D-2452 DG's Newsletter July 2015

1 JULY 2015

Governor’s Letter District 2452 Fellow Rotarians Another Rotary year has come to its final juncture and a new Rotary year just started. I can definitely feel the weight of office, not only because of the many items on the to-do list, but also to follow on the steps of a remark- able District Governor who helped us light up Rotary through his year of service. District Governor Khalil Al Sharif was a true example of those dedicated Rotarians setting up service above self. Dear friends, I know that the challenges we face are not easy but I welcome them. We have planned thoroughly and broken down the tasks into smaller ones. We have clearly spelled out our District Goals and we have prepared well for our year of service during our District Team Training Seminars and Presidents-elect Training Seminars during which I challenged you with my District goals. I want every club to achieve as many goals as possible. You can start as of today to reflect on the challenges I’ve set for you and for myself. Our Clubs have chosen the best amongst us to be the “World Class Presidents”. I have chosen the best among our fellow Rotarians to become “World Class District Officers”. I am very confident that all of you are well-prepared and ready to assume your leadership roles. Now it is the time to perform our mission: to translate our plans into concrete actions --- and to make a real difference in the lives of our members in all the communities where the Rotary wheel of service will turn vigorously. How do you engage Rotary? You start by attending as many of your club’s weekly meetings as possible. The friends and connections you make at Rotary meetings will last a lifetime. You continue to engage by taking part in the activities of your club. You go to fund raisers and service projects and learn how Rotary is working to make the world a better place. Then you volunteer to chair the committees making the club work. I close by highlighting the words of Rotary International President K.R. \"Ravi\" Ravindran saying to all of us: “you have now been given this great gift: one year to take all your talents, all your gifts, everything that you are and can become -- and Be a Gift to the World, Yours in service, Mustafa Nasereddine District Governor 1

Rotary International President Letter We in Rotary aspire to great deeds. We admire those who gave great gifts to humanity: Abraham Lincoln, who gave the gift of human dignity to the downtrodden; Mother Teresa, who gave the gift of compassion to the forgotten; Mahatma Gandhi, who gave the gift of peaceful change to the oppressed. Their very lives became gifts to the world. We can be inspired by their example. We can be inspired to ask, how can I, in the life that I live – without neglecting the responsibilities that are so dear to me – how can I, too, become a gift to the world? As I considered my theme, I thought of the lessons I have learned through my Hindu faith. I thought especially of the story of Sudama. Sudama was a poor child and a bosom friend of Krishna, who was born in a royal lineage as an avatar – an incarnation of the divine. As the two boys grow up, they drift apart, and while Krishna becomes a military leader and king of great repute, Sudama remains a humble villager. The years go by and Sudama's poverty deepens. Finally, he lacks even food to feed his children. His wife reminds him of his childhood friendship with Krishna: Perhaps it is time to go to the mighty ruler for help. Reluctantly, Sudama agrees, but resolves that he will not go empty-handed. He gathers together a few handfuls of rice – all the food his family has left – and wraps them in a piece of cloth as a gift for his friend. When Sudama enters the palace, he is overwhelmed by the grandeur and by Krishna's gracious welcome. His meager gift, so carefully prepared, seems a humiliating reminder of his poverty. Krishna embraces Sudama, who hides the hand holding the rice behind his back. Krishna asks what he is holding. Far from being disdainful, Krishna accepts the rice with gratitude and consumes it with joy as the two sit and talk together. Hours pass, during which the pleasures of their rekindled friendship push all thoughts of his desperate plight from Sudama's mind. When evening falls, Sudama sets out for home – and only then realizes that he has neglected his task. He is returning with nothing, and Krishna has eaten his family's last grains of rice. Sudama steels himself to return to his hungry children. But standing before his gate, as dawn begins to break, he sees that the hut he left yesterday has become a stately home, and waiting to greet him is his own family: well-dressed, and well-fed by the baskets of food that appeared in their kitchen as Krishna ate each grain of Sudama's rice. Krishna understood what Sudama had brought him: everything he had to give. In return, Krishna gave him every- thing he needed. It is never the material value of a gift that matters – it is the love that comes with it. Just as Sudama's gift to Krishna became a gift to Sudama, what we give through Rotary becomes a gift to us. And we all have a choice: whether to keep our gifts to ourselves or give them to others, and Be a Gift to the World. We have only one chance at our lives. And we will have only one chance at this new Rotary year. This is our time. Let us grasp it. Let us Be a Gift to the World. K.R. \"RAVI\" RAVINDRAN PRESIDENT 2015-16 2

District Events Rotary Ineternational Assembly San Diego - January 2015 District Team Training Seminar (DTTS) Jordan - February 20 - 21, 2015 President-Elect Training Seminar (PETS) Jordan - February 27 -28, 2015 3

District Events President-Elect Training Seminar (PETS) Lebanon - March 14-15, 2015 President-Elect Training Seminar (PETS) Bahrain - March 18-19, 2015 District Team Training Seminar & PETS Cyprus B- aMhararcinhC2o8n-2fe9r,e2n0c1e5 4

District Events Preside2n4t-5E2le2cnt dTrDaiisntirnicgtSCeomnifnearer n(PcEeTS) BahUraAinE-- AMparricl 2h51,92-02125, 2015 President-Elect Training Seminar (PETS) UAiE- Aprial y252,92-0J15ne 1 2015 President-Elect Training Seminar (PETS) Palestine - May 29 - June 1, 2015 5

District Events Handover Ceremony 24J5o2rd2annD-iJsutrnicet 1C5o,n2fe0r1e5nce Bahrain - March 19-22, 2015 over Ceremony Jordan - June 16, 2015 HHaannddoovveerr CCeerreemmoonnyy JJoorrddaann -- JJuunnee 1155,, 22001155 Handover Ceremony Jordan - June 16, 2015 Handover Ceremony Jordan - June 15, 2015 6

2452 District Conference ROTARY INTERNATIONAL 3 rd Conference District 2452 2016 22- 19 2452 Amman - Jordan 19-22 May 2016 Register now at www.rotaryd2452.com 7

DG’s Official Clubs’ Visits COUNTRY DATES September 14-19, 2015 Lebanon September 24-27, 2015 Armenia September 28 -October 1, 2015 October 5-10, 2015 Georgia Lebanon October 19-29, 2015 Cyprus November 8-11, 2015 Palestine November 14-18, 2015 Jordan November 22-26, 2015 UAE November 30- December 3, 2015 Bahrain January 10-14, 2016 Sudan 8

Office of the Governor POSITION EMAIL NUMBER Vice Governor [email protected] +962 7 9553 5085 PDG Usama Barghouthi +962 7 7752 5002 Governor Advisor [email protected] PP Ghassoub Kawar Governor Advisor [email protected] +962 7 9553 8333 PP Muhsen Al Mufleh Governor Advisor [email protected] +962 7 9578 9999 PP Shawkat Tadros Governor Advisor, [email protected] +962 7 7777 3977 Communications & IT [email protected] PP Aref Al Aref +962 7 9520 0800 +962 7 9553 1413 District Secretary +962 7 9553 6169 PP Bashar Asfour +962 7 9686 1699 District Conference Chair [email protected] PP Rami Sha’ban District Treasurer [email protected] PP Nabil Haddad Governor’s Assistant [email protected] Eng. Aya Mansour For more information: Governor’s Office Contact Details Zara Expo (Managed by Grand Hyatt Amman) Suite # 2, B-Level Telephone: +962 6 463 1874 Mobile: +962 7 9686 1699 Email: [email protected] Website: www.rotaryd2452.org 9