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I spent the first week of June this year among 25,000 Rotarians from 160 countries who were attending the Rotary International Convention (its 110th) in Hamburg, Germany. There are 1.2 million Rotarians in 200 countries, so this represented only two percent of our organization. It was my very first Rotary Convention, and an exciting and moving experience. I had never been surrounded by people from 160 countries. The most diversity I had ever experienced previously was among the 45 or so nationalities at the Union Church in Hong Kong during our stay there 20 years ago.
The first person I exchanged hellos with was from Nigeria. I was delighted to meet this woman in a colorful native costume since I have a Nigerian spiritual daughter pursuing her studies at Florida International University. When I mentioned her family name, Oghogho, my new friend immediately told me that she must be from the southern part of Nigeria not far from the Delta. It seems that some family names can reveal which part of Nigeria one is from!
One afternoon my husband and I went to the Hamburg Harbour to see the busy port and some great architecture (especially the impressive new Elbphilharmonie concert hall). We walked through the city to the St. Nikolai Memorial, a church that was destroyed by bombs during World War II and has been left as a moving memorial. Later we found a waterfront eatery with a lovely sunset for our dinner. There was a Rotarian couple from Frankfurt at the next table. We recognized each other by our Rotary name tags (which entitled us to free transportation during the convention) and naturally entered into a friendly conversation. They were so happy to find a restaurant that offered such a fabulous spot to gaze at the sunset. The four of us watched together as the sunset painted the sky with brilliant yellow, orange, red, pink and purple tints. Our time together was less than an hour but it somehow colored our perception of Hamburg. Where else can one encounter strangers and promptly bond? Rotary does connect the world.
Another couple I will always remember from the meeting was from Canada. I brought our Bal Harbour Rotary Club banners to exchange with others. When I met Brenda and David Newman, they didn't have their club's banner with them. But they went back to their hotel to get one, and then managed to track me down one day later among that unbelievably large crowd to hand over their banner. I hugged them both warmly.
The most noticeable group was from Taiwan. They all seemed to carry their country's flag and took many group pictures. I even got one flag from a kind Taiwanese Rotarian. Indian sari-clad Rotarians caught my eye each time. They were so beautiful. Many African Rotarians also wore their uniquely patterned textile outfits, and whenever possible I took their pictures.
During the convention, the most emphasized item among the Rotary's six areas of service focus was the goal of the eradication of polio. Since 1985, the Rotary Club has tirelessly worked on polio control, vaccinating millions of people. India has been polio-free for the past five years. Nigeria is about to be declared polio-free. There are four cases of polio each in Afghanistan and Pakistan. Other areas of focus for the Rotary Club ― saving mothers and children, and promoting peace and promoting local economies; and supporting education, clean water, hygiene and health; ― were also topics of discussions through case stories and project reports.
The Rotary Board of Directors made a resolution this past January to promote "diversity" among our organization and at the convention announced its ambition to increase female membership from the current 22% to one day reaching 50%. Considering that women were only allowed to join the Rotary Club in 1989, this push is a welcome one.
Before the convention, we spent a week in Ireland. About twenty Irish cousins and family gathered in Patrickswell, Limerick at Mary and Seamus' house and we had a good time eating, singing, laughing and dancing. What a warm and loving group they were! Yes, there was some Irish whiskey, as well as homemade beer and Cousin Jim's justly famous O'Brien's Cheese. Considering the fact that Tim's grandparents immigrated to New York more than a hundred years ago, our gathering with Tim's Irish relatives was an accomplishment in a way. We owe this continuing connection to Tim's mother who kept in touch with them over the years, a task that I've inherited. Without a doubt it is true that family ties of any form, both near and far, need to be nurtured to remain strong. Nothing worth having comes free.
Indeed, we have been blessed by the love of families beyond our blood relations. I hope to continue to build friendships with people from other countries whenever possible. Peace is possible when ordinary citizens connect with citizens of other nations on a one-on-one, people-to-people basis. We then can realize that we have more things in common than the things that separate us.
I end this piece by quoting wise words of Pope Francis: "Too often we participate in the globalization of indifference. May we strive instead to live global solidarity."
Hyon O'Brien (hyonobrien@gmail.com) is a former reference librarian now living in the United States.
