Dear fellow Rotarians,
September is New Generations Month. We could just as well call September ‘‘the month of our future" because investing in our youth is our future.

We can take pride in the fact that we have youth programs for just about every age group with Rotarians serving as active, caring sponsors.

One of our first contacts with youth begins with Interact, a program for students aged 14 to18. Interact clubs can be based in the community or in schools. The school does not ‘‘take over" entirely, but works closely with the sponsoring Rotary club to implement meetings and projects.

Interact clubs support many of the same causes that Rotary clubs do. For example, Interactors have helped raise funds for tsunami victims, organised outings for children and renovated homes in developing countries.

Interact serves as a natural lead-in to Rotaract, a service club for those aged 18 to 30. Like Interact, Rotaractors can meet either at a community establishment or at a school, usually a college or university. Rotaract clubs are able to take on more ambitious projects and work more independently.

In addition to their service agenda, Rotaract clubs also focus on professional development, public speaking, and career development.

One concern is that there can be a drop-off point after members turn the age of 30. If a club has primarily older members, the sponsor Rotary club should encourage the invitation of younger members to maintain the club's vitality and flow.

Rotaractors are a connecting bridge to Rotary because they understand Rotary values and often help take part in joint projects.
While Interact and Rotaract help to develop leadership skills, there is another program devoted exclusively to this purpose in Rotary Youth Leadership Awards (RYLA). This training seminar is the third flower in our bouquet of youth programs.

RYLA usually operates as a camp and can be sponsored by multiple Districts. This allows Rotarians and young people from all over the region to meet and exchange ideas. Rotarians run the seminars and incorporate recreational and cultural activities.
Perhaps the most popular program of all is Youth Exchange, which allows students aged15 to19 to experience another way of life by living abroad with a host family. He or she is often immersed in a new language, new religion, new political system, new
currency and new traditions.

But most important, he or she will find friends in the host country and create a friendship that will last forever. Youth Exchange students will learn to resolve differences peaceably, not through war. You could not build a better foundation for understanding and peace, because it begins at someone's home.

Interact, Rotaract, Youth Exchange and RYLA all build upon the goals of personal growth and leadership of youth by youth. In short, these programs build character. They also represent a wonderful source of future Rotarians, already acquainted with the ideals of Rotary International.

An old Rotary slogan Every Rotarian an Example to Youth is as relevant today as it was more than a half-century ago. Rotarians can help young people reach their full potential. We can instill our motto of Service Above Self at a young age and let it continue to guide Rotary through the next century.

Carl-Wilhelm Stenhammar
President, Rotary International

Photograph: Clas Carlsson.

ROTARY INTERNATIONAL WORLD HEADQUARTERS
One Rotary Centre, 1560 Sherman Ave, Evanston, Illinois, 60201, U.S.
Telephone: 847 866 3000. Fax: 847 328 8554.
General officers of R.I. for 2005-06
President, Carl-Wilhelm Stenhammar, Göteborg, Sweden; President-elect, William B. Boyd, Pakuranga, N.Z.; Vice-president, Serge Gouteyron, Denain-Bouchain, France; Treasurer, Jocelyn I. Bolante, Parañaque South, Philippines; Anthony F. de St. Dalmas, Southgate, England; Frank N. Goldberg, Omaha-Suburban, Neb., U.S.A.; Jerry L. Hall, Reno, Nev., U.S.A.; Horst Heiner Hellge, Hamburg-Blankenese, Germany; Sölve Kernell, Kalmar, Sweden; Kwang Tae Kim, Seoul Gwanag, Korea; David Linett, Somerville and Bridgewater, N.J., U.S.A.; Yoshikazu Minamisono, Hofu, Japan; G. Kenneth Morgan, Chapel Hill, N.C., U.S.A.; Noraseth Pathmanand, Bangrak, Thailand; José Antonio Salazar Cruz, Bogotá Occidente, Colombia; Masanobu Shigeta, Takasaki North, Japan; Carlos Enrique Speroni, Temperly, Argentina; Robert A. Stuart Jr., Springfield, Ill., U.S.A.; Rodger W. Wagner, Scottsdale, Ariz., U.S.A. The death on May 29, 2005, of Rodger W. Wagner, who was elected to the board, is noted with sorrow. His replacement is David J. Hossler, Yuma Sunrise, Ariz., U.S.A. General Secretary: Edwin H. Futa, East Honolulu, Hawaii, U.S.A.

Rotary International South Pacific and Philippines
McNamara Centre, Level 2, 100-108 George Street, Parramatta, N.S.W., 2150 or P.O. Box 1415, Parramatta, N.S.W. 2124. Telephone: (02) 9635 3537. Fax (02)9689 3169. Office hours: Monday to Friday 8.30a.m. to 5.00p.m. (Closed public holidays). International Office Manager, John Tucker (email: tuckerj@rotaryintl.org); Administration Supervisor, Leanne MacKenzie; Literature Clerk, Michelle Fuller. Financial Services: Supervisor, Sean Kehoe (email: kehoes@rotaryintl.org); Finance Co-ordinators, John Jiang and Wendy Tran; Finance Clerk, Gaye Small. The Rotary Foundation: Supervisor, Terry Davies (email: daviest@rotaryintl.org); TRF Co-ordinator, Katherine Dabich. Club and District Administration: Supervisor, Tony Quinn (email: quinna@rotaryintl.org); CDA Co-ordinator, Dele Riley; CDA Correspondent, Sherrine de Silva. Rotary International’s Internet address: www.rotary.org.

Rotary Down Under – The Council
R.I. Past Director John Thorne, District Governors Bill Benbow (D9450), Peter Brown (D9460), Phil Cordery (D9470), Colin Thorn (D9500), Arthur Manser (D9520), Peter Kaye (D9550), Kevin Hickey (D9570), Charles Guesdon (D9600), Ailsa Hay (D9630), John Tregurtha (D9640), Jane Bradford (D9650), Donald Whatham (D9670), Greg Muldoon (D9680), Bill Little (D9690), David Roberts (D9700), Noel Trevaskis (D9710), Patrick Roberts (D9750), Wayne Barrett (D9780), David Yap (D9790), John Wigley (D9800), Philip Hedley (D9810), Ray Stewart (D9820), Paul Grubb (D9830), Graeme Bellingham (D9910), Colin Nicholas (D9920), Brian Revell (D9930), Rodney Wong (D9940), Kelvin Cordes (D9970), Martyn Jensen (D9980).

The Committee
Past District Governor Peter Williams (chairman), R.I. Past-Director John Thorne, R.I. Director Jocelyn Bolante (co-opted), Past-District-Governors Paul Gillett, Vance Hilton, Colin Thorniley, Terry Edwards, Stuart Heal and Bob Aitken (secretary) and Rotarian Barry Antees (general manager).

The New Zealand Rotary Down Under Promotional Committee
Stuart Heal (chairman), R.I. Past Director Grattan O’Connell, Past District Governors Charles Wilson, John Rennie, Fergus Cumming and Allan Birrell and Rotarian-Rex Morris.