ROTARY ACTION GROUP FOR PEACE

PEACEBUILDER CLUBS:THIS IS A FLAGSHIP PROGRAM FOR THE ROTARY ACTION GROUP FOR PEACE (RAGFP) TO RECOGNIZE CLUBS AS PEACEBUILDER CLUBS IF THEY HAVE TWO MEMBERS WHO ARE PAID MEMBERS OF THE RAGFP AND ARE ON THEIR CLUB PEACE COMMITTEE. THE COMMITTEE MEMBERS SEEK TO EDUCATE THEMSELVES USING THE MANY TOOLS, PROGRAMS, AND VIDEOS AVAILABLE FROM THE RAGFP, ROTARY INTERNATIONAL AND THE INSTITUTE OF ECONOMICS AND PEACE. THEY THEN SHARE THEIR KNOWLEDGE IN THE CLUB SO THAT MEMBERS CAN SEE THAT EVERY PROJECT WHICH THEY UNDERTAKE HAS A PEACE ELEMENT. THE NUMBER OF PEACEBUILDER CLUBS GLOBALLY AS OF JUNE 30, 2024 WAS IN EXCESS OF 350. CONTINUED ON SCHEDULE O.CHAPTERS:AT THE BEGINNING OF 2023 THE RAGFP HAD CHAPTERS IN HONG KONG/MACAO, SERBIA, AND GERMANY. THE RAGFP CONTINUED ITS GROWTH OF CHAPTERS (BEGINNING IN 2020) WITH THE ADDITION IN THE PERIOD OF JULY 1, 2023 TO JUNE 30, 2024 OF CHAPTERS IN OHIO USA, EGYPT, LOS ANGELES USA COMMUNITY, ROTARY GREAT BRITAIN AND IRELAND, NIGERIA, INDIA, UKRAINE, AND ITALY BRINGING THE TOTAL TO 12 AS AT JULY 1, 2024. SOME NOTABLE ACCOMPLISHMENTS FOR THE CHAPTERS INCLUDE THE CREATION OF A PEACE ACADEMY IN SCHOOLS IN THE HONG KONG AREA. THE INDIA CHAPTER IS CONSIDERING A SIMILAR EFFORT. THE GERMAN CHAPTER FOCUSES ON PEACEBUILDING IN YOUTH ALSO, AS DOES THE NIGERIA CHAPTER.GLOBAL PEACE BUILDERS MEETINGS:THE RAGFP HOSTED BI-MONTHLY GLOBAL MEETINGS OF PEACEBUILDERS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR. THIS HAS STEADILY GROWN IN ATTENDANCE WITH THE INCREASE IN PEACEBUILDER CLUBS. THE MEETINGS SEEK TO HIGHLIGHT DIFFERENT ASPECTS OF PEACE INCLUDING THE WORK OF THE RI CADRE, CHAPTERS, AND SPECIFIC PROJECTS THAT ARE BOTH INFORMATIVE AND INSPIRATIONAL TO MEMBERS. THE MEETINGS HAD PARTICIPANTS FROM OVER FORTY COUNTRIES.GLOBAL MARATHON ON ROTARY DAY:THE SUN NEVER SETS IN ROTARY. THE RAGFP TOOK PART IN A 24-HOUR GLOBAL MARATHON HELD ON ROTARY DAY ON FEBRUARY 24TH. IT HIGHLIGHTED THE WORK OF ITS CHAPTERS AND PEACEBUILDERS DURING ITS ONE-HOUR SLOT. THE SECOND ROTARY PEACE PARK WAS OPENED AT THE ROTARY INTERNATIONAL CONVENTION SINGAPORE FROM MAY 25-29, 2024. THIS WAS THE SECOND YEAR OF THE PEACE PARK AND SERVED AS A CENTRAL HUB FOR CONNECTIONS, AND MANY EVENTS WERE STAFFED BY RAGFP LEADERS AND MEMBERS. THE RAGFP BOOTH SERVED AS THE CLEARINGHOUSE FOR PEACEBUILDING INFORMATION AND AS SUCH ATTRACTED A GREAT DEAL OF ATTENTION FROM ROTARY LEADERS. THE ATTENTION RESULTED IN THE GROWTH OF MEMBERSHIP; PEACEBUILDER CLUBS AND THE DEVELOPMENT OF CHAPTER LEADS.THE RAGFP HAS CONTINUED WITH ITS MONTHLY ONLINE SESSIONS OF SUPPORT TO THE PEOPLE OF TURKIYE FOLLOWING THE EARTHQUAKE, WHILE BRINGING THEM ON A JOURNEY TO A PLACE OF WELL BEING.THE RAGFP WORKED CLOSELY WITH A LEADING ROTARIAN WHO WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR DEVELOPING AN E-RYLA DURING COVID TO DEVELOP AN ONLINE PROGRAM BASED ON THE EIGHT PILLARS OF PEACE, COMBINED WITH LIFE SKILLS. THE PROGRAM WILL TARGET BOTH YOUTH AND ROTARIANS.