Service in Action

By Rotary Service and Engagement

At the 2023 Rotary International Convention, 27-31 May, the big ideas and inspiration don’t stop at the main stage. If you are looking for service-related events that can provide expert advice that you can take home to your club to boost your projects, consider any of the following activities. They will make your convention experience even better!

1. ATTEND A PRECONVENTION EVENT

The Rotary Convention also offers many breakout sessions between 29 and 31 of May,  including:

RAGTime – Celebrate Action Groups in Melbourne

The Rotary Action Groups Council invites you to a social gathering on Thursday, 25 May, from 19:00-21:00 in the Jardin Tan room at the glorious Royal Melbourne Botanic Gardens. Join this event to network, learn, and collaborate with Rotary Action Group members and Rotary International leaders. Your ticket includes canapés, one free drink, and a bountiful spread of Rotary goodwill.  Click here to register.

ESRAG Environment Actions Summit

If you are an advocate for the environment or if you want to learn how to design environmentally sustainable projects, this summit is for you. Hosted by the Environmental Sustainability Rotary Action Group (ESRAG) on Thursday, 25 May from 12:00 to 17:00 in a central Melbourne location, this summit will feature leading environmental keynote speakers and showcase several outstanding environmental projects led by Rotary members. Through breakout groups, delegates will develop practical ideas for club and district environmental projects. Tickets are US$60 for Rotarians and US$30 for Rotaractors and include lunch. ESRAG members get a 15% discount. Click here to register

WASH RAG World Water Summit 15

Everything has a WASH component. From education to disease prevention to peace, water, sanitation, and hygiene are key requirements. The WASH Rotary Action Group will host its 15^th World Water Summit on Friday, 26 May, from 8:00 to 16:00 at the Rendezvous Hotel (328 Flinders Street). Attend in-person or virtually to learn from experts in WASH and network with attendees.  Registration is US$75 for Rotarians and US$25 for Rotaractors, which includes a one-year membership with WASH RAG. Virtual attendance is US$25. Click here to register.

Finish the Fight Against Malaria Global Congress, 25-26 May

The two-day Congress, held at the Crown Conference Centre in Melbourne, brings respected malaria experts, governments, NGOs, corporates, Rotary and non-Rotary members together to share, educate and discuss how to Finish the Fight Against Malaria. Malaria is treatable and curable, yet a child still dies of it almost every minute. Learn how to help stop this tragedy. Register here.

2. PARTICIPATE IN A SERVICE-ORIENTED BREAKOUT SESSION

The Rotary Convention also offers many breakout sessions between 29 and 31 of May,  including:

Hear from past project fair attendees and the partnerships they built to empower communities to make positive, sustainable change.

Join an informal discussion about how Partnering for Peace has supported the Rotary International-Peace Corps service partnership and how other government programs that promote volunteer service could work with Rotary.

Becoming comfortable discussing mental health and wellness helps everyone around us. Learn about RI President-elect Gordon McInally’s initiative to Prioritize Mental Health and gain strategies and resources to help:

• Break stigma around emotional well-being
• Raise awareness
• Improve access to prevention and treatment resources

Learn what a Fellowship is and what are the advantages of joining one.

Through life-changing international opportunities – Rotary Youth Exchanges and Rotary Friendship Exchanges – we honor our commitment to peacebuilding and international understanding as we foster relationships across cultures and borders. Gain strategies to:

• Incorporate virtual and peacebuilding components to your district exchange programs to create meaningful opportunities, nurture new friendships, and lay the foundation for more stable and peaceful communities.  
• Demonstrate the value of virtual exchanges and encourage more districts to incorporate them into their programs  
• Provide information on how to access and utilize new peacebuilding resources. 
• Highlight current and new Exchange materials   

Hear from ShelterBox and Caribbean Disaster Committee about how partnerships can help Rotarians and Rotaractors around the world be better prepared before disasters and better able to help the community respond and recover after a disaster.

There are other learning opportunities throughout the breakout program, such as the Community Assessments: The Foundation for Success session and the Measuring Impact: A workshop on project evaluation session.

3. MAKE NEW FRIENDS IN THE HOUSE OF FRIENDSHIP

Visit the House of Friendship to network with fellow Rotarians and Rotaractors, and learn about Rotary Fellowships, Rotary Action Groups, Rotary’s partners service projects, and much more. Download the Rotary Events app to find Rotary Fellowships and Rotary Action Groups, then connect with the groups that share your interests and expertise. Some of the Rotary partners that will be at House of Friendship are:

• Habitat for Humanity
• ShelterBox
• Mediators Beyond Borders International

Learn more about these activities and register at convention.rotary.org. Hope to see you in Melbourne!

*Dates and time are subject to change. Check the Convention program for updated Information. Breakout session seating is on a first-come, first-served basis.