D-2482 DG's Newsletter March 2017-EN

Dear friends, … When we choose to do good, good will follow… No one can see the future. John Germ, President of RI The theme of the month of March is one of the areas of focus of the Rotary Foundation - „Water and Sanitation“. Access to clean water, sanitation and hygiene is human right. Water gives life. Water is power that cannot be stopped. It runs, everything runs... time runs, thought runs. Whether water is the main measure, by which we compare processes in life because without water there would be no time, no thought. When people, especially children, have access to clean water, sanitation and hygiene, this leads to healthier and more successful way of life. We, the Rotarians, implement sustainable service projects and support local solutions that will provide clean water, sanitation and hygienic conditions to more people every day, sharing our expertise with the local community leaders. In 2017, we complete 30 years of opening of Rotary for women and including their potential for service to humanitarian causes as life force of our organization. Let me congratulate all women in Rotary and Rotaract for their holiday on the 8th of March and thank them for what they do as part of our clubs. I shall also ask the question: „Shall we wait another 30 years until Rotary membership reflects the world and time we live in?“ In the period of 13-19 March, the World Rotaract week is celebrated. The program completes 49 years. Working with youth is extremely enriching cooperation as long as we, the Rotarians, commit the time and efforts that we have promised when we chartered the Rotaract and Interact clubs. The Rotaract clubs are our partners, but to what extend do we attract their energy, knowledge and desire to be part of a positive change in our communities? Do you know that hardly 17% of these young people are still students? The rest are lawyers, architects, financial experts, entrepreneurs, employees in corporate structures or involved in their own or family business. They have good education, speak more than one foreign language and live without difficulty in the digital world. This is more than valuable resource for each club that is really committed to serve its community. Including young people and women, the search for diversity in the represented generations, vocations and social groups as guarantee for the future of Rotary, is a key argument in the message of the President elect of RI Ian Riseley. I have reason to firmly believe that it is a guarantee for the future of our clubs, their vitality and their identity. We have to attract members and live in our clubs on the basis of shared values, fellowship, integrity, professionalism, readiness for service and respect for variety. During the month of February, I visited the Rotary clubs of Sliven, Yambol, Radnevo, Karnobat, Svilengrad, Popovo, Stara Zagora, Samokov and Botevgrad. For us, this month is important because during it we are starting to prepare ourselves for the new Rotary year. Priorities are set, the logo and the theme that shall guide us through the year are presented. At the beginning of March, the Interact Training Seminar will be held. On the 11th of March, the Presidents and Secretaries Elect Training Seminar of the Rotary clubs will be held as well as the Grant Management Seminar. Let us not forget the winter holiday organized by the Rotary club of Smolian – an event for sports, pleasure and fellowship. As I have said before, our organization exists and develops due to continuity. For the last more than six months, my successor Emil Kotsev and I have been discussing everything that happens in the District and have been drawing plans how it could develop in positive direction. I hope that club presidents who serve this year and the incoming leaders of these clubs will sit after the seminars and do the same deciding together what is good for their clubs. I shall finish my monthly letter to you as I started, but this time I shall quote the Secretary- General of the United Nations 2007-2016 Ban Ki-moon: We all have much to gain from listening to the others. No one culture holds the keys to all the solutions … March 2017 Yours in Rotary, Dimitar Dimitrov District governor D-2482