RI PRESIDENT CARL-WILHELM VISITS OUR DISTRICT

Several Galleries of photos are available for viewing, selecting from the menu at the left. In addition to photos of the general session, photos were taken individually with club presidents and assistant governors. To get a copy of any photo for use in your club publications, click on the miniature thumbnail picture. A full size image will be displayed. Right-click your mouse on the large image, and select Save Picture As.

RI President Carl-Wilhelm Stenhammar visited District 5220 on August 11 for an Intercity meeting that attracted about 450 Rotarians. The visit was the first for a sitting RI President in the memory of long term Rotarians.

President Carl-Wilhelm expressed a preference for smaller meetings that allow him to get closer to the Rotarians in the clubs, where he acknowledged the major work of Rotary is done.

His speech covered many of the common themes related to Rotary projects, but the most revealing aspect of his speech covered extension. He favors opening clubs in China and in Cuba. While Rotary
International is non-political organization, there can be implications to a US based service club flouting the US government's embargo on Cuba. Others in the organization might be concerned that the US might cut off their financial participation in the efforts to eradicate polio. Stenhammar, though, reasons that the funds were given not to Rotary, but to the CDC, which in turn gave the funds to the WHO.

On China, he notes that provisional clubs have been in place, and have now been associated with an existing district that includes Hong Kong. Since we are already in China, he says, there is no reason not to expand. Having said that, he acknowledged that it was unlikely that expansion would be rapid.

Comments and questions may be addressed to webmaster@rotary5220.org. We hope you enjoy your visit.

Rotary District 5220 - Serving California's Central Valley and Mother Lode 

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