Daily snowstorms and the delectable Turkish cuisine provided a colorful background to the Peace Summit in Istanbul as it dealt with next steps toward conflict resolution and peacebuilding.

 

Four Rotarians from our District, PDG Connie Spark, Harrisburg Rotarian Hagir Elsheikh, Hershey Rotarian Maria Thompson, and I joined the senior leadership of RI and a thousand other Rotarians from around the world to engage in dialogue about the Rotary goal of greater understanding, goodwill, and peace, the 4th object of Rotary, as  announced by Paul Harris, in 1921, at the RI Convention in Edinburgh--over a hundred years ago! 

 

RI President Stephanie Urchick expressed the greater purpose for the summit, that of pondering how to get the right tools into the right hands to make a difference in the attitudes, institutions and structures of all societies, near and far!  The ‘right hands’ are our hands, and the ‘right tools’ are all those measures at our disposal that lead to better understanding and goodwill and reduce conflict wherever it exists.

 

These are somber times for the UN and peace advocates. Even as we convened in Istanbul, two highly destructive wars were being waged within a few hundred miles causing incalculable losses in life and infrastructure.  For over a hundred years, Rotarians have assembled to deliberate on ways to make progress toward peace in its capacity as a nonpolitical organization in a highly polarized world. That role is both a great legacy and a great responsibility.  So, with ever greater conviction, we all must now join the public discourse on conflict resolution, urging our governments to do likewise, whenever and wherever possible, and engaging ever growing numbers of fellow citizens to join the movement by increasing their awareness.

 

Many of those at the Peace Summit will be participating in our Multi-District Conference on April 5 at the Hershey Lodge.  Plan to join that global group, which will have participants, including our exchange students, from over a dozen nations.  If you encounter lateness in registering for this remarkable gathering, contact Melissa for an extension. Please find a way to join this unique Conference.