Rotary International has a long history of peace building initiatives. From a pre-World War I resolution calling for “the maintenance of peace”, establishing peace centers and now “supporting the environment”, Rotarians are equipped themselves with all the required resources and thought process to address conflicts in modern human societies because of violations of basic human rights. Rotary never believes in passive preaching of peace. Instead, we have championed the “peace process” by involving and inspiring people we serve. Rotary stands for sustainable “Peace for all”

However, in today’s world, over 70 million people are affected because of conflict and violence. Neither peace keeping forces and nor state and international institutions could manage to reduce the widely spread human rights violations. The Afghan crisis is the recent example of our so called “joint” efforts.

Remember, nearly half of the affected population is made of children. We cannot accept the situation as it is. We have all the tools and resources with us. We have a proven track record of building peace and binding communities through our projects. In the past, Rotary has trained volunteers and imparted skills to people and societies. The time has come to re-empathise “the process of peace” and “invest in peace”.

Children make up one-third of the global population. 1 in 6 children live in extreme poverty. 6 million children under the age of 5 die each year because of malnutrition and many more are being abused, exploited and enslaved. This is the state of affairs even after united efforts of kind-hearted people and service-minded institutions around the globe.

Peace building is an inbuilt ingredient of all our actions and deeds. Rotary is humanity in action.

AN ELEVATOR PITCH FOR ROTARY
In a unique initiative by Dist. 3142, led by DG Mayuresh Warke, the Dist. Training Team has organized ‘Discover Rotary’ – a series of presentations for all Rotary clubs. This programme aims to help members discover new aspects of Rotary and take pride in being Rotarians.

The first edition titled – How to describe Rotary to non-Rotarians’ addresses the following situation:

Imagine you are in an elevator, and someone points at your Rotary pin and asks,

“What is Rotary?”- The team came up with a 30-second elevator pitch for Rotary.

Over the last 60 days, this presentation, which also covers a 10-minute and a 30-minute pitch, has been made to nearly 50 clubs in the district. Many Rotarians enthusiastically translated the second part of the pitch into Hindi, Marathi and other regional languages.

If we want to break the decades-long barrier of 1.2 million, Rotarians across the world need to speak in one voice. An excellent start by Dist.3142.

"Gar firdaus bar-rue zamin ast, hami asto, hamin asto, hamin asto."

If there is Paradise on Earth, this is it, this is it, this is it. These words by the great Amir Khusro have defined Kashmir.

The state of Jammu & Kashmir arouses strong emotions in all Indians. We feel a sense of ownership of the land that took its name from Rishi Kashyap, a land of extraordinary beauty and serenity. Yet, since 1947, this same land has evoked despair, pain, and a sense of isolation from the rest of the country.

As an Indian and as a Rotarian, it was, therefore, a special experience for me to meet Rotarians from the Rotary Club of Jammu Tawi, RI Dist. 3070 ( Punjab-Himachal Pradesh-J&K-Ladakh) and the first-ever Incoming District Governor from J&K, Rtn. Dushyant Choudhary, and his wife Shivani during my visit there last week. Other club members Rtn. Adv. Deepali and Rtn.Karuna accompanied us to Vaishno Devi Math. We were truly charmed by the warmth and hospitality extended to us by them.

8th October 2021, also saw the first-ever visit by a serving RI President, when Shekhar Mehta attended the event to hand over Educational Tabs to Martyrs’ children. Rotary has also arranged for 200 Oxygen Concentrators for hospitals run by the Armed Forces in Srinagar, Jammu, and Ladakh.

I met a young girl who had lost her father to terrorist violence when she was in her mother’s womb. Her mother was advised by all to abort the child. But the mother resisted, bore the child, and raised her. The girl has now completed her schooling and was one of the recipients of the Educational Tabs. I will never forget the hope and joy that I saw on that girl’s face.

I also had the privilege of meeting Ex-Director General of Police Ashok Gupta who has been in the thick of the battle against terrorism in the valley and has sustained a bullet injury in the neck. After having served the country for all his life, Ashok Gupta is now a Rotarian with RC Jammu Tawi.

RC Jammu Tawi, DG Dushyant Choudhary, Rtn. Ashok Gupta: Rotary is truly enriched by you.

From the hustle and bustle of Chicago, back to India and now in my comfort zone, my home away from home, my farmhouse ‘Sachi Villa’, Peacock Hills, Pune.

In the 48 hours since I landed, it feels like my pulse rate has slowed down to match the rustle of the trees and the ripple of the lake. The air is fresh and clean, with the crispness of winter just around the corner. Surrounded by such serenity, I wonder at the irony of humans always yearning for that other pasture, where the grass is greener.

People from the rural countryside are constrained to leave their villages to make a better living in the ‘big city.’ They are forced to cut their ties with their ancestral acres and migrate to towns where space is measured in square feet. They have to give up clean air for the smoke and fumes of city life. They forsake simplicity and robust health for stress and lifestyle diseases.

In turn, those who have ‘made it’ in the cities want to go back to the purity and peace of village life. Those who thrived in concrete jungles now want to ‘stop by the woods on a snowy evening.’

Prosperity v/s Peace. Success v/s Serenity. Development v/s Sustainability. All conflicts that defy easy resolution.

If only we would learn from the tree. Take what you need from the soil, but give back much more stability, beauty, shade, and nourishment.

If only we would learn from the lake. Remain deep, weather the storm, nurture life.