In June, a delegation of eight Stop Hunger Now employees traveled to Seoul, South Korea, for the 2016 Rotary International Convention. At the Convention, we had the opportunity to engage with Rotarians from all over the globe about Stop Hunger Now’s vision for a world without hunger, as well as about our upcoming efforts in honor of Mandela Day, Monday, July 18.
Stop Hunger Now encourages people around the globe to package meals in honor of this special day, or to devote 67 minutes to making a positive difference–one minute for every year of Nelson Mandela’s inspiring life. We spoke with Stop Hunger Now volunteer and Club President-Elect Leah Griffith from Rotary District 5100 in Newberry, Oregon at the Convention about this exciting movement.
Q: What do you know about Nelson Mandela?
A: I know that he sacrificed his freedom and spent a majority of his lifetime in prison for taking a stance against apartheid. I know that he was a global leader.
Q: What does it mean to you to be a global citizen?
A: To be a global citizen means to be aware and thoughtful about conditions around the world. It means one is thoughtful about what people are going through no matter where they reside, and understanding the diversity of our world.
Q: Stop Hunger Now is focused on creating a global commitment to mobilizing the necessary resources for the world’s most vulnerable by providing food and life-changing aid. Why is this global commitment important to you? How can you volunteer to be in service to someone else?
A: This is a big project but we need to think of it as something we can truly alleviate. It’s going to take all of us working together, and it will take people who are committed to taking a real proactive action.
Q: What can you do in 67 minutes to make the world a better place?
A: I have a local homeless shelter in our community that collects and assembles resource bags for local citizens in Oregon. I’m going to commit to working with them for 67 minutes on Mandela Day this year!
Q: Mandela has a famous quote where he challenges the next generation by saying, “It is in your hands to make our world a better one for all.” How do you answer that call?
A: I will continue my involvement with Rotary, especially moving into my new role as president of our local club. I will continue to attend conferences like this one and participate in taking actions on the global stage, and be a part of the bigger world picture!
Please visit our Mandela Day page to find out how you can participate, and follow the conversation on social media using the hashtags #MandelaDay and #FollowtheSun.
