[D9640general] E Flash Rotary Digest 575

[Garry & Anne Krischock]

There are two messages

RI Convention Convention opener showcases Denmark's modernity, history

By Tiffany Woods
Rotary International News

Copenhagen, Denmark - Rotary International's 97th Annual Convention 
officially kicked off on Sunday as characters in historical costumes 
and dancers welcomed Rotarians and the Crown Prince and Crown 
Princess of Denmark to the opening session. 

The stage came alive with a performer singing "Wonderful, wonderful 
Copenhagen. Friendly old girl of a town," which are lyrics Danny Kaye 
sang in the 1952 musical film Hans Christian Andersen. Dancing around 
the singer were people dressed as sailors, flower vendors, 
fishmongers, and street entertainers - all costumes that represent 
Denmark's past. The performance was projected onto eight screens that 
formed an octagon above the stage, which was in the center of the 
conference hall of Copenhagen's Bella Center and surrounded on all 
sides by the audience. Then, in a display of the country's modernity, 
break dancers and models, who held white orbs over their heads, took 
to the stage and performed to hip dance music. 

Then 2005-06 RI President Carl-Wilhelm Stenhammar addressed the 
audience. Stenhammar, whose term ends later this month, described the 
progress made during his presidency to expand Rotary into other 
countries. Two clubs were chartered in China, and the RI Board of 
Directors agreed to expand Rotary into Cuba, Kosovo, Laos, and 
Vietnam. 

Rotary needs to take a look at its rules, he said, and if they 
haven't been used, then they need to be eliminated. "We must adjust 
Rotary to the Rotarians and not Rotarians to Rotary," he said.

Turning to membership, he said he wants women to make up 52 percent 
of Rotary's membership, because that's the gender ratio in the 
worldwide population. Furthermore, he said that Rotary must increase 
the number of its younger members. "If we don't, in 30 years there 
will be no Rotary," he said.

Then talking about Rotary's role in the world, he said that it should 
be the same as what former United Nations Secretary-General Daj 
Hammarskjöld's believed the UN's role should be - not to bring 
humanity to heaven, but to save it from hell. "Ladies and gentlemen, 
let's go out and do just that," Stenhammar concluded.

2  Danes bring school, hope to Nepal village

By Joseph Derr
Rotary International News

Copenhagen, Denmark - Members of the Rotary Club of Skivehus, 
Denmark, hand out fliers to Rotarians visiting their project booth in 
the hopes they can find support for a cherished project: a primary 
school in Chhimbu, Nepal.

Although Rotary is known for its service and humanitarian efforts, it 
has another strength: fellowship. Here, in the aisles of Copenhagen's 
Bella Center, clubs are looking to harness that fellowship to 
maintain the momentum behind their projects.

The Chhimbu project got its start when, in 1993, Danish hiker Kurt 
Lomborg trekked through Nepal. During the trip, he noticed that the 
community of Chhimbu never had a school. Before the school was built, 
getting an education was too dangerous for local children because the 
nearest school required a long trip over bad roads. 

When he returned to Denmark, Lomborg got in touch with local friends 
from the Skivehus club. The Danes raised money for the school with 
the support of the Rotary Club of Schwerin, Germany. They then teamed 
up with the Kathmandu club to help with local coordination, and they 
got to work.

This World Community Service project built the school, supplied 
backpacks and uniforms, and revitalized the community. Now going 
strong for more than seven years, some 55 students are in school for 
the first time in Chhimbu's history. 

"We're making arrangements for the first class, who will graduate to 
continue at another school in the area," said Skivehus club member 
Flemming Worm. 

Local Rotaractors are involved in maintaining the school, while the 
Skivehus club pays the teachers' salaries. A Matching Grant from The 
Rotary Foundation helped Rotarians finish off a well and perform 
other structural work. 

After the school was built, the benefits multiplied. In Chhimbu, 
educated girls can help support their families. Without an education, 
they may have been forced into prostitution to earn money. The 
project also helps the environment. Local children plant trees to 
prevent mudslides, which can devastate their village. In addition, 
the school provides jobs for the community's adults.

"The man who constructed the school is now an entrepreneur who has 
employees, so we are helping the community help themselves," said 
Worm. 

The Kathmandu and Danish clubs are looking to collaborate again to 
rebuild a school. This school, which is in a village a day's walk 
away from Chhimbu, was destroyed by a fire,

The experience inspired hiker Lomborg to join the Skivehus club. He 
still travels frequently to Nepal to check on the school's progress, 
but now as a Rotarian trekker.

"It's good for them, but it's good for us, too," said Thøger Berg 
Nielsen. "You're happy when you can see the results of your work. I 
need that." 

Read more about the project at www.nepalhelp.org.

Source: R I Website
Courtesy: eFlash_Rotary

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