Service in Action

By María Antonia Perez, Rotary Peace Fellow and Positive Peace Activator, and Charlie Allen, Rotarian, Rotary Peace Fellow, Senior Practice Fellow at the Institute for Economics & Peace, and Rotary Cadre member

Did you know there is a dedicated group of peacebuilders eager to work with your club and community to promote peace? We are graduates of the Rotary Positive Peace Activators program. Since its launch in 2020, 212 people have completed the program (including Rotary and Rotaract members, Rotary Action Group members, and Rotary Peace Fellows) in North America, Latin America, Asia, Europe, East Africa, West and Central Africa. Our goal is to build lasting peace in our communities by leveraging Rotary’s structures and the transformative framework of Positive Peace.

What is Positive Peace?

• Positive Peace describes the attitudes, structures, and institutions that support and sustain peaceful societies. Developed by the Institute of Economics and Peace, a thought leader in peace and conflict resolution, the framework identifies eight factors associated with positive peace, the Pillars of Positive Peace, which provide a roadmap to overcome conflict and build lasting peace.
• Rotary members make it possible to create environments where lasting peace is possible, and, in turn, bring about more peaceful societies – from the local to the global.

In 2017, Rotary International and the Institute for Economics and Peace established a partnership that equips and teaches Rotary members in the Pillars of Positive Peace framework.

What is the Rotary Peace Activator program?

Rotary Positive Peace Activator is the core learning program of the Rotary-Institute of Economics and Peace Partnership. It is a catalyst for collaboration among Rotarians, Rotaractors, and Rotary Peace Fellows, who have collectively logged more than 890 Positive Peace educational activities across Rotary clubs and communities, contributing an impressive 10,811 hours of service.

Moments of the Rotary Positive Peace Activator Leadership Summit in Nepal. October 2023. Photos by Candy Diez and Raquel D’Garay Junca

Our efforts have reached a staggering 12,889,892 people through various channels such as learning sessions, presentations, radio interviews, publications, and project work with 89 different districts from eight Rotary zones across the globe. These statistics underscore the program’s significant reach in promoting peace and building capacity. Here are some examples of support offered by Activators:

Rotary clubs in Ecuador faced a significant challenge in their lack of familiarity with Positive Peace. In response, Activator and Rotary Peace Fellow Sofia Guerrero M. proposed the first Sustainable Peace Certification in Ecuador. The Rotary Club of Quito and the Rotary Club of Guayaquil partnered to teach 84 Rotarians from District 4400 in 16 clubs over five months. This led to the expansion of the certification to District 4380 in 2023, where 80 Rotarians and 21 civil society representatives received comprehensive learning sessions in positive peace. Despite the challenges, the initiative has had a lasting impact, fostering cross-border cooperation and knowledge sharing.

In Cameroon, Rotary Peace Fellow and Positive Peace Activator Ndzi Divine Njamsi’s work tackles the root causes of intercommunal tensions. He has partnered with local organizations and the Yaounde International Business School to teach students about Positive Peace. The goal is to incorporate this concept and practice into their learning program. He is also connected with the Young African Leaders Initiative network and will offer Positive Peace learning programs in the Central African region within this network.

Rotary Positive Peace Activator Leadership Summits

Positive Peace Activators attend leadership summits, like the one held in Nepal in October 2023. This gathering provided a crucial space for planning and strategizing to enhance regional and global impact. It was also an opportunity to connect with other activators from around the world and learn about the work they are doing. It provided a chance to share projects and experiences, discuss access to Rotary global grants, and explore ways to grow regional and new cohorts.

Rotary Positive Peace Activators program expansion

The success of the Rotary Positive Peace Activators program has inspired further expansion. The Oceania Rotary Positive Peace Activators learning program is scheduled for May 2024 in Yogyakarta, Indonesia. Similar learning opportunities are being planned in the Middle East and North Africa region in 2025.

Build Positive Peace with Rotary Peace Activators

We are a growing network of Activators spanning the globe who are ready to work with clubs and districts. Connect with a Rotary Positive Peace Activator today through our website or get in touch with a regional point of contact:

North America: Jim Roxlo jim@roxlo.com 

Latin America: María Antonia Pérez tototraveler@gmail.com

Europe: Maria Vittoria Gargiulo mariavittoria.gargiulo@gmail.com

Asia: Ajay Yadav yajay473@gmail.com

East Africa: Abeselom Samson samsonabeselom1@gmail.com

West & Central Africa: Jack Dotsey jadotsey@yahoo.com