"A sunburn is not compared to what they put up with," said Watts , a member of the Australian chapter of the International Fellowship of Motorcycling Rotarians (IFMR), who was joined by fellow IFMR members John Hammond, John Jarvis, and Bob Kendall for the final stretch of this 57-day trip. Not every Rotarian arrived in which dramatic fashion, but most had equally compelling reason for attending the four-day event at the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Center . Some, such as Mark W. martin, a member of the Rotary Club of Lake Placid Noon, Fla. , USA , were there to prepare for the upcoming Rotary year. Martin, one of many presidents-elect in attendance, wanted to learn as much as he could about Rotary before beginning his 2003-04 term. Entertainment events sponsored by the Host Organizational Committee, including the Australian Experience, an Aussie-style rodeo held at the Royal National Showgrounds on 3 June, provided a break from panel discussion and plenary sessions. But Martin says that nothing he witness in Brisbane-from the inspiring keynote speakers to the spectacle of two-time nation champion bust poet Guy Mclean reciting verse while standing akimbo atop his horse-rivaled the chance to meet Rotarians from all over the world.
"Being from a the small town in Florida , I don't get that opportunity very often," said Martin. Like many who attended the convention, he ultimately saw the event as a way to meet other with common interests and develop relationships leading to rewarding service and fellowship opportunities.
"What I'm looking for here is to build up contacts from developing countries who are motivated to go out into the backcountry areas and help," said Harald Reimer, who spent much of the convention manning of one of more 50 House of Friendship booths that were dedicated to club and district projects. Reimers, a member of the Rotary Club of Hamburg-Haake, Germany , was in Brisbane promoting a solar water purification system his club is working to implement in several countries. For the Rotarians who helped plan the event, including 2003 Brisbane Convention Committee Chairman John Carrick, of the Rotary Club of Linfield, Australian, and Host Committee Chairman John Puttick, of the Rotary Club of Brisbane, watching more than 16,000 Rotarian and their family member come together marked the culmination of a momentous effort. Xanxai Visitkul, a member of the Rotary Club of Bangkok South, Thailand , who served on the 11-member convention committee, had been preparing for the event for years. According to Visit, organized worked hard to eliminate long lines, streamline transportation, and select the best venue for every event. "We carefully chose to the [the convention venue at] South Bank because it is closed to the city. We thought Rotarians would like to mix with the citizens of Brisbane ," he said. And they did, through public events such as a day of welcome at South Bank featuring The Shared Gift, an original sound and dance based on an Aboriginal Dreamtime story about the coming together of many people; an evening fireworks show over the Brisbane River; and the dedication of the Sir Thomas Brisbane Seat, a functional stone sculpture installed at the Roma Street Parkland to commemorate the convention.
From the moment the first plenary session opened with the resounding tones of a didgeridoo echoing through the hall to the dramatic finale featuring top entertainers from around the continent, the convention took on a uniquely Australian flair. Even Queensland Premier Peter Beattie, who welcomed Rotarians during the opening plenary session on 1 June, beseeched tie-wearing Rotarians to take off their neckwear and adopt the state's casual style. But while the atmosphere reflected the laid-back Aussie character, the topics at hand were not taken lightly. With international cooperation at the top of every agenda, nearly everyone who took the podium addressed the pressing issues of peace and conflict resolution in a year fraught with unrest.
"We come in the name of peace - and to achieve it by a better understanding of each other," said Carrick, who opened the first plenary session. Carrick also noted that one of Rotary's greatest assets, its diversity, is more apparent at an international convention than at any other time during the year. Outgoing RI President Bhichai Rattakul dovetailed the theme in his opening address, remarking that collaboration between Rotarians demonstrates the world of possibilities that exists when people from different backgrounds unite behind a common cause. "Rotary gives us something that is indeed rare and precious in our troubled world - opportunities to practice tolerance," he said. Anand Panyarachun, former prime minister of Thailand , continued the exploration of topics of peace and conflict resolution in his keynote address on 2 June.
"The challenges to peace today are infinitely more complex than those that shaped the world just over a decade ago," said Panyarachun. He went on to discuss the source and complexity of conflict in an increasingly global society, ending with a plea for greater understanding and patience. "The ultimate expression of tolerance and compassion is forgiveness. An eye for an eye eventually makes the whole world blind.
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