2020/21 Q3 NEWSLETTER

Advancing a century oldtradition of fostering global harmony with theUnited Nations and otherinternational organizations.

With the Rotary year now in its final quarter and the pandemic ongoing, I’m pleased to assure you our 30Rotary Representatives continue networking virtually with their key contacts at United Nations agencies andInternational Organizations.Through their efforts, they help advance the story of Rotary’s long-standing workin Polio and its transition to help fight Covid-19; share key developments in our Areas of Focus; and highlightoutstanding humanitarian projects to influential audiences.

The first half of our Rotary year was quite productive, albeit virtually. Our Mid-Year Report documentsprogress on our “Three-Paths” Action Plan – which focuses on Thought Leadership, Humanitarian Projects,and Connecting clubs and districts with UN Agencies / International Organizations.

Our report notes that nearly a third of our Representatives have contributed articles, blog posts, opinionpieces or comments for inclusion in their organization’s media. Indeed, since 1 January Rotary Representativessecured four speaking roles for senior leaders and helped highlight seven Global Grant projects at UN-relatedevents. Through attendance at more than 100 mid-level meetings, Representatives shared news of Rotary’smore than $35 million in grants to address the pandemic and will soon highlight the Program of Scale winnerand finalists.And, several Representatives have connected their agencies with Rotary district or club projectsand engaged UN and International Organization officials with clubs or district activities.

The work of our Representatives can best be seen through a long-view lens. One conversation or networkingopportunity builds on another for longer term impact. Indeed, Walter Gyger’s success in his six years as ourPrimary Representative in Geneva show this progress from building an internationally-focused club, to leadingthe first Rotary Day at the United Nations Geneva in 2017, to conducting the impactful Peace ProjectsIncubator last November. We are saddened to share Walter will soon retire from his Representative role tofocus exclusively on community-based peace projects. However, we wish him well and are grateful he willcontinue his broader mandate to build peace and world understanding through Rotary.

As we look forward, we hope to promote Rotary’s new Area of Focus: Supporting the Environment. Indeed, together with the Environment Sustainability Rotary Action Group (ESRAG) and the Commonwealth of Nations, we are exploring potential engagement at COP26 – the global United Nations summit focused on environmental issues. As Covid-19 (hopefully) wanes, this 1-12 November event in Glasgow will be among the first potentially in-person events. Like everything else with the pandemic, we must remain flexible and adaptable, seeking opportunities for Rotary while ensuring the safety and well-being of everyone.We hope to share more updates with you in our next issue. In the meantime, we hope you’ll enjoy learning more about the recent work of our Rotary Representative “diplomats.”

2020/21 Rotary Representative Network

THE DEAN'S LETTER

Judith Diment, 2020/21 Dean of the Rotary Representative Network

Judith DimentDean of the Representative Network

Rotary Club of Maidenhead Thames

Some 800 mothers and 1200 newborns die every day on the planet. Because a great number of thesedeaths are preventable, the Geneva Rotary Health Group, initiated by Representative Walter Gyger,has drawn together Rotarians from the RC Genève, the RC Genève International and othersthroughout the Swiss districts. Together with Rotary International, they organized a meeting with theWHO on the topic of Mother and Child Health (MCH), one of the Focus areas of Rotary.

Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director General of WHO, and Holger Knaack, RotaryInternational President 2020-21, were the virtual conferences’ keynote speakers. In recognition ofWHO’s efforts towards Polio eradication and MCH, Dr Tedros was bestowed the Rotary Award ofHonor presented by Past Rotary International President Mark Maloney. The event attracted 1,240registrants worldwide of which approximately 900 were Rotarians. The goal was to raise awarenessof the magnitude of child and maternal mortality worldwide, to incite empowerment of women andhealth workers, and to encourage Rotarian projects around the planet benefitting from the assistanceand expertise of WHO acting as a facilitator.

WHO’s Anshu Banerjee MD and Anne-Caroline Benski MD from the University Hospitals of Geneva,presented the magnitude of the problem and possible solutions such as the use of telemedicine.Inspiring projects related to maternal and child health care were then presented by Rotarian initiators.Himansu Basu, MD described the CALMED project implemented in India. Urs Herzog, spoke aboutsuccessful grant for a Uganda maternal hospital. Francis Tusibira evoked an ongoing sustainableregional training centers project, also in Uganda. Mario Avendaño Morales, from Mexico, described amidwife training project providing itinerant care to prenatal patients and mothers in Mexico.

Paola Castillo Rojas, an active Rotaractor, spoke of educational projects for mothers and midwives inBolivia. Finally, Bettina Borisch, from the University of Geneva, and John Townsend, chair of theRotary Reproductive MCH action group, summarized the situation of Mother and Child care and itsneeds and deficiencies in the world. The event was supported by the Rotary RepresentativesNetwork led by Judith Diment. Rotarian Nada Sayarh Lebbar organized the web site and the recordedconference may be found here.

Pierre Hoffmeyer MD Rotary International Representative to the WHORotary Club of Genève

Together for Mothers’ and Children’s Health: Rotary at the WHO

FIGHTING DISEASE

2020/21 Rotary Representative Network

At the monthly meeting of Rotary Representatives Sarah Colville, Assistant Director Programs ofScale briefed Representatives on the winner of the first Programs of Scale award. Rotary-led Partnersfor a Malaria-Free Zambia have been awarded US$6 million to reduce the burden of malaria inheavily affected districts. The award will help end a leading cause of illness and death in the SouthernAfrican Country of Zambia. The Rotary club-led initiative aims to save and improve lives byempowering community health workers to test, diagnose and treat malaria.

Programs of Scale is an annual grant competition to fund the expansion, or scaling up, of a well-developed project. It envisions to increase Rotary's impact in addressing global issues by furtheradvancing high-quality, member-led programs that have proven positive outcomes. Rotary shares thelesson learnt from these programs with clubs and districts everywhere to further strengthen Rotary'sservice project network's impact.

Partners for a Malaria-Free Zambia is the first awardee for Rotary's Programs of Scale grant. TheRotary Foundation, World Vision USA, and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation will each contribute$2 million for the Rotary-led Partners for a Malaria-Free Zambia program. This $6 million programwill add 2,500 community health workers to the national health system in Zambia, allowing foreffective malaria diagnosis and treatment for more than 1.3 million people in ten of the most highlyaffected districts in Central and Muchinga provinces.

In an annual competitive grant process, The Rotary Foundation, Rotary's philanthropic arm, will award$2 million to an evidence-based program that aligns with one of Rotary's causes and has thecapability for scaling-up to help more people. The programs are sponsored by Rotary members incollaboration with local communities and partner organizations.

Talking about the Rotary's Program of scale, K.R. "Ravi" Ravindran, Trustee Chair of The RotaryFoundation, said that "The power of Rotary is greatly magnified when we partner with like-mindedorganizations. As we've learned from our global effort to eradicate polio, our impact on communitiesis further augmented when compatible partners contribute their own specialized skills, talents, andfinances to support our efforts."

Entries for the 2022 Programs of Scale have to be submitted to Rotary International and there maybe opportunities to work in partnership with Rotary Representatives at UN and internationalagencies.

Representatives Updated on Rotary-led Partners for a Malaria-FreeZambia awarded US$6 million

FIGHTING DISEASE

2020/21 Rotary Representative Network

The COVID-19 pandemic offers the latest examples of the continued value added by Rotary’s globalpolio eradication efforts. With one of the largest global public health footprints, polio health workersand infrastructure are often the “first responders” to public health outbreaks like Ebola and evennatural disasters. COVID was no exception. While immunization campaigns were temporarily pausedto ensure the safety of health workers and families, polio workers did not sit idle but went to work toassist with the pandemic response.

The global push towards polio eradication has created valuable infrastructure, a cadre of highlyexperienced human resources, and high-quality networks that are now serving as the public healthbackbone for the COVID-19 response in some of the world’s most vulnerable communities. Thesepolio assets fulfill a wide range of public health functions, including disease surveillance, training andcapacity building, data management, immunization, emergency preparedness, and response. Theyform a capable, trusted system for a range of marginalized communities and in hard-to-reachlocalities.

Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General, said that “In recent years, we have drivenPolio to the brink of eradication. This has been a massive global effort, started by RotaryInternational, supported by many other partners, and led by thousands of health workers, vaccinatingchildren in some very difficult and dangerous areas. Many of those health workers are nowsupporting the COVID-19 response. They are tracing contacts, finding cases, and providing publichealth information to communities.”

Using the already existing Polio structures across the world, COVID-19 samples have been shippedto polio laboratories. Polio emergency operations centers (EOCs) and other resources have been usedto track clusters of COVID-19 cases and conduct contact tracing. Polio communications networks,including local leaders, mosques, and public address systems, are used to disseminate public healthmessages related to COVID-19.Trusted community engagement teams are providing information oninfection prevention and control and mitigating anti-vaccine messages. This demonstrates a concreteexample of the “Plus” in PolioPlus.

Judith DimentDean of the Representative Network & Primary Representative to the Commonwealth of NationsRotary Club of Maidenhead Thames

Polio workers fighting COVID-19 Pandemic

FIGHTING DISEASE

2020/21 Rotary Representative Network

2020/21 Rotary Representative Network

A High-Level Dialogue on delivering a common future to eradicate modern slavery was held on 31March. Organized by the Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative (CHRI) and Walk Free, the virtualconference was moderated by the journalist Roger Hearing. Key note speakers included SanjoyHazarika International Director of CHRI, Her Excellency Ambassador Nazrat Shameen Khan,President of UN Human Rights Council, Rt Hon Theresa May MP, and Dame Sara Thornton, UKIndependent Slavery Commissioner.

Ambassador Khan outlined the United Nation’s long engagement with human rights with the HumanRights Declaration in 1948. The COVID-19 pandemic has led to a rise in inequality and increasedvulnerability, especially for women and girls, with increased gender based violence resulting in morestreet children and migrant workers. UNHCR has established a business and human rightscommittee as private entities must take action.

Sanjoy Hazarika noted that the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in 2018committed to eradicating modern slavery but progress has been too slow. The COVID-19 pandemichas exacerbated the situation and created conditions for slavery to thrive. Theresa May said asChair in Office of CHOGM 2018 the UK government recognized the importance of this issue with15.8 million people in slavery, and no country is immune. As the Commonwealth is a large group ofmember states it can unite and take action on slavery and lead the world. In Commonwealthcountries 1 in 150 are in slavery.

The UK Modern Slavery Act is an example for the world and the UK is funding work by theCommonwealth Parliamentary Association to encourage improvement of legislation in memberstates. The UK is looking to strengthen business supply chains and further work on support forvictims. We need conditions that don’t encourage entry to slavery and we need to enhance justicesystems to break the business model of slavery.

The High Commissioners of Fiji, Bahamas and Australia reaffirmed their commitment to eradicatingmodern slavery. A recording of the meeting is available on YouTube.

Judith DimentDean of the Representative Network & Primary Representative to the Commonwealth of NationsRotary Club of Maidenhead Thames

Delivering a Common Future to Eradicate Modern Slavery

PROMOTING PEACE

2020/21 Rotary Representative Network

At a 3 February Rotary Peace Fellow alumni virtual event, a panel of Rotary Representatives to theUnited Nations and International Organizations shared their experience and insights into what makesa “Rotary Diplomat.” Rotary Peace Fellow alumnus Ana Patel, Rotary’s Representative to UNWomen, moderated the panel while noting her focus on gender equity at UN Women.

Dr. Josephine Ojiambo, with an MD in Public Health, is Rotary’s Representative to UNICEF Kenya.She championed the importance of partnerships, emphasizing the need to ensure refugee andmigrants had rights and that women had opportunities for gender equality and reproductive health.Josephine was instrumental in securing the first in-country partnership with Rotary District 9212 andUNICEF Kenya to help bring children back to school, develop WASH projects for schools, and helpprevent gender-based violence.

The two-year agreement arose as both UNICEF and Rotary, concerned about the effects of COVID,looked at what would happen after schools reopened. The project received the endorsement of thefirst ladies of Kenya. UNICEF Kenya, along with Rotary, rolled out the program on social media andradio, stressing the importance of hygiene and emphasizing the opportunity to use handwashingstations.

Josephine noted that a Rotary Peace Fellow has been working with her on the project and that shehas also conducted research grant projects with Rotary Peace Fellows.

Wayne Ivory Charles II, Rotary’s Representative to the United Nations in New York, works with theUN Department of Global Communication and 18 non-governmental organizations (NGOs) on theNGO Executive Committee.

While traditional, in-person UN Conferences haven’t occurred due to COVID-19, Wayne shared howhe did an interview with UNICEF and Polio expert from Nairobi for World Polio Day last October.Such interviews allow Rotary to increase visibility.Wayne added that he works extensively with JasonGonzalez, one of two Rotary Youth Representatives to the United Nations. “Youth voices areessential to a more peaceful future. Rotary’s youth voices are especially important for furtheringRotary’s six, - soon seven - Areas of Focus,” Wayne said. “We’re keen to involve young people in theUN’s advocacy and awareness efforts.” Rotary Peace Fellows, Rotaract, and Interact members areencouraged to participate in youth-focused activities with the United Nations, a list of which isavailable at: www.un.org/development/desa/youth.

Rotary Representatives Educate Peace Fellows

PROMOTING PEACE

2020/21 Rotary Representative Network

Wayne also noted that Rotary Peace Fellows are an important minority in Rotary but very impactful.He reminded Peace Fellows that “Synergy begins at the club level,” noting PolioPlus began at a clublevel. As some 36 percent of Rotary Peace Fellow alumni work at NGOs, there’s great opportunity forPeace Fellows to engage with Rotary at various levels. Judith Diment MBE is Dean of the Rotary International Representative Network and the RotaryRepresentative to the Commonwealth of Nations in London. She is also Coordinator of Rotary’sGlobal Polio Eradication Advocacy Task Force and the UK National Advocacy Adviser for Polio. In herrole as Chair of the IPPC Grants Sub Committee, she is a part of a team which recommends grants toWHO and UNICEF - up to $150 million annually.

With a wealth of fundraising successes for myriad causes, Judith also helped set up theCommonwealth Women’s Mentoring Programme in 2016 and, more recently, helped with planningfor the May 2021 Commonwealth’s Women Entrepreneurship Summit.

The Commonwealth addresses the concerns of 2.4 billion people in 54 countries, 60 percent who areunder 30-years old. The international organization also works to amplify the voice of small states andprotect the environment. There is a parallel with the Commonwealth and the United Nations and aclose working relationship between the two.

In offering counsel to Peace Fellows, Judith recommended that Rotary Peace Fellows work withRotary Action Groups – such as the Environmental Sustainability Rotary Action Group (ESRAG) – andencouraged engagement with local Rotary clubs.

Walter Gyger, as Rotary’s long-serving Representative in Geneva, also participated in the panel andwas instrumental in coordinating the February 2021 Rotary and World Health Organization virtualconference on Maternal and Child Health.

Ana PatelRotary Representative to UN WomenRotary Club of Washington Global

On 10 April 2021, the Rotary Representative Network, Rotary Districts and over 3,000 civil societymembers from 300+ Rotary Districts across 103 countries celebrated their lasting support of theUnited Nations and the Sustainable Development Goals. The 3-hour #75yearsofaction program(viewable at 75yearsofaction.live) illuminated the shared values of the United Nations and Rotary- aglobal network of 1.2 million neighbors, friends, leaders, and problem-solvers who see a world wherepeople unite and take action to create lasting change.

This event was convened by Mary Eileen Shackleton, District Governor for Rotary District 7230, hostDistrict of the United Nations Headquarters in New York City, in partnership with Rotary District1990, Rotary District 2080, and Rotary District 9212- each home of unique United Nations Agenciesand Offices in Geneva, Rome, Nairobi and Addis Ababa, with support from the Rotary RepresentativeNetwork. As Rotarians in District 7230, two Rotary Representatives chaired the Planning Committeeof this District-led event: Jason Gonzalez, Rotary's Youth Representative to the United Nations inNew York, and Wayne Ivory Charles II, Rotary’s Representative to the United Nations in New York.

Rotary Representatives Support Rotary Districts to Celebrate#75yearsofaction with the United Nations

2020/21 Rotary Representative Network

PROMOTING PEACE

Melissa Fleming, UN Under-Secretary-General for Global Communications called upon theaudience to become information volunteers through #ShareVerified, a United Nations initiative.

Stéphane Dujarric, Spokesman for UN Secretary-General António Guterres, who delivered a UNWelcome, Melissa Fleming, UN Under-Secretary-General for Global Communications, who spokeon vaccine access and #ShareVerified - the United Nations initiative aimed at delivering trustedinformation, and Zainab Hawa Bangura, Director-General of the United Nations Office at Nairobi(UNON), who recounted Rotary and the United Nations' lasting history and impact;RI President Holger Knaack, and a panel of Jennifer Jones, Rotary International PresidentNominee, RI Director Valarie Wafer, Past Trustee Carolyn Jones, and Sylvia Whitlock, the firstfemale Rotary club president;Téa Leoni, UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador and National Board Member of UNICEF USA,reflecting upon her and her family’s generational commitment to children and the importance ofpartnerships, like the Rotary and UNICEF partnership;Remarks by Dominique Hyde, Director of External Relations for UNHCR, Edward Wageni, GlobalHead of the HeForShe Initiative by UN Women, Jean-Yves Le Saux, Director of the Bureau ofStrategic Planning for UNESCO, and Michael Nyenhuis, President & Chief Executive Officer ofUNICEF USA;Ambassador Francis Okelo, District 7230 International Service Chair, who worked directly withKofi Annan running the UN’s peacekeeping missions; andDistrict 7230 past District Governors including Mahbub Ahmad, who played a key role in craftingthe UN’s internet presence during his long career as a senior staff member at the United NationsSecretariat, and Helen Reisler and Matts Ingemanson, who have led a monthly “InternationalBreakfast” that draws senior UN officials as guests

Senior-level officials of the UN have been members of Rotary's local clubs and joined an inspiring listof speakers including:

2020/21 Rotary Representative Network

2020/21 Rotary Representative Network

2020/21 Rotary Representative Network

UPCOMING ACTIVITY

Alberto Cecchini, as part of a group effort with other non-governmental organizations withrepresentation to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), is creating a two-minute video toshow how Rotary is involved in projects focused on food system/ food security and nutrition to alignwith FAO’s 2021 Year of Fruit and Vegetables.

The video is part of a joint effort to document for FAO and other stakeholders, civil society’sinvolvement in food related projects.Alberto has collected project examples from Africa and Italy andwill summarize them in a statement he narrates as Rotary’s Primary Representative to the three foodagencies in Rome: Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO), World Food Programme (WFP), andInternational Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD.)

Partnering to Achieve Zero Hunger

Today, more girls are able to access and continue their primary education, incidence of child marriageis declining, and national systems are improving the health, education outcomes, and water andsanitation for the millions of girls. However, these efforts are not yet nearly enough to meet theSustainable Development Goals – which aim to achieve gender equality and empower all women andgirls by 2030.

Worldwide, 1 in 4 girls aged 15-18 are neither in school or education or employment or training,compared to 1 in 10 boys. And, 1 in 5 girls will be married while they are still children. We have a longway to go – and we want to learn from those who have had experience in empowering girls. Rotary and UNICEF seek to inspire all participants with the importance of empowering girls. Togetherwe can be catalysts for creating community-based solutions to empower girls, setting them up forhealthy, hopeful, and thriving futures. We need you to take action to empower girls 18 and under inyour communities. Save the date for this virtual event.

Rotary Day with UNICEFSave the date: October 29, 2021

New York

The Rotary RepresentativeNetwork started this work in the1940s, with Rotarians havingplayed multiple leadership rolesat the 1945 San Franciscoconference which led tochartering the United Nations.

Building upon its deep andlasting relationship with theUnited Nations, the RotaryRepresentative Network todayis comprised of 30Representatives to 23 UNoffices, specialized agenciesand key Internationalorganizations in 14 citiesaround the world.

CONNECTING THEWORLD30 Representatives to 23organizations in 14 cities

Washington, D.C.

SantiagoRotary International PresidentHolger Knaack has called on thisgroup to open opportunitiesacross the world for talented,thoughtful, and generous peopleto unite and take meaningfulaction through Rotary service.

Nairobi

Brussels

Abidjan

Geneva

Addis Ababa

Lond

on

Rome

Paris

CairoSt

rasb

ourg

Manilla

2020/21 Rotary Representative Network

2020/21 Rotary Representative Network

Creation of Rotary Club Genève International (Autumn 2015) Initial event at the United Nations in Geneva on the role of NGOs in the implementation of Agenda 2030which included 120 participants, both Rotarians, and non-Rotarians (Early 2016)Creation of the Geneva Peace Group and the Geneva Health Group – groups that bring together like-minded Rotarians and non-Rotarians focused on a specific topic (Spring 2016) Event at World Economic Forum (WEF) Headquarters for 70 Rotarians of the Geneva Lake Region (Districts1990, 1710 and 1780) on invitation of Klaus Schwab, WEF’s Founder and Executive President (Summer2016)Initial participation of Rotary at the Geneva Peace Week (November 2016.) Since then, Rotary hasparticipated at each edition of the Geneva Peace Week with several workshops. Rotary’s first-ever Rotary Day at United Nations-Geneva with a theme: “Peace: Making a Difference.” Morethan 1,200 participants attended with some 30 percent being non-Rotarians (November 2017) In follow-up to the Rotary Day, began preparing a joint event with Rotary Peace Fellows (RPF) to buildbridges between alumni and Geneva-based international organizations (Spring 2018)Creation of the Swiss/Liechtenstein Action Group for Peace (May 2019)Conducted Peace-Symposium at the Hamburg Convention and launched the first Rotarian Peace ProjectsIncubator (June 2019)Offered counsel and direction to more than 30 webinars organized by RPF alumni (June – October 2020)Co-hosted, in close cooperation with the RPF Alumni Association, the Rotarian Peace Project Incubatorwhere 48 concrete peace projects were presented mainly by Peace Fellows (November 2020) Coordinated with Pierre Hoffmeyer, Rotary Representative to WHO, the joint event, Rotary | WHO:Together for Mother’s and Children’s Health, which attracted 1,000 participants, 26 percent of whom werenon-Rotary-affiliated (February 2020) During his term in office, Walter visited over 100 representatives of international governmental and non-governmental organizations, head of diplomatic missions, and participated in over 250 meetings. We thankhim for his excellent outreach on behalf of Rotary and for his ongoing diplomatic expertise, good humor,and gracious support. He will be greatly missed as a key leader in the Rotary Representative Network.

In April 2021, Walter Gyger announced his retirement from his role asRotary’s Primary Representative in Geneva to focus exclusively on peace-related projects. A former Swiss Ambassador, Walter has been instrumental in strengthening Rotary’s position in International Geneva.

Some of his accomplishments since joining the Rotary Representative Network in 2015 include:

Judith DimentDean of the Representative Network & Primary Representative to the Commonwealth of NationsRotary Club of Maidenhead Thames

Thanks and Best Wishes to Walter Gyger,Rotary Representative to the United Nations, Geneva

Compiled on behalf of the Rotary Representative Network by:

Jason GonzalezYouth Representative, United Nations - New York &Lead Coordinator, Network CommunicationsRotary E-Club of Wall Street New York

Judith DimentDean of the Representative NetworkRotary Club of Maidenhead Thames

For questions, please contact judith@thediments.co.uk

Douglas WillsAlternate Representative Commonwealthof Nations, LondonRotary Club of London