became interested in the Rotary Positive Peace Activator training program after witnessing extremism, online hate speech, and violence in Cameroon. Since completing the program, he has brought his lessons on peace to students at the Yaoundé International Business School and other organizations in the Central Africa country.
The world needs more people like the graduates of the program at Makerere and our other peace fellows. To that end, we can all advance peace by encouraging our local peacebuilders to learn more about Rotary and apply for this impactful fellowship. Rotary members can also mentor candidates for the fellowship. Or you can work with peace fellows who have already graduated. They probably have an initiative or two that would benefit from your help.
Our peace centers in North America, Europe, Africa, Australia, and Asia depend on financial support as well. The program at BAU was made possible thanks to a generous gift of $15.5 million to The Rotary Foundation from the Otto and Fran Walter Foundation.
This new Rotary Peace Center will offer a one-year professional development certificate in peace and development studies for fellows focusing on peacebuilding within the Middle East and North Africa region.
Peace must be waged persistently; it is the soil where hope takes root. But as with any journey, we take one step at a time. Let’s take those steps together.
November's Theme
The Rotary Foundation is Rotary's own charitable fund and is operated exclusively for charitable and educational purposes throughout the world. The Foundation was created in 1917 by Rotary International’s sixth president, Arch C. Klumph, as an endowment fund for Rotary “to do good in the world.” It has grown from an initial contribution of $26.50 to more than $1 billion. It is one of the largest and most prestigious international fellowship programs in the world.
Since it was founded more than 100 years ago, the Foundation has spent more than $4 billion on life-changing, sustainable projects.
Through our Foundation, Rotary members have supported thousands of projects to provide clean water, fight disease, promote peace, provide basic education, and grow local economies. We’ve also been a leader in the fight to eradicate polio worldwide.
The Rotary Foundation transforms gifts into projects that change lives both close to home and around the world. As the charitable arm of Rotary, The Rotary Foundation taps into a global network of Rotarians who invest their time, money, and expertise into Rotary's humanitarian priorities.
The Rotary Foundation is one of the largest foundations in the world. Annual contributions to the Foundation are invested and every annual giving dollar contributed to the Foundation is available for its programs three years later.
The mission of the Foundation is to enable Rotarians to advance world understanding, goodwill and peace through the improvement of health, the support of education and the alleviation of poverty.
Every Rotarian Every Year
It’s that time of year again, when you’re asked to do your part as a Rotarian and give to Every Rotarian Every Year, The Rotary Foundation’s annual campaign. And when you make that commitment, you win in more ways than one. First, you get the great feeling that comes with knowing you’re helping to make life better for people all around the world. Then you have an opportunity to gain recognition for yourself, your club and your district.
How it works
EREY—Every Rotarian Every Year—means that each Rotarian contributes at least $25 to TRF’s annual fund. When every member of a club makes a donation, the club earns a banner celebrating 100% participation.
Edmonton West Supporting the Community
Edmonton Food Bank
We had a great crowd of Rotarians and Rotaractors volunteering together at the Edmonton Food Bank. We sorted donated food, built hampers and disposed of distressed items. Many hands make light work and if you want a job done well....ask a Rotarian!!
ETS Stuff a Bus
ETS Stuff a Bus has collected over 573,000 kilograms of food and $505,000 in cash donations since inception to help feed Edmontonians in need. This campaign also supports the Strathcona Food Bank (with Strathcona County Transit) and the Parkland Food Bank in Spruce Grove.
In 2022, more than 20,000 kilograms of food was collected at Save-On-Foods locations and $9,901 in cash was collected through online, text and check-out donations.
Edmonton West Rotarians and MacEwan University Rotaractors volunteers were on hand at the Food Bank to unload all of the donated food from the buses. Last year we helped unload 70 buses.
Our club members have supported this fundraiser for a few years now. Thanks to Lorne, Brian and all of the MacEwan Rotaractors who spent Saturday afternoon unloading the buses.
We had a special visitor at our meeting on November 13, when Rotary District 5370 District Governor Brent Collingwood paid the club a visit to talk about the state of Rotary at the club level and Rotary International level. Each year the new District Governor has a mandate to visit clubs in our district. The purpose is to go through what the clubs are doing, goals and objective.
The Board met with DG Brent before the meeting. We discussed what our club has accomplished so far this year. He asked us what words we would use to describe our club. That was a tough question as we do so much. We are a very hands on club and are involved with both local and international service projects. One of Brent's messages was not to compare ourselves to other clubs and to be proud of our club and who we are. He also encouraged us to talk about Rotary and what we do.
Brent congratulated us on contributing the most funds per capita to the Rotary Foundation last year. Something that we are very proud of.
During the meeting Brent talked about his "Don't Bottle it Up" campaign. “One of the focuses of Rotary this year is mental health and trying to break down the stigma of speaking out about mental health,” he said.
Paul Harris Presentation
The highest form of recognition a Rotary Club can bestow is the Paul Harris Fellow. It is presented to a Rotarian who has made an outstanding contribution to our club and the community. The Paul Harris recipient goes above and beyond in serving our community through promoting change and understanding.
Brent presented Al Sanderson with a Paul Harris +6.
CONGRATULATIONS AL!!
And thanks for all you do for our club and Rotary
New Member Induction
Strong membership enables your club to do good in your local community and around the world. A strong membership also raises the public’s awareness of Rotary and increases support for The Rotary Foundation and its programs. Bruce Hobin, our Membership Director is doing a fantastic job. He believes in getting our new members involved and integrated into the club.
President Vicky and District Governor Brent were pleased to welcome our two newest members! All the members at the meeting welcomed Sam Nasir and Brian Rawlings into the Edmonton West Family. We look forward to getting to know them.
MacEwan University Rotaract Club
Maddie Rousseau attended our meeting and talked about what their club has been up to so far this year. They have a lot of members this year and they love to volunteer!! Many of their members have signed up and supported all of our hands on events.
Their club is collecting donations of warm clothes, items and hygiene products to put together packages to give to the Boyle Street Community Services for their clients. They also baked and decorated cookies to sell to raise funds.
What an amazing group of Rotaractors! We are so proud of them!!
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