4 ways to build peace through Rotary

By Rotary Service and Engagement Staff

According to UNHCR, 65.6 million people are currently displaced by conflict, violence, or persecution. Rotary members refuse to accept conflict as a way of life and are committed to pursuing projects that address the structural causes of conflict, including poverty, inequality, ethnic tension, lack of access to education, and unequal distribution of resources.

Rotary projects provide trainings that fosters understanding and equip communities with skills to resolve conflicts. During February, Rotary Peace and Conflict Prevention/Resolution Month, build peace and mitigate conflict by:

Incorporating conflict resolution and mediation strategies into service projects involving local schools, orphanages, workplaces, and community centers.
Supporting marginalized groups in risk of violence or persecution by providing relief to those who have fled areas of conflict.
Participating in fellowship and service activities with Rotary clubs in other parts of the world to promote greater international understanding.
Recruiting candidates for a Rotary Peace Fellowship. Up to 100 peace fellowships are offered annually at Rotary Peace Centers at universities around the world.

Bring your project idea to life with guidance from a Rotarian Action Group

The Rotarian Action Group for Peace gives Rotary members resources and support to advance world peace and turn ambitious ideas into life-changing realities.
The Rotarian Action Group for Family Safety: Breaking the Family Violence provides support to clubs and districts in planning and implementing programs and projects that tackle domestic violence.

Find support for your initiatives from our partners

Peace Corps, an independent U.S. federal agency, sends U.S. citizens abroad to help tackle the most pressing needs around the world while promoting better international understanding. Peace Corps Volunteers live and work alongside the people they support to create sustainable change that lives on long after their service. A Peace Corps Volunteer (PCV) offers access to local contacts, community development insights, and funding possibilities within a particular community. Involving a PCV in your project will increase its reach, impact, and sustainability. Read the Rotary-Peace Corps partnership fact sheet and inspirational stories of Rotary members that have been impacted by the partnership.
Rotary is working with the Institute for Economics and Peace to create an online learning platform, with webinars and interactive tools, that members and Rotary Peace Fellows can use to build on their expertise. Rotary and the institute will also develop positive peace workshops, funded by global grants and hosted by Rotary clubs, to provide training in the framework of positive peace. Contact Area of Focus Manager Rebecca Crall for additional details.

Presidential peacebuilding conferences

RI President Ian H.S. Riseley presidential peacebuilding conferences kick off this month! The conferences will explore the connection between peace and Rotary’s five other areas of focus, plus environmental sustainability. Consider attending a conference to gain inspiration on your peace building initiatives: