The Morelander Edition 12 2022-23

Moreland Rotary acknowledges the Wurundjeri people of the eastern Kulin Nations on whose unceded lands we conduct our business. Moreland Rotary respectfully acknowledges their Ancestors and Elders, past, present and emerging. Moreland Rotary also acknowledges the Traditional Custodians and their Ancestors of the lands and waters across Australia where we conduct our business.

Cover: Connecting for peace and the environment (Dr Michael Chew)

Rotary Peace Fellowship reflections from Thailand

As I touched down in balmy Bangkok this May to undertake the Peace Fellowship at, I felt so grateful for this precious opportunity. I, alongside the other 20 fellows from around the world, had waited over two years through the pandemic for the chance to finally come together for five precious weeks at the Rotary Peace Centre at Chulalongkorn University. Finally seeing the other fellows smiling faces in the flesh as we checked into our student accommodation was tremendously heartwarming.

These connections deepened as came together in experiential exercises – having covered most of curriculum online, these embodied activities drew out the incredible lived experiences from our cohort, who worked across areas as diverse as demobilising combatants in Colombia, to working with LGBTIQA+ multi-faith community in the UK, to community marine conservation in East Timor.

With a background running community programs in environmental NGOs, I joined four other fellows with environmental interests to meet local organisations, create a ‘green kit’ for future fellows, and explore how peace fellows could contribute to the new 7th Rotary Environmental area of Focus.

TEXT:AND IMAGES: DR MICHAEL CHEW

Rotary Peace Fellowship reflections from Thailand

Our guest speakers showed the inspiring diversity of peacework. Venerable Napan, a Buddhist monk who worked tirelessly to bring dialogue between Muslim and Buddhist communities in conflict areas. We travelled to Chiang Mai to hear from other inspiring speakers, such as from the Karen Environmental and Social Action Network, where we learnt about their work creating a Peace Park in Myanmar spanning over 1.6million acres which supports livelihoods of the villagers living within and ecological restoration.

Although the five weeks were so brief, it was just the beginning of a journey of weaving together the diverse strands of our lives and work across the 15+ countries represented by the fellowship –and I look forward to continuing these connections into the future across the fertile ground of environment and peacework.

Dr Michael Chew Rotary Peace Fellow

Links: Michael’s background: https://www.ecoimagine.org/about-1 Environmental Sustainability Rotary Action Group: https://esrag.org/

Rotary

: Rotary International President

Jennifer Jones

Members of Rotary are part of a diverse group of community and professional leaders working to address community and international service needs and to promote peace and understanding throughout the world.

Rotary clubs receive a charter from the worldwide organisationRotary International

A Rotarian belongs to a particular Rotary Club often near his/her home or work or sometimes because of the club meeting time.

About Rotary

District Governor's Newsletter

"IMAGINE What your Rotary can be" is the monthly newsletter of our late District Governor David McPherson in 2022-23. There is a lot of information about the many Rotary projects and events across our District. Simply click here to read the latest edition

Rotary districts are a way of grouping a number of clubs in a particular geographic area The area covered quite often crosses state and even international boundaries. Rotary District 9790 encompasses the northern suburbs of Melbourne and stretches north and north east of Victoria to the Murray River and up into parts of NSW.

For more information about Rotary District 9790, click here

Rotary Leadership 2022-23

Rotary International: President: Jennifer Jones (Nick Krayacich), Windsor-Roselands Rotary, Canada District Governor: David McPherson, Deniliquin Rotary Assistant Governor Group 2: TBA Moreland Rotary President: Trevor Moyle

President President Elect Secretary Treasurer

Community Service Vocational Services Membership, International Service and Assistant Bulletin Editor Rotary Foundation Youth

Club Administration and Governance Environment Bulletin Editor and Public Image Australian Rotary Health Club History Social Valued members Honorary Members

Trevor Moyle

Jo Connellan Silvana De Pretto Nino Galgano Rosemary Freeman Brian Bennett Trevor Moyle Rosemary Freeman Silvana De Pretto Nino Galgano Jo Connellan David Redfearn OAM Rosemary Freeman Nino Galgano Russell Stuckey John Hoffmann, , Lee Garwood, Emma Davis

The Hon. Kelvin Thomson, Helen Bailey, John Awler, Richard McCarthy

District 9790 /Multi District Roles 2021-22

Director, 2023 Convention Host Organising Committee Australian Rotary Health District Legal Officer District Bulletin Editor and Peter Toomey Community Police Award Shine On Awards

Emma Davis Rosemary Freeman Nino Galgano David Redfearn OAM Brian Bennett

Moreland Rotary Club meets most Wednesdays at 7.30 for a 7.40 am start. We meet at the Sorrento Bar, 801 Sydney Road, Brunswick, 3056

dredfearn@vtown.com.au

Upcoming events and meetings

A standing invitation exists for all readers of The Morelander to attend Moreland Rotary Club meetings and some of our other events. Please let us know if you intend to join us by ringing David Redfearn on 0448 852 747 or emailing on dredfearn@vtown com au (click on email address)

We are taking a break until Wednesday 18 January 2023 which will be our first meeting of the year.

More details of our upcoming program will follow.

Moreland Rotary invites speakers to our club both from our local community and further afield. They come from a wide range of backgrounds and are invited because they hopefully inform and stimulate our members and guests. We feel that this is of value in fostering a deeper understanding of our diverse community and even providing guidance as to the types of activites and projects our club may engage in. However the opinions expressed by our speakers do not necessarily reflect any official viewpoint of Moreland Rotary nor those of individual club members. Irrespective of this we always offer a warm Rotary welcome to all of our speakers.