In July 2011, I travelled to Durban in South Africa as a Rotary International New Generations Exchange Student. I am currently writing about my experiences for Rotary International in Great Britain and Ireland, once published, I will post the article here on my blog!

“The World is a book, and those who do not travel read only one page“  ~ St. Augustine.

The members of Canterbury Rotaract Club were welcomed into the Rotary family on Friday 18th February when the District Governor John Dunkley presented President Mark Wilson [now Past-President] with an official Rotaract charter certificate from Rotary International.

For more details: http://www.canterburyrotaract.org

In October I was invited to join over 1000 Rotarians and guests at the 81st Annual District Conference in Eastbourne (UK) in my role as President of The Rotaract Club of Canterbury. My address to delegates in the first session of the conference was titled ‘Rotaract - Developing Future Rotarians’. These were my closing words to Rotarians:

“…Now is the time to make sure that the train leaves the station. Already on that train, are those Rotarians amongst you who recognise that the future of this organisation [Rotary International] depends on the next generation of leaders and professionals, but there is room for everyone on the train. Don’t let it leave without you, because we need you on board to inspire and encourage us [Rotaractors] to become the next generation of rotary, community and world leaders.”

I must thank my hosts and all those Rotarians and guests I met throughout the weekend for there fellowship. I met an incredible amount of people who everyday put “Service Above Self”.  

Photo: M. Woolley & R. Blackman (2010)

Wilson, M. (2010). Passage to South India. Unified. September, pg 16.

(Photo: AP) - Thousands of Muslims gather at the Grand Mosque in Islam’s holiest city of Mecca, in Saudi Arabia, to perform the Umrah, the lesser pilgrimage, during the last week of the month of Ramadan. Incredible sight!

Earlier this year I met Sir Nicholas Young at the United Nations Forum in London. As a result of our ‘brief encounter’ I received an invitation to visit the International Division of the British Red Cross, at their headquarters, in the capital. This was the perfect opportunity to find out firsthand, about the Societies overseas agenda, motivation and the many humanitarian challenges they face in the 21^st century. The biggest challenge was no surprise…an increase in natural disasters…with recent earthquakes in Haiti and Chile, flooding in Pakistan, international displacement and ethnic fighting in Kyrgyzstan…there was no better time to try to understand more about these issues!  

At the beginning of August shocking images of Pakistani families salvaging possessions from the rising flood waters started to fill our newspapers, news bulletins and thoughts. The British people – as they always do – responded straight away by generously donating to the Disasters Emergency Committee ‘Pakistan Floods Appeal’, so far donating £42 million. The British Red Cross is one of the larger members of the 13 humanitarian aid agencies under the DEC umbrella, and thus, getting a large percentage of the funds donated. This should have meant, I was about to walk into an office of chaotic people, under immense pressure, to respond to the most recent major natural disaster!!! However, it was the complete opposite; surprisingly calm and collective. In fact, “Keep Calm and Carry On” came to mind.

http://www.samiyusufofficial.com/main/

Sign the ball @ http://www.kickpoliooutofafrica.org/ to help Rotary Kick Polio Out of Africa: With your signature you will join millions in the fight to end this crippling and potentially fatal disease forever.

Wilson, M. (2010). The Notion of Peace. Unified. March, pg 5.