story by: DAVE KING

According to Chinese tradition, the dragon dance which has been part of Singapore tradition for 1,500 years, brings good luck and drives away evil spirits on auspicious occasions.

So, it was no surprise that last month’s Rotary International Convention opened with the He Xin Lion and Dragon Arts Troupe who performed a colourful and stunning dragon dance.

An estimated 14,000 Rotarians from across the world flocked to Singapore for this annual Rotary jamboree, including hundreds from Great Britain and Ireland.

Foremost among the delegation was Rotary International President, Gordon McInally, who, for the opening ceremony at the Marina Bay Sands Expo & Convention Centre, entered the stage carrying the Scottish flag, accompanied by wife Heather who sang “Flower of Scotland”.

With the Rotary theme of “Create hope in the world”, the opening session heard from Christina Covotsou-Patroclou, from the Rotary Club of Limassol-Berengaria Cosmopolitan in Cyprus, and Yeşim Yöney from the Rotary E-Club of District 2440, - two friends, one from Turkey and the other from Cyprus who, through Rotary, have allowed a friendship to bridge political divides.

“Our friendship is more important than politics and we work to bring everyone together. And, you know, it’s becoming contagious,” explained Christina.

With the Rotary theme of “Create hope in the world”, the opening session heard from Christina Covotsou-Patroclou, from the Rotary Club of Limassol-Berengaria Cosmopolitan in Cyprus, and Yeşim Yöney from the Rotary E-Club of District 2440, - two friends, one from Turkey and the other from Cyprus who, through Rotary, have allowed a friendship to bridge political divides.

“Our friendship is more important than politics and we work to bring everyone together. And, you know, it’s becoming contagious,” explained Christina.

Peace was a key theme of the Rotary International President’s address to delegates against the backdrop of conflicts in Ukraine, and Palestine, describing the moment as “a perilous, difficult journey, and we are experiencing some trying moments right now”.

McInally said: “The troubles of the world affect us deeply, because we have friends, and sometimes family and neighbours, experiencing the heartbreak of destruction and loss.

“But we are an example of what a better world could be – one where people find common ground across their divides – and common purpose in elevating humanity.”

During his speech, McInally discussed Rotary’s role in finding a common purpose to peace through service projects, humanitarian efforts, while adopting a systematic approach to peace-building and conflict resolution.

He pointed out that peace-building wasn’t simply about stopping wars, but it was about building peace from the ground level up by preventing and treating disease, improving water, sanitation, and hygiene, improving maternal and child health, through the creation of basic education and literacy, community economic development, and by sustaining our environment.

“We can be catalysts for positive change in the world,” insisted McInally.

During his speech, the Scot signposted Rotary’s strategic partnership with the Institute for Economics and Peace, and encouraged Rotarians to look into how this could help them on their own personal journey towards positive peace.

The Rotary International President illustrated the point by highlighting visits he has made around the world over the past 10 months seeing Rotary projects and speaking to those and the heart of them in a bid to create a more peaceful and hopeful future.

He spoke about Kevin, a 16-year-old from Buenos Aires, Argentina, who he met last November. Kevin cannot hear or speak but is being educated at the Schola Diana, a school which is funded by Rotary. Kevin graduates this summer to go to college to study motor mechanics.

Then there was 16-year-old Daphne from Zimbabwe who McInally met in Chandigarh, India, when he visited the Fortis Hospital. For many years, the hospital has been the focus of project spearheaded by the Rotary Club of Chandigarh providing life-saving surgeries to young people suffering from congenital heart defects.

Daphne had her surgery the day after McInally met her last January, becoming the 777th patient to benefit from the programme, before flying home to live a normal, happy and achieving life.

The third illustration around Rotary’s grassroots work to peace focused on one-year-old Precious from Lilongwe in Malawi. McInally met her and her mother at a Rotary Family Health Day, organised by the Rotary Action Group for Family Health and AIDS Prevention.

“I had the privilege of vaccinating Precious against polio,” he recalled. “And in my mind’s eye, I can still see those two precious drops falling into her mouth.

“I can also see the look of sheer gratitude in Precious’s mother’s eyes as she realised that her daughter would be spared the risk of contracting that crippling disease.

“This was yet another example of where Rotary, where you, give individuals the chance of a more hopeful and peaceful future.

“Our commitment to peace, and to the individuals we serve, places a priority on equipping ourselves, our communities, and changemakers with the tools to address these issues, while treating each other with decency and honoring our shared humanity.”

A key focus of Gordon McInally’s year in office has been mental health, fighting the stigma associated with discussions around emotional well-being, raising awareness of mental health needs, and improving access to mental health services.

“We have made significant progress over the past year, but there is still much more to be done,” he said. “It will require us to make a long-term commitment, not just to treat the symptoms of poor mental well-being, but to address the underlying systemic issues that perpetuate stigma and prevent people from accessing the care and support they need.

“Mental health is a personal and family struggle for so many in this world — but it is also something more. It is a global challenge that affects everything we do. It knows no boundaries of age, gender, race, or nationality. And yet, for far too long, even discussing it has led to stigma, shame, and silence.

“But in Rotary, we will not look the other way.”

Look out for more coverage from the Rotary International Convention in the Summer edition of Rotary Magazine.

You can also see more on Rotary International’s website, and by searching the hashtag #Rotary24 on social media.