Portland Oregon's Roteract recently held its 2012 Peace Symposium, and RAGM Director Steve Bell was asked to present on Microcredit's role in supporting peace. With a full agenda of speakers, on a variety aspects of promoting peace through education, the Symposium was an informative event for all involved. 

Kicking off with Keynote speaker Lou Radja, President of the Portland Pearl Rotary club, and his address on Seeds of Hope Through Education, the Symposium brought together students, community members and Rotarians in the morning to learn about the AICP Wholistic Peace Institute at Concordia University, Native American Educational Leadership, and the Jubitz Family Foundation Rotary World Peace Fellowship.  Building on this attendees were focused on the idea of local and global involvement and heard Michael J. Caruso, Rotary District 5100 Governor speak about Thinking Internationally: The Path Ahead for Rotary and Education and its impact on peace. 

In an effort to highlight Microcredit's role in promoting peace, Steve Bell took the stage to present "Microcredit: Education and Life Support". Having recently visited Grameen Foundation in Washington DC, Steve posed the question of the relationship of Microcredit and Peace to Dr. Muhammad Yunus. In his reply, Dr. Yunus stressed that there are many root causes for violence in this world, and many have to do with lack of hope for the future. Microcredit helps individuals achieve self-sufficiency, building strong families and more peaceful communities. Economic self-sufficiency can also reduce the number of cross border conflicts.

To learn more about Microcredit and Peace please join RAGM for our Breakout session at the 2012  Rotary International Convention in Bangkok

"Peace and Prosperity through Microcredit"
Time - Monday, May 7, from 14:30 to 16:00
Location - Phoenix Rooms 1-4
We are excited that Dr.  Muhammad Yunus, who will be a plenary speaker at the conference, will also participate in this RAGM Breakout Session.  Dr. Yunus will give an overview on how microcredit supports social business, with regional perspectives from Emily Guegbeh Peal (Liberia),  Zar Wardak (Afghanistan) and Sathianathan Devaraj and Satish Devaraj (India). Deborah Lindholm, RAGM Director, will chair the session.