Inspiring people to live together in peace with one another as good neighbors, taking effective measures for the removal of differences and developing friendly relations among nations are the cores of developing International understanding. It is a sense of world citizenship which enables us to hold a global perspective instead of a local or national viewpoint. Spreading the helping hands outside the country and to the visitors from the fellow nations leads to a prominent enhancement in the International Understanding. Rotaract has always been striving forward on the “Service above Self” mission and on this course, Rotaract has set the pace towards a greater mission focusing outside the local boundaries, eliminating the cultural and ethnical barriers. Some of our fellow clubs united their efforts to contribute towards improving this sector. Here we have a brief summary on few of those initiatives that were recognized at the 30th Rotaract District Assembly under the Category “International Understanding and Services”
හොඳ අසල්වැසියන් ලෙස එකිනෙකා සමඟ සාමයෙන් ජීවත් වීමට ජනතාව පෙළඹවීම, වෙනස්කම් ඉවත් කිරීම සඳහා ඵලදායී පියවර ගැනීම සහ ජාතීන් අතර මිත්‍ර සබඳතා වර්ධනය කිරීම, ජාත්‍යන්තර අවබෝධය වර්ධනය කිරීමේ පියවරයන් වේ. මෙය ලෝක පුරවැසිභාවය පිළිබඳ හැඟීමක් වන අතර මෙමඟින් දේශීය හෝ ජාතික දෘෂ්ටිකෝණය වෙනුවට ගෝලීය දර්ශනයක් ඇති කර ගත යුතු වේ. රටින් පිටතදී සහ සෙසු රටවලින් අමුත්තන් පැමිනීමේදී ආගන්තුක සත්කාර පිලිගැන්වීම ජාත්‍යන්තර සහයෝගීතාවයේ කැපී පෙනෙන වර්ධනයක් ඇති කරයි. රොටරැක්ට් අප සෑම විටම “තමාට වඩා උසස් සේවය” යන මෙහෙයුම පෙරදැරි කරගෙන කටයුතු කරන අතර මෙම කර්තව්‍යයේදී, සංස්කෘතික හා ජනවාර්ගික බාධක ඉවත් කරමින් දේශීය සීමාවන්ගෙන් බැහැරවූ විශාල මෙහෙවරක් කරා පියවර තබා ඇත. මෙහිදී අපගේ සෙසු රොටරැක්ට් සමාජයන් මෙම අංශය වැඩිදියුණු කිරීම සඳහා ඉතා සාර්ථක වූ ප්‍රයත්නයන් දරා ඇත. 30 වන දිස්ත්‍රික් සමුළුවේදී “ජාත්‍යන්තර අවබෝධය සහ සේව” යන කාණ්ඩය යටතේ ඇගයීමට ලක්වූ රොටරැක්ට් සමාජයන් විසින් සිදු කරන ලද කැපී පෙනෙන මුලපිරීම් පහක් පිළිබඳ කෙටි සාරාංශයන් මෙහිදී ගෙන හැර දැක්වේ.
நல்ல அயலவர்களாக ஒருவருக்கொருவர் நிம்மதியாக வாழ மக்களை ஊக்குவிப்பது, வேறுபாடுகளை அகற்றுவதற்கான பயனுள்ள நடவடிக்கைகளை எடுப்பது மற்றும் நாடுகளிடையே நட்பு உறவுகளை வளர்ப்பது ஆகியவை சர்வதேச புரிந்துணர்வை வளர்ப்பதற்கான முக்கிய வழிகளாகும்.இது உள்ளூர் அல்லது தேசிய கண்ணோட்டத்திற்கு பதிலாக உலகளாவிய முன்னோக்கை முன்னிலைப்படுத்த உதவும் உலக குடியுரிமைகளின் உணர்வாகும்.நாட்டிற்கு வெளியேயும் சக நாடுகளின் பார்வையாளர்களிற்கும் உதவி வழங்குவது சர்வதேச புரிதலின் முன்னேற்றத்திற்கு வழிவகுக்கிறது. ரோட்டரக்ட் எப்போதுமே “சுய சேவைக்கு மேலான சேவை” பணியில் முன்னேறி வருகின்றனர்.இந்த போக்கில்,உள்ளூர் எல்லைகளுக்கு வெளியே கவனம் செலுத்தி கலாசார மற்றும் இனரீதியான தடைகளை நீக்க எங்கள் சக ரோட்டரக்ட் கழகங்கள் முயற்சி செய்துள்ளன.30 வது மாவட்ட சட்டமன்றத்தில் “சர்வதேச புரிதல் மற்றும் சேவைகள்” பிரிவின் கீழ் அங்கீகரிக்கப்பட்ட சில முயற்சிகள் பற்றிய சுருக்கம் இதோ உங்களுக்காக.
MOST OUTSTANDING INTERNATIONAL UNDERSTANDING PROJECTS
Gold – International Runway (RAC ICBT)
International Runway 2020, which was held back in March, was one of the main events hosted by the Rotaract club of ICBT. It was a runway displaying the grace of seven countries all over the world in not just fashion but also in culture, traditions and many more. This year Rotaract clubs of SLIIT, Colombo Midtown, IIT, Colombo Fort, Colombo West, Kurunegala joined hands with the hosting club to celebrate the global diversity.
The festivity of cultures exhibited the uniqueness and splendour of India, China, Japan, England, Africa, Greece and our very own country Sri Lanka. The contestants showcased their relevant culture in innovative performances and stunning costumes. The Rotaract club of ICBT who displayed the beauty and glory of ancient Greece won the main award of the night. The event was a great sight to grasp the exclusivity of different cultures, the connection of people and the beauty of each and every country.
This was indeed one of the most sensational initiatives in the history of Rotaract, which also received a Silver Award under the category of “Most Innovative Projects”.
To know about RAC ICBT, you can follow them on;
https://www.facebook.com/rotaracticbt/
Silver – Literato ‘20 (RAC of University of Sri Jayawardenepura)
Literato’20 is a spectacular literature competition aimed to lay out an ideal platform for the talented to let loose the Shakespeares of their souls, which was organized for the 2nd consecutive year by the Rotaract Club of University of Sri Jayawardenepura. This year they had broaden the borders by collaborating with 9 International Rotaract Clubs, having both Rotaract and Non-Rotaract participants along with local participants including Interactors.
“Leave A Message” being this year’s open theme, the extravaganza had comprised of series of categories including short films, short stories, drama scripts and poetry to showcase talent in all three languages. Out of more than 500 entries of 8 different languages, winners had been recognized on a virtual awarding ceremony via Zoom. As the triumphant submissions are righteous to be read and seen by many, an E-magazine had been published inclusive of all categories whilst the winning Poems were published in the June edition of Chokolaaté Magazine.
To know about RAC USJ, you can follow them on:
https://www.facebook.com/rotaractusj
Bronze – Hiker’s Heaven (RAC Peace City Hatton)
The project “Hiker’s Heaven” was organized holding the motive as to build a strong Rotaract relationship and to coordinate with International clubs in order to exchange the culture and norms of different countries. As a result of this excellent project organized by the Rotaract club of Peace City Hatton, some members from a brotherhood club, The Rotaract club of Kalyan Riverside from Rotary International District 3142 had gotten an ideal chance to experience the beauty of Sri Lanka with its rich culture.
Through this visit, they’ve got an opportunity to enjoy Sri Lankan traditional food, taste fresh Tea, see 60 feet railway bridge between Hatton & Kotagala, visit Adamspeak and to get a wonderful hiking experience. Signifying official club duties, the two clubs had had a joint meeting where both clubs shared their project details. As an Indication of achievement of the project objectives the trip has given the visited club members an unforgettable memory in Sri Lanka while offering them an opportunity to understand each other and above all both the clubs were able to make a strong long-lasting bond.
To know about RAC PCH, you can follow them on;
https://www.facebook.com/rotaractclubpch/
MOST OUTSTANDING INTERNATIONAL SERVICES PROJECTS
Gold – Mitrata (RAC Alumni of University of Moratuwa)
Following the success path of ‘Singaract’ back in 2018, Rotaract Club of Alumni Mora initiated yet another marvelous project to expand their friendship and knowledge through ‘Mitratā’. The project was conducted mainly together with Rotaract Club of Kathmandu and Roatarcat Club of Pokhara with 8 sub projects which lasted over 2 months.
As the first phase of Mitratā, a representative from Rotaract Club of Pokhara visited our homeland where he experienced the true Sri Lankan taste. In the second phase, Rotaractors from Rotaract Club of Alumni Mora visited Nepal where they conducted projects together with the Rotaract Club of Kathmandu and Rotaract Club of Pokhara. The highlight of the visit as per their say, was the meeting with the Zonal Representative of the RI District 3292.
From doing community service to learning about new cultures and making new friendships, project Mitratā was indeed awardable as it not only redefined the boundaries but also proved that ‘Rotary Connects the World’.
More information can be found on;
https://rotaractalumnimora.org/
Silver – Project Dansala (RAC IIT)
Project Dansala was a gratifying initiative taken by the Rotaract Club of Informatics Institution of Technology which the project itself was a necessity arose due to the unpredictably unfortunate COVID-19 pandemic. As their goal was to prevent, detect and respond to the threat while strengthening the national health and economical systems by helping poor families survive, they lead off the project by collecting dry rations and other essential items to donate those who were in need during this grim period.
Further to mention, Rotaract Club of IIT was not alone in this generous process as three other fellow clubs namely the Rotaract clubs of Ceyala Nat-Tha-hi, Dupnitsa and De Itapolis, partnered up in collecting the required items from wonderful people who offered help for mankind.
More information can be found on the RAC IIT Blog;
https://rciit.org/blog/
Bronze – Sentier ‘20 (RAC SLIIT)
Sentier 2020 is an international service project initiated by Rotaract Club of SLIIT from 10th of January to 19th of January, where the club invited few members from Rotaract Club of SRM Kattankulathur of RID 3232 to visit Sri Lanka with the objective of creating trails, pathways, eliminating barriers, in the aspect of culture, geography and ethnicity. In addition the project held the aim of exchanging vibrant, rich cultures among each other clubs along with building communities to elaborate more on the international understandings. In relation to the visit the Rotaract Club of SLIIT arranged a series of projects, covering four main avenues in the club.
Sentier started the journey in Wilapattu after a “Get-to-know” session organized by SLIIT with a small ice breaking game, this was followed by visiting Kithulgala, Arcade Independence Square, Upcott Waterfall – Nuwereliya, Mayfield Estate- Ambewela, Seetha Amman Kovil, Galle etc.
“Light up their world” is one of the signature projects where fellow Rotaractors from Rotaract Club of SRM Kattankulathur joined hands with Rotaract Club of SLIIT with the aim of enhancing the English Language skills and soft skills of kids in Child Development Center in Morawinna. Experiencing the Sri Lankan life, culture, language and cuisine the Sentier 2020 ended the journey remarkably after working hard for the betterment of communities while tightening the bond between the clubs.
More information can be found on the RAC SLITT Blog;
https://rotaractsliit.com/
This Category of awards is certainly a revelation for all the other clubs as it expands the scope of services and understanding by collaborating outside the local perimeter while having a greater exposure to other cultures and ethnicities. Cheers to the clubs for accomplishing such significant initiatives on strengthening the International Understanding to a greater extent.
Thank you to all our fellow Clubs and fellow Rotaractors for providing us with the details!
Written & Compiled By:
The Blog Team 2020/21
