DG
Bernie's Message
INTERNATIONAL VISITORS WELCOMED
In the past two weeks, we
have welcomed three groups from other parts of the Rotary world. There
have been two groups representing Friendship Exchanges from Iowa and
Sweden and I have been most impressed with their interest in our way of
life, our District and their fellowship. We have also welcomed our
Rotarian friends from Istanbul as part of the relationship established
between District 2420 in Turkey and our District. These guests have been
involved with the Williamstown, Melbourne and North Balwyn Rotary Clubs
during their week in Melbourne and the following are edited excerpts
from my address at the North Balwyn meeting.
"I send greetings to the
Governor of District 2420, Murat Celik, who is most supportive of this
visit and our future friendship. I received a message of goodwill from
him this week in gratitude for our hosting of the visitors. Our meeting
last year on 8th November discussed a formal agreement between District
2420 and District 9800 as a forerunner for a wider relationship that,
hopefully, will involve all Districts in Turkey and
Australia.
This Agreement stated:
"Both Districts agree to take steps to obtain permissions locally and
internationally: to establish a Committee of Districts 2420 and 9800 to
promote and implement co-operation between our two countries in the
fields of cultural understanding and mutual and reciprocal visits, to
foster joint projects and promote Sister Club relationships and to
assist in the development of Rotary beyond existing borders and to
support all endeavours in this pursuit." It has been accepted by both
Districts.
Of course, the
relationship has been born out of the events at Gallipoli in 1915 where
the ANZAC legend was born. It is in recognition of our relationship and
the events at Gallipoli that we were presented with a Time capsule by PP
Metin Duzer on behalf of the Rotary Club of Goksu in D2420. We are most
grateful, Metin, and we would wish for this gift to be known henceforth
as the Peace Capsule until opened, hopefully in our presence, on the
25th April 2015, the 100th Anniversary of that fateful landing on your
shores.
My relationship with your
District goes back a little further to 2001 when the Rotary Club of
Hawthorn received a 3H Literacy Grant of $US283,000 to teach the Kurdish
women in Turkey to read and write. Two events are
significant:
In February this year at
the International Assembly in San Diego, I met a DGE from Turkey who
spoke about this 3H Grant from the Rotary Foundation that the Turkish
Government had promoted this successful programme through many areas of
its country. Total contributions to date now amount to around
$US950,000. The second event was reported in the July edition of The
Rotarian in which the article spoke of Emine Usay, a 21 year old young
lady in Turkey who was born without arms but who learnt to read and
write through this CLE programme. She now teaches the programme to
others so the education is spreading to ensure all women in Turkey
become literate.
The programme was
introduced and promoted by the late and great PDG Jack Nankervis and PDG
John Reddish. My Club at Hawthorn was the major donor with $25,000 with
the balance to $28,300 donated by Clubs in Turkey and
Bangladesh."
And so, it was with much
pleasure that I earnestly welcomed our brothers and sisters from
District 2420 to further cement our relationship between our countries
in the spirit of understanding and peace.
It is our intention to
pursue projects, not only in Turkey, but in other parts of the world.
Already, they have joined the North Balwyn Club in their Tulagi project
in the Solomons.
Friendship, fellowship and
the Foundation have been at play this week.
Lead The Way
by experiencing the internationality of Rotary.
Bernie Walshe
District
Governor
