Rotary Peace Fellowships Awarded to NP Leaders

While traveling through Thailand, Ann Frisch, an NP Senior Adviser and a former civilian protection officer in Guatemala, spent five days "in residence" at the Chulalongkorn University Rotary Peace Center in Bangkok. Here she observed the course offerings and interactive activities provided by Chulalongkorn Rotary Peace Center for senior peace practitioners.

Sjors Beenker, a veteran NP civilian protection officer in Sri Lanka, is currently a Rotary Peace Fellow at the Chulalongkorn Center. This summer two other NP leaders, Florington Aseervatham, Deputy Director of NP South Sudan, and Jeanne Lound Schaller, of the NP Chapter in Midland, MI, will study as Rotary Peace Fellows in Chulalongkorn.

Additionally, Rachel Beecroft, a former NP intern in the Minneapolis office, is a Rotary Peace Scholar at the University of Queensland in Brisbane, Australia this year. Last year's Fellowship winner, Jeya Murugan, is currently a Rotary Peace Fellow at International Christian University in Tokyo.

(Published March 25, 2015)
Three other NP civilian protection officers have won Rotaryawards this year and will be attending the University of Queensland in 2016 for a Master's Degree in Peace and Conflict Resolution. Two NP veterans, Muhamed Butera Mpira (Rwanda) and Philip Ikita (Nigeria), have completed Masters degrees through the Rotary program.

Ann, along with Rotarian J. Michael Cavitt, mentor NP staff and veterans who are applying for the Rotary Peace Fellowship. The fellowships provide full funding for the certificate program or for a Master's Degree in Rotary Peace Centers at six universities around the world toqualified peace practitioners. Rotary International, with its 1.2 million members, is committed to peace and goodwill across the globe. Rotary Peace Centers are part of their peace mission.