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As mentioned in last week's bulletin, the District Conference will take place in Bendigo from 20 - 22 March 2020.PP Adrian Froggatt will be District Governor for 2019-2020 and has chosen as his theme for the year and therefore the conference, "Breaking the Chains".
Why choose "Breaking the Chains" as a theme, you may well ask.
In response to this question, DGE Adrian states:
"When selecting this theme, I wanted a metaphor that would be consistent with Rotary International’s major strategic emphases for 2019-20:
- Increase our Impact
- Expand our Reach
- Enhance Participant Engagement
- Increase our ability to adapt
You’ll see a particular connection to increasing our ability to adapt, though there are clear connections also to the other three.
With the Conference Venue (Ulumbarra Theatre) on the site of and incorporating part of the old Sandhurst (Bendigo) Gaol, the theme becomes even more appropriate.
"Breaking the Chains" is essentially a shortening of “breaking the chains of the prison of the mind”, as it is in our minds where the true obstacles to progress and adaptability reside.
My desire is for Rotarians to recognise and acknowledge institutional and personal fears and anxiety around change, so we can better deal with and respond to our rapidly changing environment.
"Breaking the chains" is not something that only applies to Rotary, indeed, far from it. This is where our speakers come in, as I want their addresses whether Rotary content or not, to:
- Encourage us to be outward looking.
- Encourage us to be open minded and accepting of other views; to look through the eyes of others.
- Encourage us to critically review our established practices and ways.
- Encourage us to embrace beneficial change while not embracing change for the sake of it.
- Encourage us to remove prohibitions, barriers and boundaries where they exist.
- Give us a clear call to action.
I hope this helps you to understand my focus and that of our speakers, so the message is continually affirmed throughout our whole conference."
