Dear fellow Rotarians,
February is World Understanding Month, a time when Rotarians, clubs and Districts think of international service projects. During my trips around the world, I have seen many wonderful
projects where several countries have been involved.

One such project is Ciudad de los Niños, run by the Rotary Club de San Borja, Peru. The club has developed 18 programs for an orphanage of 550 boys. The youngsters can stay there until they are 18 years of age. These are boys who otherwise would not have had a home to go to or daily food.

In another joint effort, the Rotary Club of Hoensbroeck, The Netherlands, has worked with the government of The Netherlands to set up a sewing workshop and the construction of dormitories. The club has also contributed funds for a kitchen and dining room equipment.

District 7950 (Massachusetts, U.S.A.) has taken part in building a shoe workshop and a henhouse - the latter expanded with the help of the Rotary Club of Martha’s Vineyard (part of District 7950).

A carpentry workshop and a bakery have been built with the help of the Rotary Club of Saxmundham, England.

All the projects are meeting the needs of what they were intended for . . . to generate income for the Ciudad de los Niños so that the young residents can learn a profession.

Another worthy project is located in Senegal, called One Million Trees to grow the Sahel Green Again. This is a long-term project, also supported by Rotary clubs in England, France, Senegal, and other countries, resulted in the planting of more than 85,000 trees in the Sahel region of Africa by the end of 2003. This is truly an international project and Rotary at its best!
Another project can be found in Argentina with the National Braille Publisher in Buenos Aires.

This organisation provides equipment for the blind and visually impaired. Special software digitally reads print on a computer, then verbally describes what is on the screen, allowing the user to process the text, transcribe electronic correspondence and navigate the Internet.

The funding for this project was the result of a combined effort of The Rotary Foundation of R.I., the Rotary Club of Buenos Aires and District 7000 (Puerto Rico).

These are just a few of the fine Rotarian efforts that demonstrate the power of co-operation that make a positive difference in our communities and in our world.

The size of your Rotary club, District or project does not matter when you reach out to other Rotarians beyond your own communities and countries. It is our motto of Service Above Self and our co-operation on service projects that make a difference in the world.

Carl-Wilhelm Stenhammar
President,
Rotary International

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. PastDirector John Thorne, R.I. Director Jocelyn Bolante (co-opted), PastDistrictGovernors 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 Promotion Committee
Past District Governor Stuart Heal (chairman), R.I. Past Director Grattan O’Connell, Past District Governors Charles Wilson, John Rennie, Fergus Cumming and Barbara Williams and District Governor NomineeRex Morris.