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work of Rotary -and her heartfelt thanks to all PEACEBUILDING CONFERENCE
Rotarians was well received.
Falmouth Rotarian John
Many of us enjoyed attending workshops Pearce and his wife Janet,
afterwards with the Multimedia one being well were at the RI President’s
attended and saw our districts own Social Media Peace Conference in Coventry
Champion, Sam Cross give a great presentation in February. Here’s an extract
on the use of Facebook. from their report:
On the third day, RI President Ian Riseley “Coventry was large destroyed in November 1940 by
reminded delegates of the promise to fight for an German air attack, but the city’s inhabitants were
end to Polio and reminded them that Rotaract was determined not to cast blame but to spread the message of
not just the future of Rotary but an important part peace from the moment their cathedral was hit. A piece of
of the present. the building fell in the shape of a cross, and this was used
as their symbol in creating 26 twinned towns across the
On a lighter note, TV personality Chris Tarrant word and 200 associated organisations to promote peace.
recalled his TISWAS children’s television days as Hence, it was a great place to have such a conference.
he custard-pied RIBI Present Elect Donna
Wallbank (a long term wish of hers!), and also “More than 200 school children attended as guest of the
gave his insight into his time on the Who Wants local Rotary clubs. We heard from Sherin Ebadi, a Nobel
to Be A Millionaire? game show. He finished off his Peace Laureate from Iran, who was exiled in 2009 but
talk with a heartfelt thanks to Rotary for what we continues to work for human rights around the world. She
have done towards ending Polio, almost in tears felt that the negotiation to free Nazarin Zaghari-Radcliffe
as he reflected on the death of a school friend as had failed because of the failure of Britain to repay the £400
a child who died from Polio. I'm sure RIBI will million, plus interest, that Iran claimed was owed.
take him up on his offer to help wherever he can
with our campaign. “Other speakers included Dr Ranieri Guerra, assistant
director-general for Special initiatives at the World Health
Keeping up the humour was Lydia Slack, who Organisation, who praised Rotary’s efforts in combating
gave her view on growing up on a farm, which polio; Jessica Tisell, a Rotary Peace Fellow, who talked
had her audience in stitches. about the negotiations needed to enter a conflict zone
safely; and Natalia Gutierrez, another Peace Fellow who has
The next National Conference is in Nottingham. been involved in the design of policies to achieve public
health and security in the marginalised areas of Colombia.”
For more details of the Princess Royal’s speech, please
follow this link: https://www.rotarygbi.org/princess-royal-rotary-is- Watch a video of the first session by following this link:
for-com…/
https://www.facebook.com/RotaryinGBI/videos/vl.1
48567002477882/10156043425705692/?type=1
