On the 18th July 2018 we had a very special, Multi-Club dinner meeting: Four Rotary Peace & Conflict Resolution Scholars came down from the University of Queensland to give us a presentation about what that particular facet in the Rotary diamond is all about. OK, so you may have felt a bit crowded - partly your Editor (and Club Admin Chair) must take the blame: we almost doubled the number of attendees from about 40 to 80 within the last two days! Talking about leaving the booking to the last minute!But it was a Super Meeting: with some 10 Rotary Clubs from the Gold Coast participating. Michelle Helman from the USA gave the principal address, with Mohamed Sheik Yussuf from Kenya, Miku Lagarde from the Philippines and Isabella Beron from Columbia giving a brief outline of their experiences and visions for the future. In the words of one of the speakers, Isabella Beron from Columbia (which has been in a state of conflict for some 56 years): "Before coming to Australia, I have never lived anywhere where there is no conflict". Worldwide, some 1000 scholars have undergone serious training at various University Campuses throughout the world in Peace & Conflict Resolution. Will it make a difference? You bet it will, more than politician's grandstanding.
Photo above (from left): Mohamed Sheikh Yussuf (Kenya), Mikaela Francine (Miku) D. Lagarde (Philippines), Michelle Helman (USA), Isabella Sinisterra Beron (Colombia). See more details about the presenters on the Download section (on the right) - Rotary-Peace-Fellowship-Di