Something has changed as we stumble out of our COVID stupor and wake up to a changing world.
While we have been locked tightly into our individual cubicles I see a shift in the world from a boundless supply of everything we need to a collapsing world that needs boundless help to bring it back. COVID has given the whole world time to think about what the future holds. It has made us all realise that we need to act if we want to change the world. The time for talking is over.
As active Rotarians, we are in the driving seat of action. We are not the only group, there are many others and that is a good thing. We can be more productive working with others who have the same goals and directions as Rotary than just working alone. Don't fool yourself that Rotary can do everything by itself. Partnerships between clubs as a starting point is a powerful example of combining forces to achieve a goal. Bringing in outside but aligned businesses and organisations adds tremendous strength towards achieving a goal and reaching more people to share the result. The more people that know about the journey will share and talk about its success or failure. The point is that Rotary is not its own bubble, it is a fluent part of a wider chain. We can see that in the collaboration involved in the End Polio Now campaign as an example.
https://polioeradication.org/who-we-are/partners Like ET, we are not alone, so don't work alone, look for supporters and tell the story.
The members who attended the Disaster Aid meeting on Wednesday night could see how far Rotary's reach has gone in the Disaster Aid project area. Partnership building was a major source of strength in this project as Rotary was a little less committed in some areas than it should have been. See more https://www.disasteraidaustralia.org.au/
That is only one Rotary box and there are hundreds more. In fact, the photo above represents the vast number of Rotary Projects that are making a difference around the world every single day. Rotary can turn its hand to making a difference in the world in so many innovative and conventional ways.
The environment is a major concern to people everywhere. Take a look at the new Environmental Sustainable Rotary Action Group (ESRAG) website and look at the wonderful programs that are developing on the Environmental Sustainability front https://esrag.org/.
I am a paid-up member of ESRAG because I believe that Rotary can make a difference in this area. Rotary has the right partners in science and in solutions to build sustainable environmental projects. All these programs take small amounts of cash to fund the promotion and awareness of different projects. A subscription to ESRAG goes a bit of the way to helping ESRAG get their message out and they are certainly NOT sitting back and thinking about it!
Want to take action on the Circular Economy?
A few areas of focus that we tackle under circular economy include:
Adaptation, Clean Up, Composting, Education, Equity, Food Waste, Justice, Recycling, Resilience, Waste Minimization.
Rotary has sprung into action all around the world like new growth after a hard winter. It is pleasing to see how Rotary is promoting itself now and showing the world what they (and us) have been doing all along. Above is only a thin slice. It is difficult to relay all the areas that Rotary is involved in. It is substantial, with steep learning curves, cultural hurdles, language barriers, and physical supply challenges. A journey within a journey.
Have you mentioned Rotary's work to your friends and family? In my own experience, my friends and family have gone from eye-rolling (you know who you are) to taking an interest in Rotary's achievements and ambitions. It only takes a successful connection of the dots, bringing resourceful people together (funding, labour, materials, logistics, management and deployment) to make a project happen. Connections are created by communication, so please tell the Rotary story when you can, one project or experience at a time.