Peace & Conflict Resolution: Uniting for Good Through Understanding
Dear Fellow Rotarians,
As we enter the month of February, our focus on Peace & Conflict Resolution reminds us that peace is not simply the absence of conflict — it is the presence of understanding, respect, and opportunity. Rotary has long believed that lasting peace is built through relationships, dialogue, and service, and this belief continues to guide our work both locally and around the world.
Here in District North Atlantic, our clubs contribute to peace every day in practical and meaningful ways. Whether we are supporting youth leadership programs, encouraging community dialogue, mentoring newcomers, or building inclusive service projects, we are creating spaces where people from different backgrounds come together with a shared purpose. These efforts may not always be labeled “peace work,” but they are powerful acts of peacebuilding.
As an example, Gamechangers Atlantic Rotary has chosen to offer an in-person parenting program in response to communities expressing their concern around the anxiety found in young children. Their partner, Early Childhood Educator Specialist Tammy Vallieres, known as The Hero Intelligence™ Teacher, created the four-session series, Raising Peaceful Kids based on her book, Harmony Hare and Her Three Voices. This story is designed to nurture peace by helping children find calm within and kindness toward others.
Globally, Rotary’s commitment to peace is equally strong. Through education, service, and collaboration, Rotarians around the world help address the root causes of conflict by promoting access to education, economic opportunity, and health care. When communities are supported and individuals feel seen and valued, the conditions for peace are strengthened. Rotary’s global peace initiatives remind us that even in the most complex environments, progress begins with people who are willing to listen and work together.
This focus on peace also connects directly to growing our membership. More than ever, people are seeking organizations that stand for something meaningful — places where they can contribute to positive change, build connections, and be part of something larger than themselves. Rotary offers that. When we share our role as peacebuilders, we invite others to join a movement grounded in service, respect, and hope.
Our theme this year, Unite for Good, captures the heart of Peace & Conflict Resolution. We unite across differences. We unite across generations. We unite across cultures and professions. And when we do, we multiply our ability to bring understanding and compassion into our communities.
As Rotarians, we may not solve every conflict, but we can always choose to be bridge builders. Each conversation we start, each young person we mentor, and each community we serve strengthens the foundation for a more peaceful future.
Let us continue to lead with empathy, listen with intention, and serve with courage — uniting for good in everything we do.
Yours in Rotary service, Marcel A. Gervais
District Governor, District North Atlantic
February is Peacebuilding and Conflict Prevention Month
We refuse to accept conflict as a way of life. Rotary projects provide training that fosters understanding and provides communities with the skills to resolve conflicts.
Rotary creates environments of peace.
As a humanitarian organization, peace is a cornerstone of our mission. We believe when people work to create peace in their communities, that change can have a global effect.
By carrying out service projects and supporting peace fellowships and scholarships, our members take action to address the underlying causes of conflict, including poverty, discrimination, ethnic tension, lack of access to education, and unequal distribution of resources.
Our commitment to peacebuilding today answers new challenges: how we can make the greatest possible impact and how we can achieve our vision of lasting change. We are approaching the concept of peace with greater cohesion and inclusivity, broadening the scope of what we mean by peacebuilding, and finding more ways for people to get involved.
We need YOU to help shape the future of Rotary District 7815! With multiple positions available, now is your chance to bring your ideas, passion, and leadership to the table. Be a part of something bigger—step up, make a difference, and help lead our District to new heights!
Thank you to the 100 people who participated in our Orientation session last evening. We appreciate the positive feedback on it!
The fast-paced 45 minutes flew by.We are so sorry that many people were not able to get into the Zoom session – we were a victim of our own success as we maxed out the technology. So, we quickly scheduled TWO extra sessions in February to make it possible for more people to attend.
The additional sessions will be held:
Tuesday, February 11th at 8:30 p.m. Eastern
Sunday, February 15th at 9:30 p.m. Eastern
The link is the same for all sessions – and it is the same as this year’s monthly Monday Meetups – here is the link:
All Rotarians in District 7815 are invited to virtual training on February 9th (7 PM / 7:30 NL) or February 28 (10 AM / 10:30 NL) to learn how to apply for District Grants, access funding for service projects, and become a Qualified Club.
Don’t miss this chance to expand your club’s impact locally and internationally!
Designed for those who’ve completed Level 1 and are ready to deepen their knowledge. Topics include strategic club leadership, membership engagement, and effective service.
February 12th, 19th, and 16th starting at 7:00pm AST, 7:30pm NL
Sometimes the impact of Rotary is best measured not in dollars, but in lives changed.
In early December, the Rotary Club of Sydney Sunrise awarded a CAD $10,000 District Grant to support a school serving children in a refugee settlement in Uganda. The project is being implemented in partnership with African Initiatives for Change (AIC), with the Rotary Club of Kiwatule (Uganda) providing local oversight and progress monitoring. Implementation began at the start of the school term in December and is expected to be completed early in the new term beginning in February.
Ask yourselves why you and your club might want to get more involved in International Service Projects. Some suggestions follow AIC’s Report.
Please enjoy reading the (AIC) report in 'read more'.
Rotary Youth Exchange students kicked off 2026 with a cultural orientation weekend in Halifax, enjoying skating, city tours, and cultural activities while preparing for their exchanges. Coming up, youth alumni are leading a National Walk for Truth, Reconciliation & the Earth in April, nine District 7815 students will attend the Youth-to-Youth Truth and Reconciliation Experience in March, and RYLA 2026 will take place in NL (May 8–9) and NS (May 15–16). Volunteers and committee members are welcome to get involved!
February is just around the corner, and for Public Image Champions and Leaders, now is the perfect time to prepare content for Rotary’s focus on Peacebuilding and Conflict Prevention/Resolution. A little planning now makes it easier to share thoughtful, meaningful stories throughout the month — without scrambling for ideas later.
Celebrate Rotary Day and World Understanding and Peace Day by taking an online tour of Rotary Clubs and Districts from all over the world.
February 23 (10:00 AM Atlantic / 10:30 AM Newfoundland) to February 24 (10:00 AM Atlantic / 10:30 AM Newfoundland)
District 7815 will feature two projects:
Raising Peaceful Kids
Labrador Dialysis Project
Across Canada, districts are coordinating to ensure different projects are showcased, highlighting the breadth and diversity of Rotary’s impact nationwide.
We are proud to announce Keynote Speaker Nabil Oudeh will be joining us as we Unite For Good Times - Shediac, New Brunswick – May 29–31, 2026!
📅 May 29: PELS & SELS – In-person learning sessions for all incoming Presidents and Secretaries 📅 May 30–31: North Atlantic District Conference 2026 – For Rotarians and partners
District Clubs are invited to participate in the 2025–2026 EnviroClub Awards!
This annual initiative recognizes clubs that take meaningful action to protect the environment and promote sustainability in their communities. The information packet found here includes:
Award criteria and categories
Application process and deadlines
Tips for creating impactful environmental projects
We encourage all clubs toreview the packetand consider submitting their projects.
Let’s celebrate and inspire environmental leadership across District 7815!
Article #8: The Role of Rotary’s Values in Everyday Club Life
We hear a lot about Rotary’s core values—Service, Fellowship, Diversity, Integrity, and Leadership—but how often do we actively apply them in club life? At RLI, we explore how values aren’t just ideals—they’re decision-making tools, culture builders, and trust creators.
Think about it:
🟡 Service – Are we aligning our projects with real community needs?
🟡 Fellowship – Are we building a sense of belonging for every member?
🟡 Diversity – Are all voices at the table? Are we reaching beyond our circle?
🟡 Integrity – Are we walking the talk and holding each other accountable?
🟡 Leadership – Are we empowering new people to step up?
When clubs actively live their values, they thrive—and the impact multiplies.
Want more ideas like this? RLI offers 3 levels of interactive leadership development across Atlantic Canada.
Olayinka “Yinka” Hakeem Babalola is sitting on the wrong side of his desk, staring at the tiny squares on the laptop perched in front of him. He’s just finished speaking on a call with 300 Rotaractors from the African continent and other parts of the world, Rotary’s president-elect explains as he turns down the volume.
“They held a celebration for me because I’m a past Rotaractor,” he says. By seeing Babalola, himself once in their shoes, embarking on the highest position in Rotary, who knows how many of the 300 he will inspire. It’s early October, less than two months since the Rotary International Board of Directors selected Babalola to lead Rotary, in a special session in late August after the resignation of RI President-elect SangKoo Yun, who died shortly after, following months of cancer treatment.
It’s only the second trip to Rotary headquarters for Babalola, of the Rotary Club of Trans Amadi in Nigeria, since his selection. His office is nearly empty, void so far of all the gifts Rotary leaders tend to accumulate during their travels as an incoming president...
(If you have any comments or questions, please contact the editor)
This bulletin was sent to our French-speaking clubs in French. If you received the English version, but would prefer the French version, please send an email to our Bulletin Editor.
We refuse to accept conflict as a way of life. Rotary projects provide training that fosters understanding and provides communities with the skills to resolve conflicts.
District Grants Training – Register Now!
Action Lab: Nuts & Bolts 
Rotary Youth Exchange students kicked off 2026 with a cultural orientation weekend in Halifax, enjoying skating, city tours, and cultural activities while preparing for their exchanges. Coming up, youth alumni are leading a National Walk for Truth, Reconciliation & the Earth in April, nine District 7815 students will attend the Youth-to-Youth Truth and Reconciliation Experience in March, and RYLA 2026 will take place in NL (May 8–9) and NS (May 15–16). Volunteers and committee members are welcome to get involved!
Join DG Marcel A. Gervais & DGN Wayne Thompson as we Unite for Good in St. John's! 
THE SUN NEVER SETS IN ROTARY 2026
The Game Changer
