Each year, Rotary awards up to 130 fully funded fellowships for dedicated leaders from around the world to study at one of Rotary’s peace centres.
Through academic training, practice, and global networking opportunities, the Rotary Peace Centres programme develops the capacity of peace and development professionals or practitioners to become experienced and effective catalysts for peace. The fellowships cover tuition and fees, room and board, round-trip transportation, and all internship and field-study expenses. Since the program began in 2002, the Rotary Peace Centres have trained more than 1,400 fellows who now work in more than 115 countries. Many serve as leaders in governments, NGOs, the military, education, law enforcement, and international organizations like the United Nations and the World Bank.
The Rotary Peace Fellowship is designed for leaders with work experience in peace and development. Our fellows are committed to community and international service and the pursuit of peace.
Another initiative for promoting peace is our Peace Poles Project. In this 100th year of rotary in Australia, our club the Rotary Club of Woolloongabba has determined to donate a Peace Pole to the community of Brisbane and more specifically Woollongabba as our celebration of 100 years of Rotary in Australia.
Peace Poles are planted bearing the Universal Peace Message “May Peace Prevail on Earth”. The pole and the message symbolise our common wish for a World at Peace. They stand as a silent vigil for peace, reminding us to think and act in the spirit of peace. The peace message is written in eight languages, one a panel on each side of the 8 sided Peace Pole.
We have chosen the language of the first Australians in Woolloongabba and 7 other languages of the settlers who followed the establishment of the colony of Moreton Bay in the early 19th century for the Peace Pole each bearing the universal message in their own way.
Once the Peace Pole is installed, we celebrate at the Peace Pole on United Nations World Peace Day (on the third Tuesday in September each year) a Ceremony conducted at this Peace Pole. The words of the Chinese Philosopher Laozi will be recited to remind us how to attain peace.
If there is to be Peace in the World, there must be Peace Between Nations,
If there is to be Peace between nations there must be Peace Between Cities,
If there must be Peace Between Cities, there must be Peace Between Neighbours,
If there must be Peace Between Neighbours, there must be Peace in the home,
If there must be peace in the home, there must be Peace in the heart.
On behalf of the Rotary Club of Woolloongabba I present our Peace Pole to the Community of Brisbane.
To receive the Peace Pole on behalf of the people of Brisbane we invited Dr Robert Anderson OAM to receive and dedicate the pole.
Dr Robert Anderson OAM (known as Uncle Bob) is a respected Ngugi Elder from Mulgumpin, Moreton Island in Quandamooka Country, south-east Queensland.
I am told that he has spent some of his youth living in Woolloongabba Kangaroo Point and East Brisbane so he is familiar with Kingfisher Creek and Woolloongabba Rotary Park.
He is well known for striving to protect the rights of workers through the union movement, being elected as a State Organiser for 14 years. In addition, he has a long and distinguished history of community service for the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. He was a member of the Queensland Council for Advancement for Aborigines and Torres Strait Islanders in the 1960s. Uncle Bob has represented Quandamooka peoples as a Co-Applicant, Family Representative and Elder on the Quandamooka Yoolooburrabee Aboriginal Corporation. Native Title for the Quandamooka Nation was recognised on the 4th July 2011 by the High Court of Australia.
He has received many awards. In 2001 he became one of the inaugural Queensland Greats, Brisbane Citizen of the Year and was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM). He has been conferred an Honorary Doctorate of Griffith University which was awarded to him for his remarkable contribution to our society and distinguished service to the community. He is currently a member of the Griffith University Council.
The ceremony was attended by many members of the community and other groups. Prof. Marianne Hanson from UQ came along and brought the Nobel Peace Prize medal awarded to ICAN (International Coalition Against Nuclear weapons) in 2017 with her.
