My dear friends from the world of Rotary and Rotaract,
Some of you may know that the founder of Indian civilization, Adi Shankaracharya walked from Kanyakumari to Kashmir to convey his message to people.
However, many of you would be surprised to learn that he achieved this by participating in debates.
In every village and town that he walked through, he sat down with learned people and discussed his ideas and embraced their arguments.
These debates formed the basis of the Indian way of life, which accepts that there may be multiple and varied paths to God, that there is no one single, correct path. This has made India a land that welcomed and absorbed people from every religion on earth.
Debate, my friends, is the hallmark of civilization. Debate helps us understand that conflicts can be resolved through dialogue, instead of war.
The day we learned to throw words, instead of stones, is the day we turned from savages into human beings.
At the end of the Second World War, the devastation and horror that mankind had suffered made world leaders sit up and create a mechanism through which international conflicts could be resolved peacefully.
The result was the formation of the United Nations Organisation, popularly known as the UN, headquartered in New York.
It is important for all of us present here to know that the meeting protocols of the United Nations were put in place by Rotarians.
We should feel proud to be part of an organisation that that played an important part on the path to World Peace.
Rotary and the United Nations have found common cause and are collaborating every day in many different service endeavours.
The Rotary movement has survived 2 World Wars, the subsequent Cold Wars and the recent conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Rotary survives because our ideals are based on tenets of truth, service and fellowship among all human beings.
It is well said that Peace is not merely the absence of war. Peace requires the alleviation of Poverty, Hunger, Disease and Ignorance.
Service is the first step toward peace, because peace grows within the heart.
Peace thrives with serving, understanding and according dignity to our fellowmen.
Peace is nourished by truth and principles, and it is strengthened when we overcome our differences to work together, finding common ground for a noble cause.
THE MISSION OF THE ROTARY FOUNDATION…
In short The Rotary Foundation’s mission is to bring peace and understanding into the world.
I have thought long hours trying to figure out how Rotary can transform that dream into reality.
Peace is not just the absence of war – it is also a quality of life.
I believe that: A world half starving and half overfed will never be a world at peace.
A world half sick and half healthy will never be a world at peace.
A world half illiterate and half educated will never be a world at peace.
A world that condones drug abuse, senseless violence and un-punished crime will never be a world at peace.
A world of prejudice, intolerance and distrust will never be a world at peace.
If you wonder why the world is full of turmoil and strife, the reason is the lack of understanding between people living in different countries.
The lack of political and personal will to build relationships between people is the root cause of tension we now see in the world.
This morning’s newspaper brought us the news that the 2020 Nobel Peace Prize has been awarded to the World Food Programme.
This is a United Nations programme that combats hunger in regions facing conflict and hardship.
The Nobel Committee Chairperson Berit Reiss-Anderson described the World Food Programme as ‘a driving force in efforts to prevent the use of hunger as a weapon of war and conflict.’
The Nobel citation says, “ Until the day we have a medical vaccine, Food is the best vaccine against chaos.”
My friends, you will be dismayed to know, that despite this programme helping 97 million people in 88 countries every year, 1 in 9 people in the world still do not have enough to eat.
This war on hunger is a war for Peace. Rotary’s war on Polio was a war for Peace. The next battle against illiteracy is a battle for Peace. Rotary is at the forefront in bringing Peace to the world.
POLIO PLUS —
SINCE 1988, Rotary and our partners have immunised nearly 3 Billion children against Polio.
As of June 2020 , Rotary had committed more than 2.1 Billion U S $ to global polio eradication, seeking to eliminate the wild polio virus in the last two countries where it remains endemic and to ensure that it does not return elsewhere.
In 2019-20 , program awards , including Polio Plus partners grant , totalled 151.8Million US $ .
ROTARY PEACE CENTERS
Conflict endemic countries need special attention. When we say endemic it means that a significant number of cases of conflicts are constantly encountered in that area.
The setting up of Rotary Peace Centers in six universities aims to bring professionally qualified individuals who can work to defuse tensions and resolve issues that could lead to conflicts.
These universities are empowering people to communicate with persons who create situations that could lead to disharmony and disrupt normal life.
I can say that the course teaches people to learn ancient secret wisdom and practices that can rejuvenate the relationships between individuals.
The techniques for resolving a conflict are extremely simple, practical and profound. Studying and practicing in these centers has helped many scholars to help others and return from an age of mistrust to an age of trust and understanding.
Each year , the Rotary Foundation supports the training of peace fellows at Six Rotary Peace Centers , where they earn master’s degree or professional development certificates .
Since 2002-03 , 1370 fellows from more than 110 countries have participated. In 2019-20 , 69 fellows from 35 countries began their studies at the Rotary Peace Centers , and program awards for the and the Centers totaled 4.5 Millions U S $ .
I am delighted to note that this Rotary-Rotaract Debate has brought together young people from all over the world to debate on the issues that affect peace and the conflicts that need resolution.
Rotaract is the future of Rotary. The energy, dynamism and intellect that youth bring is a promise of a better tomorrow for all.
This dialogue has made it possible for different generations of people to exchange ideas and find new ways forward. We, in Rotary, look forward to working closely with you.
I recently came to know that a video created by Rotaractors got more than one lakh views in one day.
We, in Rotary, think that getting a message across to a thousand people is an achievement.
Our understanding of social media is nowhere close to yours. We have a lot to learn from you.Rotary needs to promote its Public Image. You need to hold our hands and show us the way.
At the end here are the four lines from my favoritepoet Robert Frost
The woods are lovely dark and deep ,
But I have promises to keep.
And miles to go before I sleep
And miles to go before I sleep,
18 October 2020