The Rotary International President, Dr. Jennifer Jones has today arrived in Uganda for a nine-day visit, during which she will assess the impact of work done by Rotarians in the country under her tour code-named the Imagine Impact Tour.
Jones, a Canadian, and the first woman President of the 117-year-old charity organization, took office as President in July 2022 and has as her objective, to showcase what Rotarians do to change the world for the better and to activate and inspire them as people of action and change makers.
Throughout her presidency, Jennifer Jones will visit global service projects that represent each of Rotary’s areas of focus and polio eradication. The tour in Uganda will provide examples of how Rotary makes a measurable difference and raise awareness and understanding of Rotary in Uganda.
During her tour, from Wednesday 31st August to September 8th, 2022, Jones will visit and tour a number of projects implemented by Rotarians in Uganda which include the Mengo Hospital Rotary Blood Bank, the Rotary Centenary Bank Cancer Ward at Nsambya Hospital, The Rotary Peace Centre at Makerere University and the Parliament of Uganda where she will attend a special seating of Parliament to recognise Rotary International.
The Rotary International President will also meet the senior government officials to discuss matters of mutual interest, and will also launch the Rotary flagship projects of Basic Education and Literacy Enhancement Programme and the Rotary Maternal Village Ambulance Programme accordingly
President Jones will also visit the Mulago Heart Institute and also flag off over 40,000 runners at the Rotary Cancer Run on Sunday 4th September at the Kololo Ceremonial grounds.
The highlight of the Uganda visit is to spearhead the fundraising drive for the Rotary Peace Center, which is housed at Makerere University. In 2020, Makerere University was accorded the honor of hosting the first Rotary Peace Center in Africa; one of seven across the globe. Other centers are located in North Carolina-USA, Tokyo-Japan, Bradford-England, Brisbane-Australia, Uppsala-Sweden, and Bangkok-Thailand.
The second edition of the Africa Peace Conference, which will be held at the Speke Resort Munyonyo, will feature performances by prominent Ugandan artists like Naava Grey, Michael Kitanda, Blackroots Unlimited, George the Poet, and the Department of Music Dance and Drama of Makerere University.
Rotary creates environments of peace. “As a humanitarian organization, peace is a cornerstone of our mission. We believe that when people work to create peace in their communities, that change can have a global impact,” says Emmanuel Katongole, Chair of Rotary Peace Centre, Makerere University.
The Rotary Peace Program has a vision of sustainable peace, encompassing a network of peacebuilders and community leaders dedicated to preventing and resolving conflicts around the globe. Annually, Rotary awards fully funded scholarships for dedicated peace and development leaders from around the world to study at any of its seven peace centers.
In just over 15 years, Rotary Peace Centers have trained over 1,300 individuals for careers in peacebuilding in more than 115 countries. The program alumni serve as leaders in both governmental and non-governmental agencies, international organisations, and more.
At the Makerere University Rotary Peace Center, 40 fellows are hosted each year and as part of the course, each fellow undertakes a social change initiative in Africa. This translates into 40 projects annually being undertaken around the continent to foster peace and improve communities. These fellowships are fully funded by the Africa Peace Fund of the Rotary Foundation.
To ensure the continuity of the program, Rotary International will host a series of fundraising events around the world. In Uganda these will include a Peace Concert and a Golf tournament on Saturday 3rd September 2022, all to be presided over by Rotary International President Jennifer Jones. The Golf Tournament will attract 100 golfers while the concert, will attract over 500 physical and over 20,000 online participants.