Rotary World President in Sri Lanka

President of Rotary International, Jennifer E. Jones, has arrived in Sri Lanka on Sunday on a four-day official visit.  

First woman President of Rotary International, the world’s foremost service organization that also has a seat in the UN General Assembly, has selected Sri Lanka as one of the countries to visit on her global ‘Imagine Tour of Jennifer Jones’, a statement said.

The tour is in line with the Rotary theme for the year “Imagine Rotary”, as she urged people to dream big and harness the power of Rotary to turn those dreams into reality. During her tour to Sri Lanka, Jennifer Jones will officially launch many key projects and engage in some of Rotary’s ongoing flagship projects. Her visit also serves to recognize the great work that has been accomplished by local Rotarians, Rotaractors and Interactors

Ms Jones will plant a tree as part of the Rotary One Million Trees project to grow back Sri Lanka’s depleted forest cover. She will then visit the Stock Exchange of Sri Lanka to highlight the importance of environmental sustainability and responsibility by the private sector that includes gender diversity and inclusive decision making in the corporate world.

One of the highlights of Jennifer Jones’ visit will be the handing over of the first consignment of urgently required to the Ministry of Health. The medicines are part of a $10 million Life Line project that is funded by Rotary for the people of Sri Lanka in partnership with UNICEF. She will visit the Rotary funed Cancer detection center, undertaken in partnership with the Ministry of Health. Given the importance of youth, Ms Jones will present IT scholarships to selected youth as part of Rotary Sri Lanka’s program to provide 500 IT scholarships from a campus in Philippines together with the Sri Lankan embassy in Philippines with the partnering organization being the National Youth Council, Ministry of Youth Affairs.

 Jennifer Jones is the Founder President of Media Street Productions Inc.- a 25-year-old award winning media company based in Ontario, Canada.

Ms Jones has held key roles in the hierarchy of Rotary such as Rotary Foundation Chair, Rotary International Vice President and Co- Chair of the ‘End Polio Now: Make History Today’ campaign by raising funds alongside Bill and Melinda Gates and their foundation. Her talents have strengthened Rotary impact globally. Ms Jones has earned respect in the world of Rotary for ‘Experiential fund raising’ such as the Rotary Polio Golf Day with Jack Nicklaus in Florida, USA which netted in $ 5.25 million for polio eradication in one day. Working alongside political figures, celebrities and global leaders she uses her voice to create awareness and raise hundreds of millions of dollars to eradicate disease, support peace, and provide clean water and sanitation in the developing world. Her expert skill of storytelling inspires hope and promise and motivates people to take action. Some of the many awards and recognitions

Ms Jones has received several awards including Rotary’s Service Above Self Award, Citation for Meritorious Service, the YMCA Peace Medallion, the Queens Diamond Jubilee Medal.

Rotary is the leading service organization globally and in Sri Lanka it is the most dynamic humanitarian organization that has a purpose of “Giving new hope to Sri Lankans who are facing tough challenges due to the macro-economic fall-out. We in Rotary will make a difference to your life,” said the District Governor for Rotary in Sri Lanka Pubudu De Soyza. Rotary Sri Lanka has organized a ‘Charity Black Tie Banquet’ on Wednesday 14th December in honour of Ms Jones’ visit. The event, which is supported by the Ministry of Tourism, will be graced by Ranil Wickremasinghe, the President of Sri Lanka, representatives from the diplomatic corps, and other dignitaries including Industry leaders.

Pix by T.K.G. Kapila