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Dear Fellow Rotarians, Rotaractors, and friends,
During a recent Zoom meeting with Rotarians and Rotaractors, I looked
at the smiling faces on my screen and realized how much our organization
has changed in a short period. It is clear that there is no going
back to the "old normal" in Rotary — and I see that
as an exciting opportunity!
Innovation and change are happening at so many levels
as we rethink and remake Rotary. Rotary's new flexibility is blending
with digital culture to drive change in ways that many of us have
never seen before. We can learn a lot from Rotarians like Rebecca
Fry — who, at age 31, already has 15 years of Rotary experience.
I see Rotary as a phenomenal platform to change the
world. I believe I can have the greatest influence by empowering
others to create the change they wish to see in the world. I've
gained leadership insights through my experiences in RYLA and Rotaract,
and now, as charter president of the Rotary Social Impact Network,
a new e-club.
Engaging Rotary program alumni is key in forming new
clubs. Our club is proof that Rotaractors and other alumni want
to join Rotary — but sometimes they can't find the Rotary
club that's right for them. Our club has 31 members, all between
the ages of 23 and 41, and almost all of them are alumni of Rotary
programs.
We need to be able to integrate and align Rotary with
the other personal and professional goals we're pursuing. In chartering
this club, we set out to design a personalized model of Rotary that
is focused on added value for our members. We have also sought to
leverage connections — through Rotary Fellowships, Rotary
Action Groups, and other international partnerships — in order
to elevate our members' experiences beyond the club.
Our club meets and manages most of its projects online,
using Microsoft Teams to engage 24/7 in topics that interest our
members. This also means our club is not geographically bound to
any one location: Although many of us are in Australia, we also
have members in Germany, Italy, Mexico, Tanzania, and the United
States.
Also key for our club is measuring the impact of our
projects. For Plastic Free July this year, we created an awareness
campaign promoting ways that individuals could reduce their use
of plastics, and we reached more than 6,000 people. It's a project
with a tangible impact that anyone can take part in wherever they
are. I'm proud that, through our club, we are bringing people together
for a new type of Rotary experience. I am excited for our future.
All Rotary clubs have the opportunity to be innovative
clubs, just like Bec's club. Let's trust those clubs, learn from
them, and lend them our support. Change in Rotary happens at the
grassroots level, as clubs lead the charge, defining what this new
Rotary can be.
Change is constant, and we have more work to do in
many areas. It is important that we celebrate the contributions
of people of all backgrounds and promote people from underrepresented
groups so that they have greater opportunities to participate as
members and leaders in Rotary.
The tools to make Rotary more inclusive, more relevant,
and more fun for everyone are at our fingertips. Let's use them
now, and we will see how Rotary Opens Opportunities for ourselves
and for those yet to discover us.
HOLGER KNAACK
President 2020-21
Trustee Chair's Message - Oct.
2020
K.R. Ravindran
Rotary Club of Colombo
Western Province, Sri Lanka
Trustee chair's message
In the early 1990s, polio was still a concern in my
country. As the Sri Lanka PolioPlus Committee chair,
I was part of a task force of Rotarians, government
officials, and UNICEF representatives that drove all
polio eradication efforts, including National Immunization
Days (NIDs).
But those were difficult days; civil
war was raging in Sri Lanka. The government said NIDs
could happen only outside conflict zones. This meant
one-third of the country's children would not be vaccinated
— an unacceptable proposition.
Rotary stepped in with UNICEF to engineer
a cease-fire. Establishing contact with one of the
world's most feared and elusive rebel leaders was
not easy, and we were careful to maintain Rotary's
good name during negotiations.
A few weeks later, my secretary delivered
a letter to my office, her hands shaking. Signed by
the rebel leader himself, it read: "Dear Mr.
Ravindran: If you can persuade your government to
stop the war for two days, then we are willing to
lay down our guns for two days too, for our war is
not with children."
Soon the NID was on, and vehicles bearing
the Rotary emblem traveled to the vaccination booths
in the areas occupied by insurgents, receiving the
same respect and courtesy as the Red Cross.
Obstacles can seem insurmountable until
we overcome them.
In March 2020, the polio program made
the tough decision to temporarily suspend polio immunizations
while the polio infrastructure that Rotary members
had helped build was used for COVID-19 response. But
with the wild poliovirus now banished from the African
region and circulating in just two remaining countries,
we continue to move forward. Our history shows that
we can overcome even the most difficult situations.
But we can't do it without your help.
World Polio Day is 24 October, and it's
the greatest opportunity we have to raise funds and
awareness for Rotary's polio eradication efforts.
Visit endpolio.org/worldpolioday to get
tools for planning virtual events and fundraisers,
and to register your club's event.
Please consider making a donation to
End Polio Now, to be matched 2-to-1 by the Bill &
Melinda Gates Foundation. In the face of a pandemic,
there is a serious risk of further spread of polio.
Your support is more important than ever, and it will
ensure that together we can tackle the remaining obstacles
and achieve a polio-free world.
http://www.endpolio.org/donate.
K.R. Ravindran
Trustee Chair 2020-21
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