By OSWALD T. BROWN
WASHINGTON, D.C., June 5, 2019 – If there is a noticeable increase in visitors to The Bahamas over the coming months, the tourism windfall will be quite understandable. At the opening ceremony of the 110th Rotary International Convention, currently being held from June 1-5 in Hamburg, Germany, The Bahamas has received the kind of publicity that most certainly must have pleased Minister of Tourism and Aviation Dionisio D’Aguilar and his top executives at the Ministry of Tourism tremendously.
Hamburg was transformed into “Rotary City” as more than 25,000 Rotary Club members from around the world converged on Germany’s second largest city for the annual international meeting, and the fact that the outgoing President of Rotary International is Barry Rassin, a member of the Rotary Club of East Nassau in New Providence, Bahamas, was undoubtedly one of the major reasons for The Bahamas has received such a high level of exposure over the past five days.
For starters, Rassin arranged for fellow Rotary International members to enjoy a live performance by renowned Bahamian entertainer Julien “Believe” Thompson, who is on a fast track to becoming an international star, as well as to see a live demonstration of the phenomenal artistic talent of Jamaal Rolle, who has already become an international star as a result of his paintings of various celebrities that have earned him the nickname “Celebrity Artist.”
In his June 2019 presidential message, Rassin said, “As I look back on all the things I have seen and the people I have met since becoming president of Rotary International last July, I am certain of this: Rotary’s capacity to transform lives for the better is unparalleled. Our impact is far beyond anything I could have imagined when I first became a Rotarian.
“I think about the Rotarians I met in Pakistan, who partnered with Coca-Cola to improve sanitation in Karachi’s neighborhoods while supporting polio eradication efforts. I think about the Puerto Rican Rotarians who are helping entire communities rebuild their lives after Hurricane Maria. I think about the German Rotaractors who are working to save bees — whose role as pollinators is so important to our planet — from extinction. I think about the six Rotarians and Rotaractors who were honored as People of Action: Young Innovators at Rotary Day at the United Nations in Nairobi, Kenya, in November for their work to create novel solutions to tough challenges.”
Continuing, Rassin added, “It seems like only yesterday that I stood on a stage in San Diego and asked you to Be the Inspiration in your clubs, in your communities, and in the world. Your response was an inspiration to me. You are paving the way for Rotaractors to become our future leaders, helping start new Rotaract clubs and working to include Rotaractors in Rotary events and projects in your communities. You are working hard to eradicate polio, participating in 4,200 events in more than 100 countries for World Polio Day. And you are carrying out transformative projects that will create lasting change in your communities and in the world.
“This year, I also saw how Rotary’s work to build peace is bearing fruit. The 98 Rotary Peace Fellows who are studying at our peace centers will soon graduate, joining more than 1,200 others in applying their conflict resolution skills to problems that need solutions. And this month, Esther and I will travel to Hamburg, Germany, for a convention where people of all races, nationalities, religions, and political backgrounds will unite because they want to make the lives of all people better.”
Rassin concluded, “Seeing what Rotary means to people — to the communities we serve and to Rotarians themselves — has deepened my affection and admiration for all that Rotary is and does. Soon it will be time for Esther and me to return home to Nassau. When we get there, I will look out on the vast sea that surrounds our island, and it will remind me of Rotary’s limitless possibilities, and of the amazing future that awaits us beyond the horizon. I look forward to sailing there with you.”
According to an article published prior to the opening of the convention on Rotary International’s website, the event “is considered to be one of the most prestigious and international congresses worldwide and touches the hearts not only of the Rotary community, but also that of the host city and its residents.”
“The Rotary international convention is colourful, diverse, and cosmopolitan,” the website notes. “In keeping with the tagline ‘Capture the moment’, Rotary members attending the Hamburg convention will initiate projects, engage in exchange, and work together for a better world.
“In addition to the convention in the exhibition halls of Hamburg Messe und Congress GmbH, Rotary members will be able to also enjoy a comprehensive supporting programme in Hamburg – including bicycle tours, an opening party at the Hamburg Chamber of Commerce, a sailing trip on the Alster Lake as well as exclusive Rotary concerts in the Elbphilharmonie, Hamburg’s iconic new concert hall at the heart of the port.”
Rotary brings together a global network of volunteer leaders dedicated to tackling the world’s most pressing humanitarian challenges. There are 35,000 Rotary clubs in over 200 countries with a total membership of 1.2 million. Both New Providence and Grand Bahama have several Rotary Clubs.
