A FITTING CELEBRATION OF “LIGHTING UP ROTARY”
Posted by PDG Peter Ewing (Boulder) pmjewing@earthlink.net
RI Convention in Sao Paolo Brazil
June 6-8, 2015 in the megalopolis of Sao Paulo Brazil, perhaps not everyone’s cup of tea. But what a great International Convention it was, celebrating our year of “Light Up Rotary” and the leadership of RI President Gary Huang! I thoroughly enjoyed the Convention.
Gary C.K. Huang went out of his way to celebrate the youth of Rotary. Beginning with two TEN year old girls speaking to the entire convention. The first girl, from Argentina, spoke confidently in perfect English about her desire to change the world and asked; “Why do WE have do wait until we are older?” There IS room in Rotary for those under 10 years of age in “RotoKIDS” or AKA “Earlyact”. The second girl from England, perched upon a box so as to be seen, delivered, in powerful voice, her story of losing her older sister to brain cancer within six months of diagnosis. In response to her loss, she has created a foundation and raised over Two Hundred Thousand Pounds to support a Pediatric Hospice. Indeed they CAN change the world!
Another Plenary session focused on Youth Exchange and its effect on our youth. The Chair of Rotary Youth Exchange in Brazil presented two students whose unusual exchanges were life changing. The first a young man, abandoned at birth by his mother and lost his father at age four, was adopted by a single woman. Living in poverty, the Rotary club in his small town heard of his interest in music and provided instruments for a school orchestra he organized. His exchange in Germany was funded through his Rotary club. While on Exchange he participated in an orchestra in Germany and learned conducting skills. He now is a teacher in his orchestra in Brazil. The second student, a blind woman, was hosted by another club in Germany and is now a teacher in her community’s school for the blind. Two more inspiring stories of how Rotary makes a difference.
District 5450 was well represented at the convention as well. Andre Van Hall (Denver RC) presented at one of the five “Value Topics” breakouts. He spoke of Rotary’s SERVICE value. His presentation was touching as he spoke of his loss of sight and learning to accept service from others as a step to being able to deliver service to others. Heidi Resetarits (Denver Mile High RC) participated in TWO Panels on Rotary and Young Professionals. More than 55 Rotarians from Districts 5440, 5450 and 5470 enjoyed a reception while in Sao Paulo, and the Zone gathering at Fogo de Chao, where we could enjoy all the food we could eat, was a wonderful evening of fellowship hosted by Greg and Pam Podd.
Finally, for me, the highlight of this wonderful convention was the presentation by Nobel Peace Prize Winner and former President of Costa Rica, Oscar Areas, who’s emotional and powerful message about achieving Peace in the World brought the seventeen thousand attendees to a thunderous standing ovation.
IF YOU HAVE NEVER BEEN TO A ROTARY CONVENTION, YOU SHOULD GO, next year in Seoul, South Korea and the following year in Atlanta, Georgia! It will be an experience not long forgotten!
Thank you to all Rotarians of District 5450!
Peter Ewing MD
District Governor 2014-2015
District 5450
District Governor 2014-2015
District 5450