Categories Rotary International News

Cultivating peace: Rabia Raja

From the February 2016 issue of The Rotarian
Rabia Raja thought she knew exactly how the residents of her home village of Dandot, Pakistan, should improve their schools. “I remember saying to them, ‘You don’t do this; you don’t do that,’ and they answered me, ‘What have you done for this place?'” Raja remembers. “That’s when I realized I could do something.”

Rabia Raja
Area of focus: Supporting education
Age: 39
Occupation: Entrepreneur
Location: Lahore, Pakistan
Peace Center: Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok 2011

That something turned out to be the Sunshine Consulting Welfare Organization…

Cultivating peace: Muyatwa Sitali

From the February 2016 issue of The Rotarian
Growing up on his family’s farm in Lusaka, Zambia, Muyatwa Sitali understood the power of water in his own life. His father grew corn, cabbage, and other crops, all of which depended on rainfall and irrigation. But it wasn’t until Sitali began his Rotary Peace Fellowship that he came to realize the profound and far-reaching need for clean water globally.

Muyatwa Sitali
Area of focus: Providing clean water
Age: 33
Occupation: Consultant
Location: New York City
Peace Center: Duke University and University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 2012-14…

Cultivating peace: Sachin Rane

From the February 2016 issue of The Rotarian
Growing up in India, Sachin Rane dreamed of being a police officer like his father and grandfather. “Our walls were decorated with uniformed pictures of my ancestors,” he says. But he never imagined how far police work would take him.

Sachin Rane
Area of focus: Promoting peace
Age: 49
Occupation: Detective inspector
Location: Mumbai
Peace Center: Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, 2013

Rane became a Mumbai police officer in 1991. He investigated bombings, kidnappings, and murders while working for a variety of law enforcement branches, including…

Cultivating peace: Summer Lewis

From the February 2016 issue of The Rotarian
In 2007, Summer Lewis was eager to return to school. She had graduated summa cum laude from Kansas State University with a bachelor’s degree in Spanish, sociology, and women’s studies and spent several years traveling and working with organizations focused on economic development at the grassroots level.

Summer Lewis
Area of focus: Growing local economies
Age: 35
Occupation: Consultant
Location: Oaxaca, Mexico
Peace Center: University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia, 2011-12
“The problem was that I had too many areas of interest,” recalls Lewis…

District leaders set to celebrate Foundation’s centennial

Rotary Foundation Trustee Chair Ray Klinginsmith asked district governors in training at the International Assembly to lead the celebration of the Foundation’s centennial year, 2016-17.
“You are the primary contacts between the Foundation and our 34,000 Rotary clubs in the world. The success of the centennial celebration is largely in your hands,” said Klinginsmith at a 19 January general session. “Catch the spirit and spread the word about the importance of celebrating our success.”
Since the Foundation was established in 1917, it has spent more than $3 billion on programs and projects to…

Michele Berg named deputy general secretary

Michele Berg has been selected to help lead Rotary’s operations as deputy general secretary. In this role, she will work alongside General Secretary John Hewko to ensure effective internal operating policies and implement strategies and programs.
In her previous role as Rotary’s chief programs and member services officer, Berg led a team of more than 150 staff members who support membership development, learning and development, and programs. She has worked for Rotary since 2001.
“Michele is an outstanding leader who has been instrumental in ensuring that we provide high-quality services to…

2016 Rotary International Assembly Photo Gallery

See our photo gallery from San Diego.

Germ reveals ‘Rotary Serving Humanity’ as 2016-17 presidential theme

Rotary’s founder, Paul Harris, believed that serving humanity is “the most worthwhile thing a person can do,” RI President-elect John F. Germ said, and that being a part of Rotary is a “great opportunity” to make that happen.
Germ unveiled the 2016-17 presidential theme, Rotary Serving Humanity, to incoming district governors on 18 January at the International Assembly in San Diego, California, USA.
“I believe everyone recognizes the opportunity to serve Rotary for what it truly is: not a small opportunity, but a great one; an opportunity of a lifetime to change the world for the better,…

Rotary's 2016 International Assembly coverage and resources

Rotary’s annual training meeting gives incoming district governors from around the world the chance to share ideas for strengthening clubs and improving communities.
Learn more about the new presidential theme, Rotary Serving Humanity, and find photos, videos, and speeches from the event. Download resources to use with your club and district.
News coverage
Germ reveals ‘Rotary Serving Humanity’ as 2016-17 presidential theme
Rotary Voices
Read reactions from the assembly
Photos
2016 Rotary International Assembly photo gallery
Videos
2016-17 presidential theme announcement
Find more videos…

Rotary condemns deadly attack on polio security personnel in Pakistan

Rotary members and our partners in the fight to eradicate polio offer our heartfelt condolences and express a deep sadness in the wake of a horrific bomb attack in Quetta, Pakistan, that took the lives of at least 15 security personnel on 13 January.
This tragic attack outside a polio immunization center is a stark reminder of the dangers faced by Rotary, our partners in the Global Polio Eradication Initiative, and the brave women and men on the front lines of our effort to protect all children from the paralyzing effects of polio. While the bombing will be investigated, one thing is clear:…