by a false interpretation of carefully selected religious texts and a growing toleration of violence and warfare . Ten-year vision goals were created by more than 200 leaders , survivors and participants who geographically represented 14 countries and 22 states .
Now , five years after their first meeting , the relationship between Kathleen Winn of AZMEN and Linda Smith of Shared Hope has been a
PEACE INITIATIVES
Those innocuous Rotary signs that grace the edge of tens of thousands of communities around the world — including Sedona — bely a significant force in the effort to create a more peaceful world . Rotary International , a humanitarian service organization dedicated to world peace and understanding , works to make peace a reality by providing scholarships to the next generation of peace leaders . The scholarship program offers up to 100 candidates annually the opportunity to obtain professional development certificates or master ’ s degrees in Peace and Conflict Resolution at one of a half dozen universities around the world .
In just over a decade the Rotary Peace Centers have trained more than 900 fellows for careers in peace building . Many of them go on to serve as leaders in national governments , NGOs , the military , law enforcement and international organizations like the catalyst to change laws in Arizona , create awareness , build strong community and statewide coalitions and boards , protect children and earnestly prosecute those who abuse our most vulnerable members of society , our children .
And in the hopeful words of Smith , “ The more people who know , the smaller the world becomes for those who buy and sell our children .” n
Rotary Club of Sedona recruits future peace leaders for Rotary Peace Fellowship
United Nations and the World Bank .
Paul Rogers , Professor of Peace Studies at the University of Bradford in West Yorkshire , England offered his opinions on the scholarship program : “ Today , there are still far too few mediators who are experienced practitioners in conflict resolution . There is an urgent need to produce another generation of people who can play a mediating role in the future . [ The Rotary Peace Fellowship ] is the most significant development in graduate work in conflict resolution in decades .”
Rotary launched the program in 2002 to offer academic and practical training to prepare scholars for leadership roles in solving conflicts around the world . Up to 100 fellows are selected every year in a globally competitive process based on personal , academic , and professional achievements . The Fellowship includes tuition and fees , room and board , round-trip transportation and internship and field study expenses .
Candidates study at one of six designated universities around the globe , but with the requirement that they study outside their country of residence . Master ’ s degrees are offered at Rotary Peace Centers at leading universities in Australia , England , Japan , Sweden , the United States , and Thailand . The professional development certificate is offered exclusively in Thailand .
Each Rotary Peace Center offers a unique curriculum and field-based learning opportunities that examine peace and conflict theory through various frameworks . Fellows embark on one to two years of study to earn a master ’ s-level degree in a range of disciplines related to peace and security or for three months to earn a professional development certificate in peace and conflict studies .
Minimum qualifications for master ’ s degree candidates include a bachelor ’ s degree or equivalent , at least three years of related work experience and proficiency in English with proficiency in a second language strongly preferred . The certificate program requires a strong academic background and at least five years of full-time related work experience as well as a proficiency in English .
To learn more about the program , applicants should contact David Simmer of the Rotary Club of Sedona at dsimmer9 @ gmail . com or 928-284-4444 .
Rotary is an organization of business and professional leaders united worldwide who provide humanitarian service and help to build goodwill and peace in the world . There are approximately 1.2 million Rotarians who are members of more than 34,000 Rotary clubs in over 200 countries . For more information about Rotary International , visit www . rotary . org .
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