Experiencing Rotaract UN Days

Rotaract UN Days is an inspiring event that brings together Rotary ­International Representative ­Network, Rotary, Rotaract, the United Nations and other leading international organisations based in Geneva. This unique opportunity, open to public, is designed to inspire and empower the next generation of young leaders from around the world, who will gain valuable insights into how they can contribute to building a more peaceful world through human rights, health, economic development, peace and science. The event is organised by Rotary International that has the ECOSOC (Economic and Social Council) consultative status at the United Nations.

The programme was organised at the United Nations office in Geneva, Switzerland, from Oct 30 to Nov 2, 2024. It brought together global diplomats and members of Rotary and Rotaract to discuss the sustainable development goals and global issues.

The event was a platform for the clubs of various countries to represent their projects and gain international support for their work. There were various talks on the aspects of multilateral cooperation in terms of its importance and ways to promote it. Topics such as multilateralism and its impact, refugees’ and migrants’ challenges, and intellectual property issues were informative and interesting.

On the inaugural day, RI representative Sanela Music detailed about the significance of the Rotaract UN Days programme. UN director general Tatiana Valovaya spoke about the role of Rotary and other NGOs in fostering international collaborations. Swiss ambassador Dr Walter B Gyger spoke about the importance of multilateralism and the global tragedies that could occur if nations do not cooperate. UNICEF goodwill ambassador Gaby Moreno and Rotaractors from various countries engaged in a panel discussion regarding the ­challenges and concerns of immigrants and refugees.

RI President Stephanie Urchick spoke about Rotaract and its activities worldwide, and its role in bringing together individuals for the betterment of the community. A Q&A session anchored by Rotary Geneva International representative Mathew ­Kilgarriff had Stephanie highlight the goals of Rotaract. She urged ‘double-pinned members’ (dual members) to act as intermediaries between Rotary and Rotaract, implement a mentorship programme where each Rotaractor has a Rotarian mentor, and more Rotaract clubs to apply for global grants for their service projects. A panel discussion had Rotaractors from various countries talk about the role of youth in bringing about social change and the various developmental projects done by their clubs.

The second day’s events were held at the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO) office. WIPO, established in 1967, is the global forum for IP services, policy information and cooperation. Its contributions extend to shaping international IP laws, fostering innovation and addressing global challenges.

Daren Tang, director general of the WIPO, spoke on multilateralism, and elaborated on the work of the organisation and the importance of intellectual property. WHO director general Bruce Aylward recalled his association with Rotary and its End Polio efforts, and the challenges faced along the way. He also detailed about WHO’s work on healthcare in conflict and disaster zones.

Other topics such as intersection of IP and healthcare with regards to AI-generated and assisted healthcare products were informative. Bernard Kuiten, representative of the World Trade Organisation, spoke about the role of the WTO in geopolitics and conflict.

Members of the Global Shapers Community spoke about their ­mission and the projects they have done. It is an organisation that helps connect passionate changemakers from around the world, share ideas, learn from different perspectives and collaborate on projects with global reach.

Dr Rolf Heuer, head of particle physics at CERN (European Organisation for Nuclear Research) spoke about the challenges to peace and how through peaceful research CERN helps unite countries and form collaborations which aid in the development of revolutionary technologies.

We were given a tour of the CERN Science Gateway where we learnt about quantum physics, particle accelerator and saw exhibits from across our universe.

The event was a medium for constructive and informative discourse between the Rotaract club delegates from various countries as well as UN organisations on the importance of multilateral cooperation between nations. In these turbulent times of climate change and global crisis the future of the human species relies on our ability to work together to create a better tomorrow. There were opportunities to interact with other Rotaractors to gain better understanding of their nations and forge collaborative bonds between the clubs.

We also learnt about the working of the UN and its organisations such as the WHO, WTO and WIPO, and had the opportunity to interact with the people heading these organisations. The visit to CERN allowed us to see how research into the peaceful applications of physics can help countries work together setting aside their differences all the while leading to various advancements in technology that benefits humanity.

The writer is a member of RAC SRM KTR, RID 3234. He was the sole Rotaractor to represent India in the 2024 Rotaract UN Days programme