The Family
17 February 2003

We discussed last week the Presidential Emphases for 2003-04. There are four, namely, family, literacy, poverty and health; and already, President-elect Jonathan Majiyagbe has appointed a task force for each.

If "Family of Rotary" sounds like a new emphasis, it probably is because it has not been articulated as such before, but the family has always a place in every Rotarian and has always played a vital role in Rotary programmes and activities.

For example, it is not difficult to envisage that the many programmes for youth and young people could have their origins from the family or men who loved to be close or closer to their families or their friends' families.

At Anaheim, Rotary leaders were reminded that the Family of Rotary emphasis would encourage clubs and districts to care for Rotarians and their families, and to honour deceased members and remember and care for their spouses and children. They were further urged to place more emphasis on the needs of the families and to care for each other and to lend a hand to the family of Rotary.

Rotarians in Asia in general and Hong Kong in particular would indeed find such concepts familiar. For centuries, our culture has espoused values founded on the family. Family relationships are well defined such that each member has a place in the family and understands his or her relationship with other members of the same and the extended family. The family is the centre and nucleus of a community and its source of strength. Indeed the mutual respect, love and understanding of these relationship, coupled with education and tradition, have strengthed the bonds between family members, which in turn have built cohesive communities and in turn a strong country.

It augurs well that our next Rotary leader of leaders should have placed emphases on values that are deep seated in Asia in general and China in particular. It would send our brothers and sisters in the Mainland a signal that Rotary respects and seeks to practise values dear to their heart. It would be conducive to extension of Rotary in China.