As a humanitarian organization, promoting peace is a cornerstone of Rotary’s mission. An international organization with 1.4 million members worldwide, including 2,300 in southwest Ohio’s District 6670, by carrying out service projects, supporting peace fellowships and scholarships, and partnering with others, Rotary members take action to address local community challenges, as well as global projects.
One of the most effective ways Rotary builds peace is with Rotary Peace Fellowships that train peace and development professionals to become more effective catalysts for peace.
The fully funded Rotary Peace Fellowship, which covers tuition and living expenses, increases the capacity of dedicated peacebuilders from communities around the world to prevent and resolve conflict by offering academic training, field experience, and professional networking. Rotary Peace Fellows are selected every year in a globally competitive process based on personal, academic, and professional achievements. Fellows can earn a master’s degree or participate in a one-year professional development certificate program at one of the Rotary Peace Centers located at leading universities around the world.
Since the program began over 20 years ago, the Rotary Peace Centers have trained more than 1,700 Peace Fellows. Program alumni are working to advance peace as leaders in national governments, nongovernmental organizations, education and research, peacekeeping and law enforcement, business and consulting, human rights law, media and the arts, and international organizations such as the United Nations.
The master’s degree is a 15-24-month program intended for leaders with three years of experience, but relatively early in their careers. Fifty (50) fellows are selected annually to study at one of five Rotary Peace Centers at partner universities, which offer interdisciplinary curricula with research-informed teaching.
The professional development certificate is a one-year program for working professionals that blends online learning, in-person classes and an independent social project. This is intended for social change leaders with extensive experience working in peace-related fields; eighty (80) fellows will be selected for the peacebuilding and conflict transformation professional development certificate program.
If you are personally interested in applying, please write to rotarypeacecenters@rotary.org with any questions; you may also follow Rotary Peace Centers on Facebook. If you know someone else who might be a good candidate for a Rotary Peace Fellowship, please submit a short referral with their name and email address; we’ll contact them with information on how to apply.
As Dayton celebrates the 30th Anniversary of the Bosnia-Herzegovina Peace Accords and the good fortune of hosting the NATO Parliamentary Assembly, it would be an honor to also celebrate the selection of a new Rotary Peace Fellow candidate from somewhere in the greater Dayton region.
Remember, applications are accepted online beginning on 1 February, 2025 and must be submitted by 15 May, 2025.
For more information, please visit: https://www.rotary.org/our-programs/peace-fellowships or contact Rotary District 6670 Peace Chair Kelly Marie Lehman at kellymarielehman@gmail.com or (937) 760-4100.
Kelly Marie Lehman is a member of Rotary District 6670.
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