As the Rotary year winds down, I look forward to seeing many of you at the RI Convention in Osaka, Japan, later this month (23-26 May). All indications suggest we can expect near-record attendance for the convention, the third hosted by Japan, following the 1961 and 1978 events in Tokyo. The members of the 2004 Osaka Convention Committee, the 2004 Osaka Convention Promotion Committee, and the 2004 Osaka Host Organizing Committee have done a tremendous job to ensure that this year’s festivities will be a huge success.
This year also marks the 10th anniversary of another very successful RI Convention in Asia, the 1994 meeting in Taipei, Taiwan, not coincidentally the origin of my traditional costume this month. To the Rotarians of Taiwan: Happy anniversary!
Whenever we hold our convention in this part of the world, we look forward to a strong turnout from all of the Rotary countries of Asia. And in the not-so-distant future, those numbers may well increase, thanks to the careful groundwork being laid by RI’s Extension to Non-Rotary Countries Committee and its subcommittees on China and South and Southeast Asia. Imagine the increase in humanitarian assistance Rotarians will be able to provide for needy families in those regions once clubs are allowed to operate freely and openly, a requirement for extension.
Introducing new countries to the time-tested principles of Rotary is an exciting and important component of our mission to make the world a better place for all of humanity. And it is especially gratifying to observe Rotarians from new Rotary countries as they attend their first RI Convention and grasp the true breadth and scope of the organization. This is where Rotary fellowship in its purest form occurs. National boundaries and cultural barriers melt away in the aptly named House of Friendship as Rotarians, united by the motto of Service Above Self, share their successes and dreams and forge friendships that will last a lifetime.
This also is how Rotary’s goal of achieving world peace and understanding meshes with its commitment to help families in need, wherever they live. As we improve people’s lives in our own communities and in communities worldwide through volunteer service, we help alleviate the stresses, pressures, and frustrations that boil over into despair and anger and lead to violence.
As we approach the final month of another Rotary year, let us to the positive energy generated by the annual convention to reinvigorate ourselves, so that we enter Rotary’s historic 100th year with an even stronger resolve to Lend A Hand to those in need. As Former German Chancellor Conrad Adenauer once observed, “We all live under the same sky, but we don’t all have the same horizon.” So if you attend the convention, plan to harness its energy and bring it back to your club. In doing so, you will brighten and broaden someone else’s horizon, and you will be amazed at the positive results.
Jonathan Majiyagbe
President, Rotary International
