Kitimat celebrates the United Nations International Day of Peace by becoming a Rotary Peace Community
KITIMAT – THE THIRD ROTARY PEACE COMMUNITY IN CANADA
(CLOSELY FOLLOWED BY PEMBERTON ON SEPTEMBER 22nd)
Roger Cram was the first speaker at the Rotary International Peace Summit back in 2008. Reading the program before leaving Kitimat I wondered where Modeling Future Heroes would take us. The answer—a voyage of learning and rewarding experiences. Today I have three of the 14 Attributes of Heroes for Peace in front of me that Roger sent along at my request. They are on the wall above my desk—Perseverance, Change and Vision. All three have cheered me along the way. It is “Vision” , however, that gave our Rotary Club of Kitimnat the goal, gave us the stepping stones, and in its pursuit gave us success.
Here is Roger’s quote for vision:
(Vision) Envision things as wonderful as they can be, not as they are, and then strive to create positive change toward these envisioned goals. All great accomplishments started as a vision that others could not see.
On September 21st, 2012, our Rotary Club of Kitimat saw a vision for peace brought to us by other Rotarians at that Summit—Rotary Peace Communities—become a reality. Kitimat is now a Rotary Peace Community.
Our Rotary Peace Community Declaration Agreement is signed by Mayor Joanne Monaghan, Councillor Mario Feldhoff, Councillor Edwin Empinado, Councillor Ro Goffinet, Councillor Corinne Scott, Councillor Philip Germuth, and Councillor Mary Murphy. Signing for our club are our President Margaret Warcup and Peace Committee Chair, Eleanor Kendell.
In the agreement we have pledged to each other that we will promote “Peace, Understanding and Goodwill” between people residing here and in communities around the world, by making the following resolutions:
Share our time and material resources in a spirit of generosity to put an end to exclusion, injustice and, political and economic oppression;
Promote consumer behavior that is responsible and development practices that respect all forms of life and preserve the balance of nature on the planet;
Contribute to the development of our community, with the full participation of all people and respect for democratic principles in order to create solidarity together.
Rotary Community Peace Credo
Respect for cultural diversity, and the life and dignity of every person,
without discrimination or prejudice;
Rejection of violence towards all people in all its forms;
Resolution of conflict within local and global communities;
Reconciliation of differences in the pursuit of harmony.
In spite of windy weather, the evening ran smoothly. Smiling faces were everywhere, music filled the air with a delightful children’s choir adding their charm and talent. The Spirit of the Kitlope dancers lead us out of the theatre for the making of our fourth Kitimat Human Peace Sign. Our two giant peace doves, made by following Jane Goodall’s pattern from Roots and Shoots, were also front and centre. There were excellent messages from our MLA Robin Austin, Shelley Bolton speaking for the Haisla Nation, our Mayor Joanne Monaghan and Rotary president Margaret Warcup. The evening finished off by everyone sharing a peace handshake with friends around them and the singing of Rotary’s “Peace Song” Let There Be Peace On Earth.
Thanks go to so many Kitimat businesses, organizations and people for making the evening a success.
For the end Rotary Peace Community result, long distance thanks go to Rotarians from afar who answered our peace questions, peace school questions, cheered us on. First to Anna Jurak, who chaired the committee that saw Windsor become a Peace Community. and Jennifer Jones, chair of the 2008 Peace Summit (Windsor ON). To Roger Cram, who shared all 14 attributes with me and allowed me to use portions of his PowerPoint when we started this all off. And then via e-mail Geoffrey Little (Wagga Wagga, Australia), the fellow who started Peace Cities rolling and his definition for the letters of P E A C E Jeffrey Reiss, (Koh Samui Thailand), who I first found with his website for Rotary Peace Communities, a fine Rotary Peace Ambassador. (both Jeffs are now friends now that I’ve met them at the Bangkok Conference) to Dean Rohrs, who was the District Governor that encouraged us to go to the Peace Summit. For this I will always be grateful. Bob Blacker, Penny Offer and Hans Doge (Vancouver BC), Rebecca MacPherson (Quesnel BC), all District 5040 Governors, excellent supporters for this peace initiative, Wilf Wilkinson, (Woodstock ON), Rotary International President at the time of the summit and the fellow who tells me “Go for it” and does it with his infectious smile, Roger Cram (Hiram, Ohio), I’m already mentioned Roger, Bashir El-Khalafawi (Parksville BC), how also started me on our way with Parksville’s Peace story—the first Rotary Peace Community in Canada, Pramila Sinha (Edmonton AB), who, along with husband Shall, a Peace Model sharing her personal inspiring stories Nancy Wilson (Prince Rupert BC) and Lesley Erasmus (Terrace BC), our Area Governors during this time and most recently Kalyan Banerjee (Vapi India)
Eleanor Kendell
Chair of the Rotary Club of Kitimat Peace Committee