International peace and conflict resolution was one of the topics being tackled by this year’s Champions of Change across Great Britain and Ireland.
At the second Rotary Champions of Change award ceremony twelve deserving Rotarians were honoured during a prestigious ceremony at the House of Lords on the 17th March 2015. Rt Hon Lord Wallace of Tankerness hosted the event, and he described Rotary as “a great movement” and that he had been very humbled to see the achievements of the awardees.
The photograph from left to right is Rt Hon Lord Wallace, Rtn Jean Best, Rotary in Great Britain and Ireland President Peter King and Dumfries and Galloway MP Russell Brown.
6 Rotarians who received an award for their volunteer work, primarily focused on addressing humanitarian concerns within Great Britain and Ireland. Retired Headteacher of Sheuchan Primary School and Kirkcudbright Rotarian Jean Best and Founder of the Rotary Peace Project was given an International Award for the influence that the project is beginning to have in countries across the world including Nigeria, Mexico, Australia, United States and Great Britain. Jean is a member of the Rotary Club of Kirkcudbright. The first pilot Peace Advocates Programme in Great Britain started at Kirkcudbright Academy and was quickly followed at the Douglas Ewart High School, Newton Stewart.
Lord Wallace commented on the Jean: “Your initiative and imagination with ‘Service before Self’ does change lives, and those of us in Parliament who try to do things for people ties in very much with what you do.” The Rotary Peace Project empowers young people to become the next leaders of the 21st century skilled in conflict resolution.
Rotary in Great Britain and Ireland President Peter King described the event as a celebration of how Rotarians change lives and an opportunity to network with other non-profits, businesses and parliamentarians.
RETIRED HEAD OF SHEUCHAN PRIMARY SCHOOL FROM MINNIGAFF GAINS INTERNATIONAL AWARD
