This year, as well as global вЂteach-insвЂ™, there will be a вЂ March for ScienceвЂ™ which will include speeches with scientists and civic organisers on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. There are many ways to celebrate Earth Day. Once the rumours of its Red origins were debunked, the greenest day on the calendar became a global event to mark its 20th anniversary. Because of this, it was attended by suspicious members of the FBI who suspected Earth Day had a communist agenda. Incidentally, the first Earth Day event also coincided with the 100th anniversary of the birth of Russian revolutionary Vladimir Lenin. The talk was part of a session for partners of incoming district governors at the International Assembly in San Diego, California, USA, on 17 January.ДЄ participant snaps a photo during a session for partners of incoming district governors at the International Assembly in San Diego, California, USA, on 17 January.This year Earth Day focuses on education (Picture: Getty)Д®arth Day has been held annually on April 22 since its inception in 1970. Riseley, explains how family involvement in Rotary can result in more opportunities to improve lives, like the sanitation project in India shown behind her. Juliet Riseley, wife of RI President-elect Ian H.S. Participants in the Grand March stop to take a selfie.Дuring the International AssemblyвЂ™s opening session on 16 January, the Rotary president and president-elect, their aides, and their spouses carry the flags of the United States and Australia across the stage.

The Brazilian contingent of district governors-elect pose for a group shot in front of their national flag during the Grand March. The dinner dance at the 2017 International Assembly in San Diego, California, USA, celebrates RotaryвЂ™s ability to unite leaders from around the globe. Incoming district governors from Canada march into the international dinner dance dressed in their countryвЂ™s colors. Incoming district governors from England march into the international dinner dance. Strategic Planning and Empowerment (RI Strategic Planning Committee Chair Stephanie Urchick)В (PDF)ДЇocus for the Year (Rotary Foundation Trustee Chair-elect Paul A. Your Partners for Change and Strategy (RI General Secretary John Hewko)В (PDF) вЂњI ask you to keep that spirit of teamwork and cooperation always in your minds and to take it back with you to your districts.вЂќ SpeechesДў017-18 Presidential Theme Address (RI President-elect Ian H.S. вЂњWe know that we can do more together than we could ever hope to do alone,вЂќ he told incoming governors. вЂњConsider what Rotary stands to look like 10 or 20 years from now if we donвЂ™t get very serious, very soon, about bringing in younger members,вЂќ Riseley said.Д¬lubs will make a difference this year through their own decisions, said Riseley, but it will take teamwork on a global scale to move Rotary forward and secure its future. Today only 5 percent of reported members are under 40, and a majority of members are over 60, Riseley told the audience. Riseley also believes it is imperative that clubs find ways to attract and engage younger members. Noting that 103 of the 539 incoming governors are women, Riseley said they are the type of women we need in Rotary, вЂњleaders who will help Rotary connect with, and represent, and better serve, all of the members of all our communities.вЂќ We need to make it a priority now,вЂќ he said. вЂњThree decades is far too long to wait to achieve a Rotary that reflects the world in which we live. We know that we can do more together than we could ever hope to do alone. At that rate, Riseley said, it will take another three decades for Rotary to achieve gender parity. Only 22 percent of RotaryвЂ™s members are women, up from 13 percent 10 years ago. In his address to the 2017-18 class of district governors, Riseley also urged clubs to improve their gender balance and lower the average age of their members. вЂњI believe the greater result will be a Rotary that recognizes our responsibility not only to the people on our planet, but to the planet itself.вЂќ Securing RotaryвЂ™s future вЂњIt is my hope that the result of that effort will be far greater than the environmental benefit that those 1.2 million new trees will bring,вЂќ Riseley said.

Trees remove carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases from the air, which slows global warming. The president-elect challenged every Rotary club to make a difference by planting a tree for each of its members between the start of the Rotary year on 1 July and Earth Day on 22 April 2018.

It is, and must be, everyoneвЂ™s concern,вЂќ he said. вЂњThe time is long past when environmental sustainability can be dismissed as not RotaryвЂ™s concern. News & Features (down arrow opens sub-menu)>ДЇollow the assembly on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter using #rotary17 Our Programs (down arrow opens sub-menu)>

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