D-2452 DG's Newsletter May 2015

Service Above Self Governor’s Newsletter District 2452 May 2015 Mr. Gary C K Huang Light Up Rotary Mr. Khalil Alsharif RI President District Governor May is not designated with any Rotary issues in Rotary calendar. Nevertheless, it is an important month to prepare for the closing in order to make the Rotary year successful. Hence, I would like to take this opportunity to humbly remind club officers to compete their pending works and update the records for smooth transition of club responsibilities to the incoming officers. Let the theme ‘Light Up Rotary’, constantly remind us the personal responsibility that each of us holds in Rotary. Wishing you all the best. “WHATEVER ROTARY MAY MEAN TO US, TO THE WORLD IT WILL Khalil Alsharif BE KNOWN BY THE RESULTS IT District Governor ACHIEVES.” - PAUL P. HARRIS OUR ONGOING COMMITMENT We persevere in tough times. During WWII, Rotary clubs in Germany, Austria, Italy, Spain, and Japan were forced to dis- Our 1.2 million-member organization started with the vi- band. Despite the risks, many continued to meet informally sion of one man—Paul P. Harris. The Chicago attorney and following the war’s end, Rotary members joined together formed one of the world’s first service organizations, the to rebuild their clubs and their countries. Rotary Club of Chicago, on 23 February 1905 as a place where professionals with diverse backgrounds could ex- Our commitment to service is ongoing. We began our fight change ideas and form meaningful, lifelong friendships. against polio in 1979 with a project to immunize 6 million Rotary’s name came from the group’s early practice of ro- children in the Philippines. By 2012, only three countries re- tating meetings among the offices of each member. main polio-endemic - down from 125 in 1988. Rotarians have not only been present for major events in his- GET INVOLVED tory—we’ve been a part of them. From the beginning, three  Join Leaders key traits have remained strong throughout Rotary:  Exchange Ideas We’re truly international. Only 16 years after being founded,  Rotary had clubs on six continents. Today we’re working to- gether from around the globe both digitally and in-person to solve some of our world’s most challenging problems. 1

District 2452 Governor’s Newsletter May 2015 PRESIDENTIAL MESSAGE GARY C.K. HUANG PRESIDENT 2014-15 MAY 2014 One of my favorite parts of a Rotary convention is the House of Friendship. In Chinese, we say: 有朋自遠方來，不亦樂乎. \"To have friends come together from faraway places is a wonderful thing.\" At the 106th annual Rotary International Convention, 6-9 June, the House of Friendship will reflect the excitement and the diverse blend of cultures of São Paulo, the host city. In between general sessions, you can relax and enjoy all that Brazil has to offer – sample the cuisine, browse locally made gifts, and take in top-quality entertainment. You also can get ideas for service and find partners at booths showcas- ing Rotary projects and Rotarian Action Groups. And best of all, you'll have the opportunity to spend time with old friends and make many new ones. The House of Friendship is a wonderful place to bring your convention guests – your family and your friends from home. By attending conventions with me, my family experienced the true internationality of Rotary. Eventually my wife, Corin- na, and all three of my children joined Rotary clubs. You and your guests will want to be sure to come early for World Water Summit 7, on 4 June, sponsored by the Water and Sanitation Rotarian Action Group, or for the Rotary Peace Symposium, 4-5 June. This year we are honored that Dr. Oscar Arias, former president of Costa Rica, will be the keynote speaker at the Rotary Peace Symposium. Arias received the Nobel Peace Prize for brokering a peace agreement that ended the brutal civil wars in Central America. Other events 4-5 June include the Rotaract Preconvention Meeting, the International Insti- tute, and the Youth Exchange Officers Preconvention Meeting. When the convention is over, spend time exploring all that Brazil has to offer – pristine beaches just a few hours away, the excitement and glamour of Rio de Janeiro, and the won- ders of the Amazon rain forest. Every year, I return from the Rotary convention inspired to do more, to give more in Rota- ry service throughout the year. Register today at www.riconvention.org. I look forward to seeing you in São Paulo! 2

District 2452 Governor’s Newsletter May 2015 TRUSTEE CHAIR’S MESSAGE JOHN KENNY TRUSTEE CHAIR 2014-15 MAY 2014 As we enter into May, we have two months left to ensure that you have made your contribution to Rota- ry's charity, our Rotary Foundation. There is still time to ensure that it is greater than it was last year – our goal for the Annual Fund is US$123 million, the highest it's ever been. There's still time to ensure that we achieve our goal. And there's still time to ensure that your contribution enables our Foundation to continue to do good in the world – and that you can have the personal satisfaction of contributing to this in a meaningful way. Remember that the good we can do is limited only by the contributions we receive. May means that there's also just over one month until the Rotary International Convention in São Paulo, Brazil. Convention delegates like to know who will be speaking. This year we have outstanding speakers on Foundation-related topics, both at the convention and at the Rotary Peace Symposi- um held immediately prior to the convention. They include Nobel Peace Prize winner Dr. Oscar Arias, Australian entrepreneur Steve Killelea, Rotary Peace Fellow Katia de Mello Dantas, and Global Alumni Service to Humanity Award winner Geetha Jayaram. Arias was president of Costa Rica from 1986 to 1990 and 2006 to 2010, and received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1987 for his role as architect and peace-broker in ending multiple conflicts in Central America. Arias continues to be an international force for peace-building through his personal activities and the Arias Foundation for Peace and Human Progress. Killelea is an Australian entrepreneur and philanthropist, known internationally as the developer of the Global Peace Index. In 2007, he established the Institute for Economics and Peace as a vehicle to build a greater understanding of the interconnection between business, peace, and economics. Dantas received her master's degree in international development policy from Duke University in 2009. She works tirelessly on behalf of vulnerable children as the Latin America and Caribbean policy director for the International Centre for Missing and Exploited Children. I look forward to seeing you in São Paulo. POLIO VACCINE CELEBRATES free Africa a real possibility. 60TH ANNIVERSARY Salk’s vaccine will play an important role in the end-game Sunday, 12 April, marks 60 years since the Salk polio vaccine strategy against polio when 120 countries introduce IPV into was declared safe, effective, and potent. In that time, the num- their routine polio immunization systems this year. Leading ber of polio cases has dropped by 99 percent worldwide. With that effort are the GPEI partners and Gavi, a global vaccine just three countries remaining polio-endemic, we are closer alliance, along with Sanofi Pasteur, the largest manufacturer of polio vaccine. than ever to eradicating this crippling disease. Jonas Salk’s inactivated polio vaccine (IPV) has been crucial “As more than 120 countries in the world are introducing IPV, in helping us reach our goal of a polio-free world. Before the we are beginning the last chapter on polio eradication,” said vaccine was widely available, in the United States alone, polio Olivier Charmeil, Sanofi Pasteur’s chief executive officer. “At crippled more than 35,000 people each year. By 1957 -- two Sanofi Pasteur, we have had a long-term vision of IPV as the years after the introduction of Salk’s vaccine -- cases in the ultimate public health tool able to finish the job started with U.S. had fallen by almost 90 percent, and by 1979, polio had Oral Polio Vaccine (OPV).” been eradicated there. By Maureen Vaught The impact on the rest of the world has taken longer. In 1988, Rotary News when Rotary International launched the Global Polio Eradica- 10-Apr-2015 tion Initiative (GPEI) with its partners at the World Health Organization, UNICEF, and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, polio continued to cripple children in 125 countries. Today, polio remains endemic in only three: Afghanistan, Nige- ria, and Pakistan. And it has been more than eight months since Nigeria’s last case, making a polio- 3

District 2452 Governor’s Newsletter May 2015 PETS Bahrain, 18th March 2015 4

District 2452 Governor’s Newsletter May 2015 END POLIO ROTARY FLAME The Torch passed through Bahrain PP Susanne Rea, Project Partner/Global Team Coordinator, The World's Great- est Meal To Help End Polio travels globally, speaking at Clubs, District Conferences, Institutes Special Events, PETS etc. on the need to support Total Po- lio Eradication, Successful Social Media, Public Image and Membership. 5

District 2452 Governor’s Newsletter May 2015 Lebanon Clubs Celebrated World Rotaract Week: A historical meeting was held in March between Rotary Presidents and Rotaract Presidents to commemorate and celebrate the World Rotaract Week, 9th to 15th March 2015. Rotar act Chair per son Ralph Sayyah organized the meeting. - DDG May Monla Chmaytelly C L U B S’ A C T I Rotary Club of Manama, Bahrain DHL is the main sponsor, and corporate team sponsorships and in V -kind donations have already generated more than BD 20,000 I T I Football tournament to help children in need. from a number of companies: Al Hilal Group, Alkomed, APM Soccer returns to the Bahrain Rugby Football Club in Terminals, Al Rashid Group, Al Sharif Water Plant, Al Zayani E Saar on Friday, 13th of March, when the 17th annual 6- Investments, Ashgharali, Bader Trading, BBK, Bin Hindi Group, S A-Side Football Tournament, organised by the Rotary Club of BMMI, BNH, BNP Paribas, BRFC, Budget Rent-A-Car, Chev- Manama and Rotaract Club of Bahrain, kicks off to raise money ron, Citi, Coca-Cola, Domain Hotel, Gulf Hotel, Intercol, Interna- to help support children in need. This year the organisers are cre- tional Investment Bank (IIB), Mesk Holdings, Motor City, Palace ating a carnival atmosphere around and after the football, with Enterprises, RCSI Bahrain, SICO, TRA, Trowers & Hamlin, Up- special attractions for children during the day and live music in stairs-Downstairs Restaurant and Yateem Air Conditioning. the afternoon and evening. In fact, a full day out for all the fami- ly! School and club teams will also All funds raised at this exciting event will go to screening and compete: Al Noor helping children with diabetes; financial support for the campaign International to curb and eventually eliminate the scourge of sickle cell and School, Arsenal, other genetic blood diseases; and organising events and days out British Army, for orphans and children with disabilities (blindness, Down’s Dhahran Exiles syndrome and autism). (KSA), Eastern Flames (KSA), Thirty men’s teams and seven women’s teams will be taking part, Sibleys, Soccer and over 400 people are expected to gather to watch the annual Stars, University competition entitled ‘Kick for a Cause.’ The football starts at College Bahrain 9am and will finish by 3pm. There are all-day activities for chil- and Venus. dren and, from 3pm to late there will be two bands and a DJ for those who enjoy great music and lively dancing. (Source: RCM Facebook) 6

District 2452 Governor’s Newsletter May 2015 C L U B S’ A C T I V I T I E S 7