by Klaus Doring
Since almost two years ago I am honored and glad to be a member of the outstanding Rotary Club of East Davao with president-elect Tony Ajero (2010/2011) and incumbent president Ronald Go.
Let me recall what some readers may not know: Rotary is a global network of community volunteers. Rotary members are business and professional leaders who provide humanitarian service, encourage high ethical standards, and help build goodwill and peace in the world. Some 31,000 Rotary clubs in more than 165 countries carry out service projects in their local communities and abroad to address such critical issues as poverty, health, hunger, illiteracy, and the environment.
These things fascinate me! Being a Rotary member, especially like in my case, as an expatriate living in the Philippines, is a wonderful chance to be involved in many activities. As the Fourth Object of Rotary says: “The advancement of international understanding, goodwill, and peace through a world fellowship of business and professional persons united in the ideal of service”.
Almost 35 years ago, I travelled to Japan. It was a family home stay and friends exchange through the International YMCA (Tokyo/Berlin). I experienced a great time of staying with several Japanese families in their homes in different towns. Rotary Friendship Exchange gives the same possibility: Rotarians and their families make reciprocal visits to other countries, staying in each other’s homes – and, very important and interesting: learning about their culture first hand.
The “Rota-kid Summer Eskwela” (May 3-20,2010 in Dona Asuncion Village, Pampanga, Davao City) is a program anchored towards educating the young minds, helping them to value education, encouraging them to dream big and realize them in the future of the Philippine nation. Wonderful!
Last week I found a very good quotation, which says: “Never be afraid to do something new. Remember amateurs built the ark; professionals built the Titanic!”
Again, how can one offer vocational talents better then being a Rotarian?
Yes, I do all in my power to dignify my vocation and to promote the highest ethical standards in my chosen vocation.
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Last but not least – on the spot: Press freedom is under threat in many countries worldwide. But that doesn’t mean it can be taken for granted, for example, in Western Europe. Old scandals and recent issues have hurt my home country Germany’s press freedom rating by the organization “Reporters Without Borders” too. Germany ranks behind a host of many other Western European countries. Distressing!
Email me: doringklaus@gmail.com or visit www.germanexpatinthephilippines.blogspot.com or follow me in Facebook.
