No greater statement could be made about the Rotary theme for February – Peace and Conflict Resolution – than the Presidential Peacebuilding Conference being held in Vancouver on February 9 - 11. Our District 5040 and Zones 24, 25, 26 and 32 are working with Rotary International in hosting this first of six worldwide Rotary conferences on peacebuilding. The specific theme of this first conference is Environmental Sustainability and Peace.
Conflict and violence displace millions of people each year. 90 percent of those killed in conflicts are civilians and half of those are children. Often conflict starts and continues over long periods in competition for dwindling resources and as environmental changes force people to migrate. Volatile rainfall and temperature trends in many parts of the world have exerted significant pressure on available land, water and food resources leading to diminishing food stocks, inadequate water supply, mass migration and desertification.
Scientists say that rapidly changing variables in the atmosphere could expose an additional 250 million people to increased water stress in Africa by 2020, with yields from rain-fed agriculture dropping by 50%. The likelihood of flooding in Asia could rise from 10 to 40%, affecting lives and livelihood of millions. The loss of biodiversity in Latin America would have global ramifications and could precipitate mass displacement.
These developments have dire implications for peace and sustainable economic development - the link between environmental sustainability and the goal of global peace success is clear.
Rotary was instrumental in the founding of the United Nations. We are close to completing our 30-year-old campaign to rid the world of polio with our many partners. Now we have joined many organizations in peacebuilding. Our aim is to look beyond the temporary cessation of violence in many parts of the world. We need to identify over the longer term conditions that lead to conflict management and mutual cooperation among those who have previously been adversaries. Working together is essential.
Rotary’s Presidential Peacebuilding Conference this month in Vancouver will focus on the role environmental factors play in moving towards a sustainable peace. The speakers and more than 700 attendees will examine sustainable global and local environmental practices, and their contributions to peacebuilding and peacemaking. Each of our communities throughout District 5040 can be proud of not only Rotary’s local contributions, but our leadership in peace and conflict resolution and other causes where people are in need throughout the world. www.environmentandpeace.com
District Grants Approved
Congratulations to the sixteen Rotary Clubs who were successful in the applications for District Grants in the 2017-2018 Rotary year. The overall District 5040 Grant has been approved and funds received from Rotary International. The clubs have been notified and projects are underway. All of our available District Grant funds for this Rotary year have been claimed at this point - putting funds from The Rotary Foundation to good use in club projects throughout our District.
District Conference 2018 - Register NOW!
Make sure that you register now for the District Conference 2018. While we have been standing back a bit during the heavy promotion efforts for the Presidential Conference, that will now change as we work towards a spectacular District Conference. The conference is Peacing It Together and will be held May 31 to June 3 at the West Coast Railway Heritage Park in Squamish, BC. Great learning and sharing, great speakers, and great fun are all promised! You need to be there!
New! - include your children and family in the fun......on Friday evening, the Conference will enjoy a family fun night at the West Coast Railway Heritage Park. This is included as part of the Conference for all who are registered, but we encourage you to invite Family - children, grandchildren etc. to join in the fun. There is a small fee for each additional Friday evening participant ($40 adult / $20 child) - with great value - this includes the full BBQ dinner, great live entertainment, full access to all the Heritage Park exhibits and activities including rides on the miniature train around the Park. Fun for the entire family, and we hope that it adds a great family component to the Conference. Learn more and register on line now at the conference website.
District Governor Club Visits
As noted last month, your DG and partner are now underway on a second round of club visits and area events - so please keep us updated on what you plan. These club visits are not Governor led, rather we simply drop in and enjoy the fellowship and Rotary work at a regular club meeting. So, keep us posted on what is happening, and we look forward to seeing so many great Rotarians again as our Rotary year continues.
Don's Diary has been updated again on rotary5040.org - check it out and see the many and varied activities that happen. We spent New Year's in Taipei, Taiwan and had a marvellous visit with the Rotary Club of Taipei - Yungfu. We came back home awed by the Rotary Friendship experience no matter where you go - be it far from home or nearby. Rotarian Friendship is an amazing thing - we encourage all to get beyond those local club boundaries and really experience the joy of being a Rotarian!
Rotary International Conference - Toronto, June 24 - 27
Don't forget that we have a Rotary International Conference right here in Canada this year. We have almost 80 currently registered from District 5040 clubs, and we are looking forward to a great time. Note that we will have a special dinner for District 5040 attendees on Tuesday, June 26 - details to come soon.
Yours in Rotary,
Don & Deb
Membership Update
What a great time to start a Rotary Club, whether it be a traditional club or a satellite club. Any new club can meet when they want and as often as they want. There are varying types of membership options, from Spousal memberships, to Corporate memberships, to Associate memberships, to Young Professionals memberships, the club gets to decide. Hopefully we will have some new clubs chartered before the end of this Rotary year. Lillooet and Vanderhoof are close to the magic number of twenty needed to start a Rotary club. We also have a Young Professionals club and a Chinese focussed provisional club percolating along.
When you are recruiting new members and your day or time doesn’t work for them I hope you are referring them to another local club. Another thought is to start a satellite club. The members belong to the host club but they meet on a different day and different time. You only need eight members to start a satellite club.
If you would like more information please contact Tom Smith, your District Membership Chair at tom@tascosales.ca.
Do you need another reason to register and participate in the 2018 Rotary District Conference in Squamish BC?
BRIGADIER-GENERAL R.R.E. MACKENZIE, OMM, CD
CHIEF OF STAFF ARMY RESERVE
Peace is a major focus of our conference this year.
Brigadier General R.R. MacKenzie has a long list of accomplishments and significant among them is 2 deployments in Afghanistan.
Do not miss this.
To register visit the conference page on the District website
Positive reputation is essential for retaining members, recruiting new ones and attracting sponsors. Measurable, results-oriented communication is at the core of effective leadership. Learn more about it, for yourself and for your club. In response to needs identified by club leaders and by District members, Rotary District 5040 presents three Public Image/Public Relations webinars to provide support to all club members as well as board and committee volunteers in leading their clubs to a high level of trust and reputation among our members and within our communities. Watch for the event announcements coming soon.
Posted by Hank Sartin Photos by Monika Lozinska on Feb 01, 2018
Rotary International President-elect Barry Rassin laid out his vision for the future of the organization on Sunday, calling on leaders to work for a sustainable future and to inspire Rotarians and the community at large. Rassin, a member of the Rotary Club of East Nassau, New Providence, Bahamas, unveiled the 2018-19 presidential theme, Be the Inspiration, to incoming district governors at Rotary’s International Assembly in San Diego, California, USA.
The Rotaractors of District 5040 headed into 2018 with a busy schedule, and exciting news on many levels! We are proud to announce, that the redesigned Rotaract5040.org website has gone live! There are a few more updates in the works, specifically regarding PACE and its application process. Information about the RYLA sponsorship for Rotaractors and past-RYLArians has been distributed. We are very excited for the opportunity! Continuing reading to read Club updates and exiting events you do not want to miss.
Join the Rotary Club of Richmond to celebrate a year of good health, good fortune and happiness! 2018 is the Year of Dog. Lion Dance: Vancouver City Police Department Lion Dance Team will be performing!!!Program: Chinese Banquet, Entertainment, Silent Auction, Photo Booth, Chinese Calligraphy, Lucky Draw, Games, Raffle and Prizes. Tickets: $98 ($108 after Dec 31, 2017) / $980 per table of 10 ($1,080 after Dec 31, 2017) $40 tax receipt available upon request.
Have you ever wondered how Rotary became involved with polio eradication in the first place? This high-quality, full-length documentary film tells the story of how a small group of visionary Rotary leaders dared to set a breathtaking goal of eradicating polio for all of the children of the world. In doing so, they laid the groundwork for the single most successful public health coalition in history.
Donate blood and join the movement today. In honour of Bob Jones. Bo knew how to give, let's keep up his tradition by giving blood. Click to view a list of clinics in Richmond for February and March.
Conflict and violence displace millions of people each year. 90 percent of those killed in conflicts are civilians and half of those are children. Often conflict starts and continues over long periods in competition for dwindling resources and as environmental changes force people to migrate. Volatile rainfall and temperature trends in many parts of the world have exerted significant pressure on available land, water and food resources leading to diminishing food stocks, inadequate water supply, mass migration and desertification.
Rotary was instrumental in the founding of the United Nations. We are close to completing our 30-year-old campaign to rid the world of polio with our many partners. Now we have joined many organizations in peacebuilding. Our aim is to look beyond the temporary cessation of violence in many parts of the world. We need to identify over the longer term conditions that lead to conflict management and mutual cooperation among those who have previously been adversaries. Working together is essential.
Rotary’s Presidential Peacebuilding Conference this month in Vancouver will focus on the role environmental factors play in moving towards a sustainable peace. The speakers and more than 700 attendees will examine sustainable global and local environmental practices, and their contributions to peacebuilding and peacemaking. Each of our communities throughout District 5040 can be proud of not only Rotary’s local contributions, but our leadership in peace and conflict resolution and other causes where people are in need throughout the world. 
Make sure that you register now for the District Conference 2018. While we have been standing back a bit during the heavy promotion efforts for the Presidential Conference, that will now change as we work towards a spectacular District Conference. The conference is Peacing It Together and will be held May 31 to June 3 at the West Coast Railway Heritage Park in Squamish, BC. Great learning and sharing, great speakers, and great fun are all promised! You need to be there!
As noted last month, your DG and partner are now underway on a second round of club visits and area events - so please keep us updated on what you plan. These club visits are not Governor led, rather we simply drop in and enjoy the fellowship and Rotary work at a regular club meeting. So, keep us posted on what is happening, and we look forward to seeing so many great Rotarians again as our Rotary year continues.
Peace is a major focus of our conference this year.
