Newsletter 16.5.2011
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The Rotary Club of Parramatta City newsletter provides information on upcoming events, community service projects, and international service activities. Some of the highlights mentioned include: 1) An upcoming fundraiser on Hat Day to support Australian Rotary Health research into mental illnesses. 2) Organizing volunteers from the club and former Rotary scholars to assist with the Red Shield Appeal door-knocking fundraiser. 3) Providing an update on an international service project to donate a van to a school in Northern Uganda, which has raised over $3,600 so far.
![Rotary Club of Parramatta City
Many former Rotary Peace Fellows are at work around the world, promoting peace in their communities
through education. Some are creating their own programs, aimed at achieving far-reaching goals.
Among those fellows in Asia are Maria Saifuddin Effendi, Jianrong Chen, and Prakash Tewari.
Acting on convictions
Maria Saifuddin Effendi is assistant professor in the Department of Peace and Conflict Studies at
National Defence University in Islamabad, Pakistan. She and some of her colleagues established the
department in 2009, the first of its kind in the country, in spite of opposition.
“There was criticism and resistance from [academics] to close down the department,” who considered it
“useless,” says Effendi, a 2007-09 peace fellow at the University of Bradford in England. “But we have
survived with dignity. It’s a great pleasure and satisfaction seeing [the department] grow in my country.”
Effendi’s book, Understanding Ripeness in Kashmir, is based on the master’s dissertation she wrote as a
peace fellow. The book explores the South Asian region’s readiness for dialogue and peacemaking to
address longstanding conflict.
Effendi also participates in conflict prevention/resolution symposiums and workshops sponsored by
universities and nongovernmental organizations like the International Peace and Security Institute in
Washington, D.C., founded by friend and former peace fellow Cameron Chisholm. These events, she
says, “encourage me to work in the field of peace and for peace in Pakistan.”
Dealing with conflict
Jianrong Chen believes that China has a special need for peace studies because of the diversity of its
people. With a population of 1.3 billion and 56 different ethnic groups, interethnic conflict is common.
Chen, a lecturer in the Department of International Relations at Jinan University in Guangzhou, China,
wanted to equip the younger generation of Chinese with tools for dealing with conflict.
“In the past, we stressed harmony and we almost forgot that we have conflict,” he says. “If we cannot
look at conflict in a way that it should be, how can we have peace?”
After completing the professional development program at the Rotary Peace Center at Chulalongkorn
University in Bangkok, Thailand, Chen began teaching an introduction to peace and conflict course at
Jinan University. He is hoping to recruit other academics working on conflict issues at the university to
create a peace teaching team. He also plans to hold a peace workshop at his university on China-Africa
relations in July.
“What I am doing now is just the very beginning of this long-term journey in my dream,” Chen says.
Community dialogue
Prakash Tewari works in the defense ministry in India and is a former army colonel. After attending the
Rotary Peace Center at Chulalongkorn University, he received a request from the president of his
sponsor club, the Rotary Club of New Delhi, to create a peace studies course based on his peace fellow
experience.](https://image.slidesharecdn.com/newsletter16-5-2011-110624200240-phpapp01/85/Newsletter-16-5-2011-4-320.jpg)
Newsletter 16.5.2011
- 1. Rotary Club of Parramatta City COMMUNITY NETWORKER ROTARY CLUB OF PARRAMATTA CITY PRESIDENT MESSAGE ROTARY YOUTH One of the highlights of year is the annual Australia Rotary Health Phd’s DRIVER Scholars night. Our club has a commitment of $30,000 over three years AWARENESS to support 6 young people complete their PHd’s in medical research (RYDA) over a number of areas. Last Monday night was a rewarding night, particularly now that for many of the scholars we have seen them from their first presentation to their last presentation for two of them over the last three years. This is also a great example of our club working in partnerships, firstly with the David Henning Memorial Foundation and Young people aged 17-25 represent then with the Rotary Club of Dural in combination to assist with the less than 15% of the population yet account for over one quarter of deaths funding of additional scholars. and injuries on our roads. In 2000, a group of concerned Rotarians This Monday is ARH Hat Day and Joy Gillett has asked everyone to turn decided that something must be done up with a hat to demonstrate your support for the ARH. Remember our to stop this tragic loss of young people and established the Rotary Youth Fund what us (the community) to lift our hats to reveal mental health Driver Awareness (RYDA) program, a road safety education program for issues and not keep it covered. (see details below) year 11 students. I can advise members that recently John Jenkins had another fall and RYDA was initiated in District 9680 on the north shore of Sydney and each was kept in hospital for a while under observation. I am pleased to year around 10,000 students from over 90% of schools in the district report that he is now home and I am sure he would enjoy a call from attend RYDA. The program has now been adopted by 12 other Rotary members. Districts and has rapidly spread Don’t forget the Red Shield Appeal is on again Sunday morning 29th to venues across NSW and interstate to Queensland, Tasmania, South May and Bob Rosengreen has offered his home again for our Club to Australia and Western Australia. Last year over 25,000 students attended assemble with family, workmates & friends to door knock the local RYDA at 23 venues located across area. From the ARH Scholars night was an offer from many of the Australia and to date over 100,000 students have participated in the scholars to assist our club on such community projects, so it may be an RYDA Program. RYDA is unique as it attempts to influence “attitudes and occassion to door knock with some very bright people. behaviours” of both drivers and passengers before they get their Attached to the newsletter is a speech Chris Joycene made at the licences. Peer pressure from 90th Birthday celebration for the Rotary Club of Sydney, a very good passengers has a major effect on the way young people behave behind read. the wheel - by addressing students as both drivers and passengers, the program aims to change the environment in the car rather than focusing solely on the driver. The one day RYDA Program includes six sessions that are designed to be interactive and cover a broad range of topics including hazard perception, stopping distances, safe celebrating and fatigue plus financial responsibilities - all aimed at influencing the attitude of young people before they get behind the wheel of a car. RYDA is conducted at an out of school venue that makes the day special and dramatically highlights the road safety message. Students get to meet and speak with a person who has experienced a devastating road accident;
- 2. Rotary Club of Parramatta City CALENDAR OF EVENTS May ROTARY HEATLH MONTH 16 Hat Day – Trivia Quiz on Hats, Rotary and Mental Health 21 Australian Rotary Race Day- Rose Hill Gardens 23 Eric Stanley – Be Happy Be Rich – 9 keys to a Happier & Richer Life 29 Red Shield Appeal Day-Bob Rosengreen’s Place 30 PDG Dick White – ethical dilemmas JUNE FELLOWSHIPS MONTH 6 Police Officer of the Year 13 PUBLIC HOLIDAY 20 Keith Henning – RI Convention report 27 Club Change-over JULY 2 District Changeover- Penrith Paceway 4 First meeting 7-11 Prashanth’s Wedding OUR COMMUNITY SERVICE Hat Day Australian Rotary Health is launching a new mental health research awareness day! More than four million people are affected by mental illnesses such as depression, schizophrenia, Alzheimer's, anxiety and bipolar disorder at some point during their lives. Not only does mental illness affect the quality of life of these Australians, but it also represents a huge cost to families, communities and the economy. In an effort to bring the importance of mental health research to the fore, Australian Rotary Health will be holding a fundraising and awareness day in May, 2011. ‘Hat Day’ will be a day you and your Club can get behind as a way to promote the importance of mental health research. While the official day is Friday, the 20th of May, you can hold a Hat Day celebration any day during the month of May. You might like to encourage members of your Club to come along wearing a hat during a regular meeting, or organise a community event in an effort to spread awareness and help raise funds for a great cause. Remember, mental health is not something you want to keep under your hat. Help us help your community by getting involved in this exciting new event.
- 3. Rotary Club of Parramatta City OUR INTERNATIONAL SERVICE UPDATE on RAWCS PROJECT – Provision of Van for ST PETER’S JUNIOR SCHOOL, NORTHERN UGANDA The total cost of the project is $18,000. The David Henning Memorial Foundation has agreed to match $ for $ up to $9,000. The target is $9,000. Donations to date – 4th May Cumberland Home Loan Group $2,000 Other donations 1,647 $3,647 Keith Henning FORMER ROTARY PEACE FELLOWS START THEIR OWN PEACE STUDIES PROGRAMS by Susie Ma Rotary International News -- 13 May 2011 Prakash Tewari, a former Rotary Peace Fellow, is developing a course to help New Delhi’s civil servants prevent and resolve conflicts. Photo courtesy of Prakash Tewari
- 4. Rotary Club of Parramatta City Many former Rotary Peace Fellows are at work around the world, promoting peace in their communities through education. Some are creating their own programs, aimed at achieving far-reaching goals. Among those fellows in Asia are Maria Saifuddin Effendi, Jianrong Chen, and Prakash Tewari. Acting on convictions Maria Saifuddin Effendi is assistant professor in the Department of Peace and Conflict Studies at National Defence University in Islamabad, Pakistan. She and some of her colleagues established the department in 2009, the first of its kind in the country, in spite of opposition. “There was criticism and resistance from [academics] to close down the department,” who considered it “useless,” says Effendi, a 2007-09 peace fellow at the University of Bradford in England. “But we have survived with dignity. It’s a great pleasure and satisfaction seeing [the department] grow in my country.” Effendi’s book, Understanding Ripeness in Kashmir, is based on the master’s dissertation she wrote as a peace fellow. The book explores the South Asian region’s readiness for dialogue and peacemaking to address longstanding conflict. Effendi also participates in conflict prevention/resolution symposiums and workshops sponsored by universities and nongovernmental organizations like the International Peace and Security Institute in Washington, D.C., founded by friend and former peace fellow Cameron Chisholm. These events, she says, “encourage me to work in the field of peace and for peace in Pakistan.” Dealing with conflict Jianrong Chen believes that China has a special need for peace studies because of the diversity of its people. With a population of 1.3 billion and 56 different ethnic groups, interethnic conflict is common. Chen, a lecturer in the Department of International Relations at Jinan University in Guangzhou, China, wanted to equip the younger generation of Chinese with tools for dealing with conflict. “In the past, we stressed harmony and we almost forgot that we have conflict,” he says. “If we cannot look at conflict in a way that it should be, how can we have peace?” After completing the professional development program at the Rotary Peace Center at Chulalongkorn University in Bangkok, Thailand, Chen began teaching an introduction to peace and conflict course at Jinan University. He is hoping to recruit other academics working on conflict issues at the university to create a peace teaching team. He also plans to hold a peace workshop at his university on China-Africa relations in July. “What I am doing now is just the very beginning of this long-term journey in my dream,” Chen says. Community dialogue Prakash Tewari works in the defense ministry in India and is a former army colonel. After attending the Rotary Peace Center at Chulalongkorn University, he received a request from the president of his sponsor club, the Rotary Club of New Delhi, to create a peace studies course based on his peace fellow experience.
- 5. Rotary Club of Parramatta City Tewari says the course, projected to start at a university in New Delhi in September, will offer the city’s large number of civil servants an opportunity to receive training in conflict prevention and resolution. He hopes the course will “get different sparring groups together to work on dialogue skills -- government workers, activist groups, and civil society groups.”