By Boris Esono Nwenfor
Pan Africanist and writer Mwalimu George Ngwane has been elected as a board member following the results of the 2021 Rotary Peace Fellowship Alumni Association (RPFAA) Board of Directors Election.
The Cameroonian is one of three persons (Derran Moss and Rukmini Ryer) who will join the other four members (Bautista Logioco, Maria Julia Moreyra, Wale Adeboye and Wesley Hedden) at the Board with the other four members entering their second year as board members.
“We also want to thank the other peace fellows who ran in this election and convey the RPFAA’s profound gratitude and commitment to work together to keep consolidating our Association,” a letter from the four board members read in part.
“The new board members will be formally inducted in the coming weeks… Thank you for participating in this year’s election.”
George Ngwane and his peers are expected to help Rotary Peace Fellowship Alumni Association attain its goals and priority areas that have so far been established.
In 2015, George Ngwane received the Rotary Peace Fellowship for studies as part of the Rotary Peace Centers programme. He was assigned to the Rotary Center at Chulalongkorn University in Bangkok, Thailand for the January 2015 session.
It should be noted that George Ngwane was selected for a Chevening Fellowship in 2010 to study Conflict Prevention and Resolution at the University of York, UK. He is the author of many publications including the seminal book “Settling Disputes in Africa”, the chairman of the National Book Development Council in Cameroon and the Executive Director of AFRICAphonie.
Since the first elected Board of Directors of the Rotary Peace Fellowship Alumni Association took office in 2020, they have engaged in consultative talks with other alumni concerning the potential focus and priorities for the Association.
“The document that has been developed will serve as the basis for a consultative process that the Board will undertake in the second half of 2021 with RPFs to set the priorities for the Association in the coming year,” a communique from RPFAA read in part.
Three priority areas have been identified such Supporting RPFs career development; Supporting RPFs’ Wellbeing and Self-Preservation and Strengthening partnerships, with special consideration to the Rotary Family.
Activities under this priority will include, among others: partnering in the organization of Rotary Peace Symposiums, Peace Conferences and related events; collaborating with existing partners in knowledge sharing, continuous dialogue for improved practice, and identification of best practices for peacebuilding; identifying new partners and setting up new partnerships for joint peacebuilding action, and educating audiences on the role and value of the Rotary Peace Fellowship.
Rotary is a global network of 1.2 million neighbours, friends., leaders and problem-solvers who see a world where people unite and take action to create lasting solutions across the globe, in communities and individuals.
Since the program began in 2002, the Rotary Peace Centers have trained more than 1,400 fellows who now work in more than 115 countries. Many of us serve as leaders in governments, NGOs, the military, education, law enforcement, and international organizations like the United Nations and the World Bank.
