The truth as a matter of definition. 
The first of Rotaries Four Ways Test is, Is it the Truth. As bulletin subscribers will know the notion of truth and how we arrive at it is a common theme in the editors musings.
As the war in Ukraine lurches on with devastating consequences it is was therefore not surprising to read Aleksandr Dugin, Putin’s court philosopher quoted in Project Syndicate,  “Post-modernity shows that every so-called truth is a matter of believing. So we believe in what we do, we believe in what we say. And that is the only way to define the truth. So we have our special Russian truth that you need to accept.”
 
On a much more positive note our club meetings will now move back to the Howick Club.
Our first meeting there will be this coming Monday - 2nd of May.
A huge thanks must go to Wayne Barnes and the Pakuranga Sailing Club for the use of their facilities during the Covid enforced restrictions. 
Calendar
World Bee Day
May 20, 2022
 
International Day of UN Peacekeepers
May 29, 2022
 
A Special Event
TBA
May 29, 2022
 
Queens Birthday
Jun 06, 2022
 
View entire list
Scribe
Jane Wrightson, Retirement Commissioner
On Monday night we joined the members of Auckland East and were treated to a comprehensive presentation from the Retirement Commissioner of Te Ara Ahunga Ora Retirement Commission. She emphasised that the work of the Commission is focused on retirement with confidence and making ends meet; and not on any health sector issues (which are the responsibility of others).
 
Jane spoke of the financial issues affecting the ability of New Zealand to afford the current system with the proportion of retirement age reaching  25% by 2056; and that for 40% of that group the sole income is universal super. Other changes including lower levels of people owning their own home and increasing numbers having any wealth they have, tied up in their home. This means that as rental costs rise seniors without adequate independent means now would be severely impacted within 20 years. Pension payments are simply not enough to live on especially for those who are renting, and in the current climate laddered investment will not cut it. 
 
For the younger earner there is generally not adequate income for any regular saving, the cost of housing relative to income is rising and the average now in Kiwisaver is only $25,000. For this group the future also looks potentially difficult . 
 
Given the willingness of some to question how NZ can continue to afford a universal superannuation scheme Jane asked what kind of society do we want?  Any means testing could lead to avoidance  and as raised in parliament by e Pāti Māori there are issues around the life expectancy rates of Maori and Pasifica peoples. 
 
Any suggestion of change raises questions including whether change is necessary, whether the change is people centred, whether plans for change take into account the need to allow a long lead in time so people can plan well ahead,  whether the diversity of population now or anticipated is taken into account, all Treaty of Waitangi obligations, and the need for simplicity. 
 
Jane answered questions on the percentage for whom universal super is all their income (40%); staffing numbers; and loss of equity in retirement village contracts. 
 
Those looking for information on financial capability are encouraged to access www.sorted.org.nz for basic training and independent information. 
Polio eradication
In some way it is unfortunate that our polio eradication campaign is now getting close to success when the world is focused on a different disease. We need to keep reminding ourselves that when we began our efforts and drew together the partnership to eradicate polio, there were about 1000 children each day dying from the disease and many more paralysed. We had no real idea of how long it would take but we were determined to succeed.
 
We have those two countries where wild polio remains and there were four cases in Afghanistan in 2021 and one in Pakistan. This year, to April 12, there is one case in each country. Malawi reported a case in February but it was imported. It still had to be addressed and currently a four nation vaccination campaign is being implemented.

There have been 34 vaccine derived cases so far this year and these cases are inevitable while we are mopping up the remaining wild virus in the world. They are why we need to keep immunising and while we still need to finance the polio campaign until we reach the end. Fortunately, the Gates Foundation is staying with us and each year is  subsidising our fundraising 2 for 1. When we are asked as a club to contribute to the polio campaign, it is because the end of polio is near but not yet here!
Sculpture
Despite setbacks caused by Covid lockdowns, supply chain issues for materials and a flood our 50th anniversary sculpture is progressing.
Dion, the artist is hard at work. With the framework completed the work now moves on to adding the stainless steel skin.
This will be an impressive addition to the Rotary walkway and will be something lovers of public art will want to visit. 
 
Peace
Allan suggested that further contributions to the Bulletin of general Rotary interest would be welcome and take some pressure off him so I have written something on a topic that I am involved in, Rotary Peace Centres. Probably my last international role! 

 
The Rotary Peace Centres fall into two groups. The Masters’ Programme gives scholarships to the specific Peace and Conflict Resolution Studies at our Partner Universities, which are Duke/UNC [who share the 10 awardees in a joint programme], ICU in Japan, University of Queensland, Uppsala in Sweden, and Bradford in UK. They each get 10 new students a year and as the course is normally two years, there are 20 students in each cohort. We are looking to develop potential leaders in the area of peace and about 44% of graduates work in NGOs that have a peace involvement and 30% in Government/Diplomacy/Policymaking with the rest in a number of peace related areas. Their average age when selected is 32 and they come with an average of 7 years in the in the peace/development arena.
 
Much of the funding comes from the earnings of a specific Peace Endowment Fund that has been subscribed by Rotarians.
 
The other segment of our Peace Centres programme is the Certificate course which is a one year course for people already working in a peace area but more practical than academic. The participants are older and with more experience. The curriculum was altered a few  years ago so it is now a two week online introductory session, then a ten week residential course at their university, mentorship then ongoing online until they return to their university for a one week of recap and reinforcement at the end of a year. There are 20 people in each course and we look to run two overlapping courses per year. Chulalongkorn University in Thailand was our first Certificate Course. The Trustees of the Rotary Foundation had decided that we should expand the number of Certificate universities and set a goal of adding new Centres in Asia, Sub-Saharan Africa, Middle East/North Africa and Latin America by 2013. A “workgroup” of three with me as Chair worked with staff to identify the Sub-Saharan university and in 2018 the Trustees accepted our recommendation of Makerere University in Kampala, Uganda. The first course graduated from there last year.
 
Shortly after the decision had been made on Makerere, the TRF Trustees were approached by the Trustees of the Otto and Fran Walter Foundation. Otto was a lawyer in Germany who was disbarred by the Nazis because he was a Jew and immigrated to the States in 1936. Fran and Otto  developed a strong legal practice and left their money to a Foundation that had amongst other things been sponsoring Peace Scholars. Their Trustees  had decided to “sunset” their Foundation and offered The Rotary Foundation US$ 15.5 million to establish a Peace Centre in the Middle East/ North Africa. Their gift was accepted!
 
Again a workgroup was established with Bill Boyd as chair and Bryn Styles, the chair of the Rotary Peace Centres Committee and a member of the Makerere workgroup, and Marty Helman who is an incoming TRF Trustee and a trustee of the Otto and Fran Walter Foundation. Marty is a Rotarian who has served in a number of TRF positions. The workgroup had three senior TRF staff as support.
 
The challenge this time was different and the first emphasis was in identifying those countries which would allow free accessibility and be welcoming to all international students and then researching universities and institutions that were potential hosts. We considered over 30 institutions in 11 countries at this stage. The key criteria were commitment to partnering with Rotary, located in an area with Rotary and Rotaract clubs that were prepared to actively support a Centre, the capacity to host two cohorts of 20 Fellows per year, expertise in running post-graduate programmes in peace and social development, a safe and secure study environment and accessibility.
 
We talked to a lot of people, both from within Rotary and with others who had expertise that was helpful and narrowed the choice to universities in Egypt, Jordan and  Turkey and invited expressions of interest. After consideration, we selected three universities to submit full proposals.
 
The three universities are American University in Cairo, Sabanci University in Istanbul and Bahcesehir University in Istanbul.
Meat Raffle
The meat raffle is up and running with winners already announced for the first draw.
 
But its not too late to buy a ticket. Setting up a second raffle with a seperate draw is not difficult and will give more of you a chance or those who have a ticket already,  twice the chance of winning. [Given my piece on misinformation in this bulletin you might want to consider the statistics behind that claim]. Never the less its not expensive and a great way to include not just members but also other bulletin subscribers.
 
Tickets are $100 and there is a draw twice a month for 10 months. 
40 tickets in each pod of tickets
Draws are based on the first three Lotto numbers drawn on the Saturday preceding our Monday meeting.
First prize is a $50 meat pack and there are also two prizes of $25 meat packs.
Informed by email and you pick up from Howick Meats.
 
 
 
 “how to purchase”?
Contact Peter Jollands.  Email, peter@jollandscallander.co.nz   Ph 021 830 595
Or Peter Taylor. Email, peteret@xtra.co.nz    Ph 021 746 764
 
 
 
Save the date
 
 
BREAKING NEWS
An important date for your calendar. 
When:     Sunday May 29th
Time:      2.30 pm
Where:    Home of Ian Handisides.
 
An afternoon not to miss so save that date.
 
More information to follow.