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ASIAN PRESIDENTIAL CONFERENCE IN TAIPEI
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| Friday to Sunday, 22-24/03/2002 |
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The District's delegation to the Asian Presidential
Conference was led by DG Johnson Chu and include PDG Dom Vessigault,
PDG Moses Cheng, PDG Jason Yeung, DGE Gloria Chan, DGN Jones Wong,
PP Kenneth Chow, IPP Peter Wan, PP Albert Tsui, IPP Ada Cheng, President
Shirkey Cheung, President L. Gombo, President J Oyungerel, PEN Batbold,
Rtn. Jandawsuren, Rtn. S Jargalsaikhan, Rtn Sodnom and two other
Rotarians from Mongolia. |
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| The Presidential Conference began with the usual
entertaining, and yet very motivational, speech by RI President
Richard King. The dinner that evening was hosted by President Chen
Shui Bian of Taiwan. Whilst admitting that he had been an honorary
Rotarian since 1987, President Chen praised Rotary for al humanitarian
contributions made to under-privileged in the world. After that,
RI President honored him with Rotary's Polio Eradication Champion
Award. |
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The keynote speech on the second day was presented
by RI Past President Luis Giay, Chairman of the Rotary Foundation,
w besides giving a very detailed account of so of the very moving
projects undertaken the Foundation, also appealed to all those present
to increase their contributions to Foundation. According to him,
a little extra contribution from each Rotarian could ea double the
total contributions received by annual programme fund. This was
followed by a controversial speech by RI Past President MAT Caparas
on 'the future Rotary in Asia' and then by an address from RI Past
Director Robert Coultas on how to improve Rotary's public image. |
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| The audience was then involved in a historical
cross-strait tele-visual conference with live participation from
President Sandra Walters of the Rotary Club of Hong Kong through
tele-broadcasting. The discussions across the strait were focused
how Rotary could help the Olympic Games held in Beijing in 2008
and how Rotary service could be extended to mainland China. the
latter point, whilst the audience ' disappointed with the progress
of the legal formalities related to full government recognition
of the two provisional clubs in Shanghai and Beijing, nonetheless,
all agr that the very meaningful humanitarian effors made by Rotary
in China should continue. |
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The afternoon session began with a speech the
success of Rotary's Global Quest Kenneth Bond, Chairman of the I
Membership Development Executive Steel Committee. This was followed
by a very moving speech by RI Past Director Daniel Moores on why
he joined Rotary. He gave a vivid account of how, having left Rotary
was asked to re-join Rotary and, not only t also to take on very
important roles in Rotary which he treasured and accomplished successfully
and with pride. |
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| The break-out sessions that followed featured
many interest discussions ranging from the major membership challenges
in the A Pacific region to attracting young members into Rotary.
Although PDG Dom Vessigault and DG Johnson Chu acted very successf
as panelists for the group that focused 'strengthening clubs and
developing c leadership', I participated in the group which discussed
on how to attract young member was surprised to learn that the problem
encountered by us in attracting succesfull Rotaractors into Rotary
is not one that is peculiar to our district, but also a wider and
universal problem encountered by many districts in the region. |
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After the open forum presided by the RI President and also his closing
remarks, conference ended with a highlight for District 3450 when the
RI President presented the club charter to President Oyungerel of our
new Rotary Club in Mongolia, the Rotary Club of Khuree in the farewell
lunch.
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