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ByDrr.MichelJaazzar,Disttrict2452GovernorrElect.

RotaractGlobalMU
UN,BeiruttLebano
onAugust17,2017.

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MichelP.Jazz
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onatRCMUN
N,Beirut,LebaanonAugusst17,2017.Paage1of7

ECOSOC,whichoverseesmanyspecializedUNagencies.Rotarymaintainsits
relationshipwithanumberofUNbodies,programs,andcommissions[e.g.
ESCWA]throughitsrepresentatives.ServingasRotarysinformal
ambassadorstherepresentativesworktowardstrengtheningRotarys
participationandreputationattheUnitedNationsandtheinternational
community.

Oneofmyspecificobjectives,asRIRepresentativetoUNESCWA,since2006,
istoidentifyprograms,projectsoractivitieswhereRotaryclubsmight
coordinatetheireffortswiththeESCWAatnationalordistrictlevels.

ThecommoneffortbetweenESCWAandRotaryclubsofLebanonbringsback
abookMDGsduringTransition:TowardsanInclusiveandComprehensive
Developmentinaspecialversion.ThisnewissueofESCWA'sMDGReport
editedlate2011,renewedyear2013andupdatedwiththenewindicatorsof
the17SDGswasprintedoutinto3000itemsandaddressedfortheuniversity
studentsattheInstituteofSocialSciences(LebaneseUniversity)adoptedas
partoftheircurriculum,andtotheteachersofSocialSciencesandEconomics
atpublicsecondaryschools(incoordinationwithMinistryofHigher
Education).

FellowRotaractors,RotariansandfriendsofRotary,

Iwouldhavelovedtokeepgoingtotellyouastoryfromthepast,butIthinkit
isthefuturethatinterestsus.Whilethepastisattachedtothehistoryofself,
leadershipisprojectedintothefuture.

MichelP.JazzarinterventionatRCMUN,Beirut,LebanonAugust17,2017.Page2of7

ThatiswhyIadaptmyaddresstobeconsistentwithourvisionas2018
2019GovernorofDistrict2452whichbringstogetherninecountries(across3
continentsand5differentlanguages).

Becauseyouarethefuture,NuclearFreeworldkeepsyouhighlyconcerned
andaciviceducationwithinRotaryvaluescoulddrawapathmapforaworld
freeofnuclear.

SothesearetwostrongdirectionsoftheRotarycomingyearandIinviteyou
tobepartwithconviction,confidenceandpassion:

1 YouthisourFuturebeingtheDistrict2452themefor201819
2 CiviceducationandPeacebuildingbeingthecustomizeDistrictareaof
focus.

1 District2452theme20182019:YouthisourFuture.

Wepresentlyhavethelargestpopulationofyoungpeoplethattheworld
hasneverknown.

TheUNGSsaid:TheNGOsmustreachacrossALLgenerationstocreate
transformationalandchange.

IamstronglyconvincedthattheYOUTHisouragentofchange.Usingis
insteadofareintheDistrictthemeYouthisourFuture,becausewe
believethatyouthisnotonlyamatterofage,butofspiritaswell.

MichelP.JazzarinterventionatRCMUN,Beirut,LebanonAugust17,2017.Page3of7

 RotariansandRotaractors,withtheirspiritofvolunteering,thepassion
intoengagement,thesamegritinfrontofnegativity,havemanyin
common.

Ratherthanlettingyoungpeopleworkinisolation,intergenerationaljoint
projectsareevidenceofmutualtrusttoservesocietytogetherandgive
youngpeopletheopportunitytoshapethefuture.

Thisinitiativeistobeaccompaniedbydialogueandtopromotingthe
intergenerationalexchangetoreachtogethertheunreachable!

ThroughpartnershipswithRotaryClubs,communitygroupsandleaders,
YOUTHcandemonstratethebenefitsoftheiractions,intoanyfield?
Education,health,peace,environment

Suchcommunication,planning,acting,monitoringandevaluatingchannels
enableyoungpeopleandRotarianstoexplorecommonproblemstheyface
andtotacklethemtogether,thusparticipatingintheemergenceof
sustainablesolutionsanddemonstratethatYouthisourFuture.

Byvaluingtheendoftheactionwewilltiepeoplewithindifferentgroups,
wewillreducethegapbetweengenerationsandwepushforan
intergenerationaldynamicofosmosisanddiffusion.

Tosucceed,theDistricttheme201819implementationneedsyour
support,involvementandengagementintheprogramthatitwillbesetby
RotariansformerRotaractorsandcurrentRotaractorclubsmembers.The
highlightsofthisprogramwillbediscussedduringbrainstormingretreat
andmeetingswithyou,sowewillbefineforitsimplementationstarting1st
ofJuly2018.

MichelP.JazzarinterventionatRCMUN,Beirut,LebanonAugust17,2017.Page4of7

2 CivicEducationandPeacebuilding.

Surroundedbyviolence,civilwars,fear,Lebanonandmanyothercountriesof
District2452arecrushedundertheweightof,refugeesfloodingfromIraq,
Syria,Palestineandinadditiontoalreadyexistinginfrastructure,
environmental,economicandsocialissues!

Thisapocalypticpanoramahasdifferentroots.Oneofthemisthelackof
belongingtohumanityandthemovementofpeoplesenlightenedbypositive
peace,thatsocialpeacewhichisatthebasisofworldpeace.Ourprojectisto
traineducators,inpilotgovernmentalorprivateschools,byRotarytrainers
withaspecificcurriculumandadaptedmaterials,throughcooperativegames,
participatoryandcreativeconflictresolutionactivitieswhichstressupon
peacefulexistence,civicengagementandawarenessaboutlargerissues,and
thustohighlighttheRotarycoreofvalueswhichare:Diversity,leadership,
friendship,integrityandservice.

Knowledgeofcivicrightsanddevelopmentoftheskillsandpracticeof
peacefulsocialengagementformthecoreofciviceducation.Effective
programminginciviceducationrequiresspecialfocusonclassroom
techniques;modelinggoodcivicbehaviorintheclassroomisnecessaryto
impartcivicskillsforparticipation,inadditiontoknowledgeofrightsand
processes.CasestudiesofciviceducationprogramminginDistrictcountries
illustratethechallengesofworkinginpostconflictcontextsandpreventnew
conflicts.Thesechallengescanbemetpartiallybyafocusonhighquality
materialsandteachertraining,engagementwitheducationofficialsatthe
highestlevelpossible,andsustainedattentionandadaptationfollowing
MichelP.JazzarinterventionatRCMUN,Beirut,LebanonAugust17,2017.Page5of7

lessonslearned.Thecasesalsoshowthatopportunitiesarisecontinuallyto
useciviceducationmoreinformally,asinperiodsofconstitutionalreformor
elections,whenattentionfixesonissuesofgovernanceandparticipation.
Usingcreativetechniques,suchasmusicortheater,cancarrythemessagetoa
wideraudience,oftenmoreeffectively,thanprintedmaterials.Together,the
theoryandpracticeofciviceducationstimulatesattentiontotheimportance
ofcivicknowledge,skills,andpracticeindesigningpeacebuildingsupportfor
postconflictsocietiesortopreventnewconflicts.
Civiccompetencyincludesnotonlycivicknowledge,butalsocivicskillsand
interpersonal/intrapersonaldispositions.

Intheareasofpeacebuildingwithincommunity,wehavewitnessedtheneed
forciviceducation.

TheRIDistrict2452,throughhighleveleducatedRotarianswillstart
brainstormingandmanaginginterrelationshipsbetweenRotary,young
generationandUNagenciesthatcanbeinterestedintheprojecttosetits
strategyandcurriculumcontentbeforethe1stJuly2018.

Towrapuptheciviceducationandpeacebuilding,Ibelievethatthe
limitationsofparticularresourceshasneverbeenhinderedthephilosophyof
civiceducationandengagementandwehavewitnessedcooperationinthe
localandtheinternationalscalesfromofferingawaytoactivelytacklein
ordertopromotegoodbehaviors

CooperationamongRotaryfamilyandfriendsofRotaryhasoftenreacheda
valuableend.Itisyourrole,youngpeople,totanglehands,toworktogether
onchallengingthesystemsinplacewithaphilosophyofinclusivenessanda

MichelP.JazzarinterventionatRCMUN,Beirut,LebanonAugust17,2017.Page6of7

visionoftomorrowleadersamatter,inmyhumbleopinionthattheworld
isindireneedof.

FellowRotaractors,RotariansandfriendsofRotary,

Rotary brings together a global network of volunteers dedicated to tackling

theworldshumanitarianchallenges.

Rotary,withinsocietiesandyoungleaders,buildspeace,international
understandingthrougheducation,humanitarianservice.

Youarethoseyoungleadersandwebelieveinyourcapacitytochangethe
worldforabetterplacetolive.YOUARETHEAGENTOFCHANGE.

If you ever think youre too small to be effective, youve never been in bed with
a mosquito! Wendy Lesko

Thankyou!

MichelP.JazzarinterventionatRCMUN,Beirut,LebanonAugust17,2017.Page7of7