Rotarians visited The University of Queensland this week for a special reception coinciding with the 2003 Rotary World Convention in Brisbane.
The June 2 event, jointly hosted by UQ and The Rotary Foundation, was for donors and friends of the Rotary World Peace Scholarship program.
Nine international Rotary World Peace Scholars commenced study at the University earlier this year as the first cohort at UQ’s Rotary Centre for International Studies in Peace and Conflict Resolution – one of seven centres established around the world to promote scholarship in conflict resolution and diplomacy.
“Rotary’s vision to help build a world where conflict and hatred can be replaced gradually by peace and understanding is an immensely important and necessary endeavour. The University remains honoured and delighted that we were chosen to be a partner in this exciting and worthwhile project,” said UQ Chancellor Sir Llew Edwards at the event.
“This vision, of educating young people in the field of international relations and conflict resolution, is one that we have embraced warmly at the University and we are very proud to have received our first class of Rotary World Peace Scholars.”
More than 60 people attended the event, which included a plaque unveiling by Sir Llew, UQ Faculty of Social and Behavioural Sciences Executive Dean Professor Linda Rosenman and past Presidents of Rotary International, Sir Clem Renouf and Royce Abbey.
Program Director Dr Marianne Hanson said the nine scholars shared a common commitment to promoting world peace and were from countries as diverse as Cambodia, the United States, the Philippines and Sweden.
She said the scholars were studying a two-year Master of International Studies (peace and conflict resolution), which covered issues such as human rights, ethnic conflict, peacekeeping and arms control.
“The 20th century was the bloodiest century in human history – more than 80 million people lost their lives in some 250 conflicts world-wide. The peace and conflict studies program at UQ looks at the causes of various conflicts and explores different ways of resolving them,” Dr Hanson said.
“So many resources are devoted to war. We believe that there is a real need for education about peace.”
Media: For further information, contact Dr Hanson (telephone 3365 3112) or Joanne van Zeeland at UQ Communication (telephone 07 3365 2619).
