Presentation of Rotary Peace Community Resolution by PDG Doug Vincent

In the fall of 2008 RC Woodstock-Oxford passed and D7080 Conference endorsed a resolution reguesting development of a Rotary Peace Community program as a result of my Co-Chairing this initiative during the year of PRIP Wilf Wilkinson.

It was my pleasure to present the proposal to the COL assembly and I was pleased that our resolution passed with 403 in favour and 101 against.  Following is a recap if the resolution and my proposal comments:

"I would like to move adoption of Resolution 10-71 requesting the RI Board consider recognizing and implementing a new Rotary program fostering Rotary Peace Communities and acknowledging existing declared Rotary Peace Communities

Further resolved by RI that the BOD consider requesting that future RI presidents emphasize the Object of Rotary by including the Rotary Peace Community program within their emphasis each year.

For many years, several clubs and districts have promoted peace awareness through community events and things like peace parks, peace monuments, peace plaques and peace poles.

Some clubs celebrate annual peace days and often include school activities to make our next generation more aware of peace . . . for we will never have true world peace until we have peace in every country, until we have peace in every city and in every neighbourhood, with harmony in our schools and in each family.

Under the leadership of Past RI President Wilf Wilkinson, there were four global Presidential Peace Summits.  During that time, I Co-Chaired development the Peace Community Program which culminated at the final Peace Summit in Windsor ON, which is the origin of this resolution.

The purpose of this proposal is to have an RI program to maintain a central global umbrella of information, planning suggestions and best practices.  It would provide a place to register and acknowledge clubs and districts who have declared themselves as peace communities and can enhance Rotary's public image initiative.

It would be very helpful to have common program and process for developing and sharing ideas and consistency in our Rotary peace building and promotion.

We currently have a website with a download Peace Community Planning Book containing ideas and suggestions. It includes school activities and voluntary registration of dedicated communities, should the RI Directors choose to use it.

There also remains a nucleus committee of peace volunteers who have helped gather and maintain a wealth of information at no cost to Rotary. Moving forward we anticipate there will be minimal cost to provide website pages which coordinate and share consistent guidelines and a Peace Community registry.

I solicit your favourable consideration of this resolution which supports Rotary's fundamental focus of promoting world peace."

This just goes to show that any small club like ours can be heard at the top level of Rotary International through this parliamentary process.

Thanks to our Peace Community committee, our District and my Rotary Club for all of your support on this program and to myself personally.

Doug V.