Oh no – here we go again! More request for more money! Your wrong! We don’t want your money (this time). No, this time we are after your knowledge and contacts as we again seek nominations for the next batch of applicants for Rotary World Peace Fellowships. I am sure you have heard all of this before and we have heard your responses – “I don’t know any potential applicants; I don’t have these contacts”.
You are all aware that Rotary Melbourne is the most successful Rotary Club globally in nominating Peace Fellows. Rotary International have awarded us for this. Our record is 21 in 21 years as well as helping our District get 42 applicants selected.
It’s not because we knew these terrific young people, rather it’s because you know or have some relationship with or knowledge of an organisation or company who employ these people who are working on or near some form of Peace or conflict resolution or in similar tough environments. We’re talking about organisations like Red Cross, Red R, all Police Forces, Caritas, World Vision, Care Australia, Plan International, Aust Volunteers International, Dept of Foreign Affairs and many more.
The successful applicants are awarded Fellowships which fully fund study at an overseas University for 12-18 months and are worth up to US$80,000 all fully funded by the Rotary Foundation. The 42 Scholars have received +or- USD$2.5 million from the Rotary Foundation.
You can legitimately sell this as significant career development funded by Rotary.
So as I said, we need your contacts with these organisations. Its not onerous. Just open a door, provide us a contacts details and we take it from there. Bob Fells, Carol Bond or myself will be very happy to take your suggestions.
Applicants must have a University Degree and at least 3 years practical experience in peace or conflict environments. They cannot be lineal descendants of Rotarians and do not have to be Australian.
So, thinking caps on and let us open the doors to yet more bright young energetic people.
I said at the outset that we didn’t want your money but I lied! The Rotary Foundation exists as it does because Rotarians globally have seen the many benefits that the Foundation facilitates and donate regularly to it. They like the fact that the Foundation is seen globally as one of the best managed Foundations. You heard previously from PDG Murray Verso about the mighty task the Foundation has mounted to eradicate Polio globally. You will hear more about the Foundation from one of the Foundation Trustees PDG Denis Shore in a couple of weeks’ time. We will talk more about money in the weeks ahead but for now, I want to give you a few numbers.
Melbourne Rotary has 155 Members. Based on the data from The Foundation 65 members have never contributed to the Foundation and a further 30 have contributed nothing since 2020. Thats over 60% of us are not current supporters of the Foundation and that is not a particularly great result for Australia’s first Rotary Club. So think about the numbers and we will talk more about this in the weeks ahead.
Past President Bob Glindemann
