Dear Rotarian Friends,
There is war in Ukraine, in Europe! The Russian aggression is directed specifically against the Ukrainian civilian population in violation of international law. The recent attack on the children’s hospital in Kyiv which left many dead and injured is just another terrible illustration.
The German District Governors‘ Council (DGR) with the 15 German districts and the Rotaract Germany Committee launched an initiative on 26 February 2022 and established a Task Force:
WAR
IN EUROPE
AID THROUGH
ROTARY
The achievements of Rotary and Rotaract clubs and their members, often in cooperation with international friends, are impressive and highly commendable. But war and suffering continue, with no end in sight. For us as free Europeans, including Germans it is quite understandable that after 79 years of peace, we find it difficult to comprehend the war situation and the suffering of the Ukrainian people. Almost every Ukrainian family is affected, relatives are killed or missing, many are refugees or displaced.
As Rotarians, we cannot bring peace to Ukraine, but we can show empathy and continue to try to alleviate the suffering of the people in Ukraine and the Ukrainian refugees seeking protection in neighbouring countries and here in Germany and we can enable these people to continue living in dignity.
„We are very grateful to you, and we need your help.“
This was the key message from our Ukrainian Rotarian friends when members of the Task Force visited them in Kyiv in June 2024.
How can we continue to help, with projects or with donations?
The DGR Task Force (Chief Coordinator PDG Armin Staigis, click for email) has developed four courses of action:
-
On-site Aid within Ukraine
-
Refugee Aid in neighbouring countries of Ukraine
-
Refugee Aid in Germany
-
Maintaining contact with Rotarians in and from Russia
What will be the focus of these areas of activity in the coming months? Together with the Ukrainian friends of District 2232, the following priority areas have been identified for aid within Ukraine (Coordinator Fritz Hohnerlein, click for email), also with a view to the coming winter:
- Medical aid – medical stations, equipment, medicines, ambulances, telemedicine, mental health
- Energy – medium/small generators, solar panels, warm clothing
- Purification systems for clean water
- Support of projects for children/young people and their mothers
In order to advise and support clubs and districts with their projects and donations the Task Force has appointed Special Representatives for the following areas of aid:
- Medical stations – Carola Schwank (click for email)
- Energy – Klaus Brodbeck (click for email)
- Clean water – Klaus-Günther Strack (click for email)
- Medical aid with action medeor – Frank Dörje (click for email)
In addition to the many existing excellent medical aid projects, we want to work more intensively with action medeor, the emergency pharmacy of the world, in the future.
Friendly and trusting cooperation with Ukrainian District 2232 and the Ukrainian clubs remains particularly important for continuing successful project work. This can be deepened by more club partnerships, especially with German clubs – and where ever possible by extending existing city partnerships. Fritz Hohnerlein is available to provide advice and support.
With regard to aid for Ukrainian refugees in neighbouring countries (Coordinator PDG Udo Noack), it is important to continue the support of existing local projects in these countries through club partnerships and Intercountry Committees and to extending these projects and trying to add new ones.
This has been an excellent successful cooperation from the outset, e.g. with our Rotarian friends in Poland, the Baltic States, Romania and Moldova, and needs to be continued and extended in the areas of medical aid (medication, ambulances, support for clinics, mental health), child and youth welfare measures (support for daycare centres, summer camps) and aid for refugee facilities.
Udo Noack will help with the exchange of information and networking.
While our refugee aid in Germany (Coordinator PDG Henning von Vieregge) initially focussed mainly on reception, accommodation and the provision of everyday requirements, two aspects in particular have now come to the fore after more than two years:
- Integration of Ukrainian refugees into the German labour market, which has had limited success so far. Our local Rotary networks should be utilised for this purpose (including leaders in chambers of industry and commerce, chambers of crafts, employers‘ associations and trade unions, administrations, but also entrepreneurs, chief physicians, etc.).
- Secondly, it is about the social integration of Ukrainian refugees, especially children and young people, e.g. in sports clubs and other meeting opportunities.
Henning von Vieregge will continue his online series on these topics for the exchange of information and opinions in order to provide clubs and districts with suggestions for their own local initiatives based on project examples.
This DGR initiative includes an important extension of the Ukraine aid programme by efforts to maintain contacts with Rotarians in or from Russia (Coordinator PDG Jörg Dienenthal (click for email)), even if this has proven to be difficult so far and requires great care.
Another approach in this regard is to find members of Russian Rotarian clubs who now live in Germany or other European countries. Perhaps a network could be formed via this circle of Rotarian friends.
Following last year’s positive experiences, there are two Rotarian initiatives this year, where participation from Russia is expected and connections could be made:
- The next Rotarian sailing flotilla in the Seychelles, 23.10.–02.11.2024; information via Jörg Dienenthal
- The German-Russian Youth Camp „Music for Peace“ in Izmir/Turkey, 26.10–02.11.2024 (organised by District 1930). Information and registration via mail: musik-fuer-den-frieden.de
Further comprehensive information on the DGR initiative „War in Europe – Aid through Rotary“ can be found on the website rotary-fuer-ukraine.de
Two ways of Participation are possible:
Initiate a Project
and/or
Donate for Ukraine Aid
The Task Force with the Coordinators of the courses of action, the Special Representatives for aid in Ukraine and the Representatives in the German districts and the Rotaract Germany Committee will provide support in project development.
Detailed project offers can be found or actively submitted on the website https://rotary-fuer-ukraine.de under the heading „Offers, Requests & Projects“.
Clubs that are or are planning to become active in supporting people in Ukraine or Ukrainian refugees can receive financial support:
- by applying for District and/or Global Grants from the Rotary Foundation, and
- by applying for grants for projects from the Donations Committee of this German Governors Council’s initiative.
Further Information on this is available on: https://rotary-fuer-ukraine.de in the sections „Grants for Rotarian Club Projects“ and „Foundation Support for Districts (TRF)“.
The second way of supporting projects can and may continue to be donations:
Keyword „Humanitarian Aid Ukraine“ to Rotary Deutschland Gemeindienst e.V. (RDG):
IBAN DE80 3007 0010 0394 1200 00
A distinction can be made by specifying the respective project number:
- For general projects – project 2481
- For the DGR priority projects:
Medical stations – project 2371;
Generators – Project 2372;
Clean water – Project 2373.
Every donation is very welcome, the funds are quickly passed on to the clubs and used to provide effective help.
The DGR Task Force would like to thank everyone in the Rotarian family, especially on behalf of the Ukrainian Rotarian community, for their exemplary support so far. This aid is still requested and urgently needed. Everyone is asked to do so for the people affected by this terrible war. Please take this message to the clubs and our members.
This is our „peace work“ now!
With best regards
Armin Staigis
Past Governor 2022/23
Rotary District 1880
Chief Coordinator
German Governors Council
“War in Europe – Aid through Rotary“
RC Chemnitz-Schlossberg