District Governor Elect John H Mohi and Lane attended the IA in San Diego from 13-18 January 2019 along with the New Zealand District Governors Elect team and over five hundred DGs Elect worldwide. PDG Pat Waite and Melva attended the assembly as international trainers/facilitators. The assembly embodied Rotary’s unique ability to connect and network across cultures and borders well beyond the dream of Paul Harris in Chicago more than a century ago.
The week provided a unique opportunity to reflect on Rotary’s distinct vision and structure including membership that connects us to a global community through countless projects and programmes, leadership in polio eradication and work with and through the United Nations. The primacy of the individual club remains paramount in 2019 as does the shared value of people taking meaningful action through Rotary service. We left the 2019 IA with the clear message that the real work of shaping Rotary’s future lay with individual clubs in unique, diverse communities round the world.
The New Zealand team took a full part in all activities including the high quality General Sessions delivered simultaneously in six languages to setting up a “country cultural exchange table“ at the international afternoon, joining the Grand March and performing on stage at Festival night.
Ready for the Grand March
The programme included round table sessions for DGs Elect and separate round table sessions for partners. These sessions provided an excellent forum for networking, learning and sharing with each other. Partner’s topics included “Rotary Your Way”. “The Rotary Foundation and You” and “From Assembly to Action”. Topics for the General Sessions began with “Uniting for Action” moving through to “Creating Lasting Change’, “Increasing our Impact”, “Doing Good Across the Globe, in our Communities and in Ourselves” to the final session, “Adapting for the Future”.
Partners Rae (9970) and Mary (9930) preparing the NZ cultural exchange table
In 2019-20 Rotary will adopt its new strategic direction including its revitalised five areas of focus. The assembly’s speakers acknowledged that the real work of shaping Rotary’s future lies with individual clubs where the organisation must do the most to adapt to today’s changing realities. We both recognised the need to be more innovative and responsive in our approach to membership and in forging wider connections with our communities. New club models that attract and engage more, and more diverse, members are needed. Interestingly, the presence during the final two days of the assembly of a large contingent of Rotaractors including Mehak Janjua from Auckland (9920) injected energy and enthusiasm into the assembly.
Leaders and presenters modelled in their words and behaviour the values of continuity and cooperation. This was well-demonstrated in the links the current and future RI Presidents forged as they linked the 2018-19 and 2019-20 Rotary themes:
“Be the Inspiration” and “Rotary Connects the World”.
We leave you with the words of Mark Daniel Maloney, President, Rotary International 2019-2020:
“… it will be our challenge to strengthen the many ways that Rotary Connects the World, building the connections that allow talented, thoughtful, and generous people to unite and take meaningful action through Rotary service.”
John H Mohi and Lane Mohi
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