Bob Fels presented Robert Fels Peace Award to Charles Allen APM at the District 9800 Changeover on 30 June 24.
The Robert Fels Peace Award Purpose & Criteria:
The Robert Fels Peace Award recognises a person who through their actions, significantly enhances sustainable peace building and conflict resolution at international, national or local community level.
The award acknowledges the profound leadership of Rotarian Bob Fels from the Rotary Club of Melbourne in realising these outcomes.
The award is made annually, and this year’s recipient is Charles Allen APM.
Charles Allen APM
Charles was an officer with Victoria Police for 38 years, reaching the rank of Superintendent. After participating in Rotary’s Police Mentoring Program, he was successfully sponsored by the Rotary Club of Chadstone-East Malvern to become a Rotary Peace Fellow. In 2010, he attended the Rotary Peace Centre at Chulalongkorn University in Thailand, an experience he has described as life changing.
In 2019, Charles was awarded the Australian Police Medal, a Division of the Order of Australia, for his service to the community and his support of diversity.
That year, Charles left the police force and moved to Sydney to become the Director of Partnerships with the Institute for Economics and Peace (IEP). In that role he built strong relationships with government, education, and civil society organisations, including Rotary International. Through these partnerships he promoted Positive Peace around the world for 5 years.
Earlier this year he returned to Melbourne and founded Space Melbourne; a network of peace builders that run retreats to connect, invigorate and build resilience amongst peace builders.
Despite now living in Melbourne, Charles is just finishing a year as the President of the Rotary Club of Sydney. He was previously a member of Rotary Club of Melbourne and has been recognised by that club as a Paul Harris Fellow. Charles is active in recruiting and supporting Peace Fellows and often speaks at Rotary Conferences and Conventions, including Melbourne last year and Singapore this year.
He is without doubt a worthy recipient of the Robert M Fels Peace Award.
