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‘ROTARY PEACE CENTRES AND AN OPPORTUNITY TO SERVE’

Article by ARC PDG Doug St Clair

February is peace and conflict prevention/resolution month so i’ll take this opportunity update you
on the almost twenty-year partnership between rotary and the university of queensland peace centre
which supports our rotary peace fellows. The current cohort of rotary peace fellows (class xviii), who
arrived in australia last february, to complete an 18-month master’s degree in peace and conflict
resolution have had an interesting and challenging time. No doubt you know why.
For them, like for many of us, covid-19 has meant that they suffer from zoom fatigue. Around our christmas break,
the fellows generally leave australia to complete an applied field experience, in a variety of challenging places around
the world. The current cohort of 10 students missed out on this opportunity and were restricted to virtual or local
experiences.
The one constant that they have had is the fantastic group of rotarian counsellors that have in some respects acted
as substitutes for their friends and families back home. If you would like to find out more about the peace fellow
program you can follow this link https://rotary.centre.uq.edu.au/
I might leave you with the question, “how have you continued to embody the rotary principle of service above self,
during this time.”
I reckon that having a project or an interest like being a counsellor for a peace fellow or for a youth exchange or
national youth science student might act as a significant positive contributor to rotary retention. I don’t think that
just going along to your weekly or fortnightly meeting and having a meal or listening to a guest speaker or even
attending a fund-raising event, e.g. Bunnings bbq, is going to be enough for many of us. Keep on the lookout for
ways in which you can serve.

‘HOW WE USE OUR SOCIAL MEDIA ACCOUNTS MATTER’

By Jeffry Cadorette, past RI director and chair of RI’s Communications Committee

Most of us have social media accounts that we use to promote Rotary. In our network are Rotary friends,
but also family, friends, and colleagues outside of Rotary. This is all very good.
Many of our profile banners include a stamp that says “Proud Member” or “End Polio Now” along with our
mark of excellence, the Rotary logo. We have photos of club events we attended (from the time when we
could attend events in person). Our posts go to both members and those outside the Rotary family.
What could be wrong with that?
Unfortunately, on more occasions than I’d like to admit, I have seen posts come across my smartphone or laptop from a
member who has resigned from their club and is airing a list of “dirty laundry” about their club in the form of gripes and
complaints. They are right and their erstwhile club is in the wrong. They chose this forum to wage battle with their club
president, district governor, or Rotary International leadership.
In all of these examples, our brand, and the public’s
understanding of who we are, is tarnished.

Personally, I’ve never been a big fan of people who decide to take
their ball and go home, tearing down an organization behind
them on their way out. That is just ego.
A similar problem occurs when we use our social media
accounts, the same ones with all of our Rotary branding on it, to
share our deep-seated political views on divisive subjects. These
posts are followed by endless comments which all too often
spiral into something downright ugly.

Rotary is supposed to be apolitical. But to both our Rotary Social media posts that air club “dirty laundry”
friends and those on the outside, that line is blurred as they see damage Rotary’s public image.
these posts and the ensuing comment threads, and our brand can suffer.
I am not suggesting trampling on anyone’s right to free speech. But I am simply asking that you use some discretion and
judgement when you choose to post your political opinions from the same account that you use to promote Rotary.
We have 1.2 million brand ambassadors in our organization. You are one of them. We need each of you and all of
you to promote and protect our brand and increase the public’s awareness and understanding of us.
So please use good judgment when you post on social media. We have an incredible communications team on staff in
Evanston and Rotary Public Image Coordinators (RPIC’s) to help you. Visit the Brand Center for tools and resources.

Rotary on the Move March 2021 Page 6