District Peace Fellowship Announced

In November, the Rotary Foundation notified our District that Amelia Charles from Deerfield, MA was chosen as our District’s first ever Rotary Peace Fellow. It was very appropriate that the application and interview process for Amelia took place during a year when the Rotary theme was Peace Though Service.

The Rotary Peace Fellowships program develops leaders who are catalysts for peace and conflict resolution in their communities and around the globe, one of Rotary’s Six Areas of Focus. Each year up to 100 Rotary Peace Fellows are chosen to participate in a master’s degree or certificate program at one of our partner universities. Fellows study subjects related to the root causes of conflict and explore innovative solutions that address real world needs. We have peace centers located around the globe.

In September, Amelia will be leaving for West Yorkshire, England to begin a 15 month Masters Degree Program at Bradford University. On her application she wrote, “In this master's degree, I want to develop my analytical understanding of peace and conflict and my technical and theoretical skills in a range of issues related to development. With a specific focus on the Middle East and Africa, I also aim to understand the interlinking contemporary and historical challenges facing sustainable peace in these regions.”

She earned her Bachelor’s Degree at Naropa University in Boulder, Colorado concentrating in peace and religious studies, participated in numerous peace programs and was awarded several certificates in peacemaking.  Currently she is working for the Al Khatim Adlan Center for Enlightenment and Human Development in Kampala, Uganda and Khartoum, Sudan.  The Al Khatim Adlan Center (KACE) is a non-governmental and non-profit organization established in 2007 in Khartoum, Sudan and registered in Uganda in 2010. Through human and cultural development projects, KACE implements a varied program that works to establish the conditions for long-term peace and stability in Sudan. The KACE vision is to see a democratic and multicultural Sudan, where all people are equal in dignity, rights, and opportunities.

When asked why she applied for the Rotary Peace Fellowship, Amelia wrote, “As a result of both personal and professional experiences during my time in Sudan, I feel strongly committed to working in development in the Middle East and Africa, areas of ongoing political and religious tension. Graduation from a Rotary Peace Center university will support this career goal in a number of ways, especially through connecting with the dynamic network of Rotarians.”