Peace Park
Posted by Doug Fleming on Nov 07, 2016
Kitt Brand spoke at Monday's meeting about the Waterton - Glacier International Peace Park. Kitt started her talk by giving a brief history of how the park was started by the Rotary Club of Cardston who hosted a meeting of 100 Rotarians from Alberta, Saskatchewan and Montana in July 1931. The group met with the goal to establish the first permanent International Peace Park because Rotarian had seen the horrors of the Great War and realized the world was heading for another conflict. This group of Rotarians managed to accomplish the unbelievable feat of convincing the Canadian and US governments to pass the legislation to establish Waterton - Glacier as the first International Peace Park in three months. Since that time, the park has hosted annual Hands Across the Border Assemblies and ceremonies, alternating between Waterton and East Glacier. To date, there are now 138 International Peace Parks throughout the world.
As part of 2016's 84th Hands Across the Border Assembly, an intensive International workshop was held. Delegates from 10 nations (Africa, Asia, Australia, Canada, Europe, Middle East, South Africa, South America, Canada and the United States) around the world attended to promote transborder conservation, environment and international peace parks. In addition, Rotary Youth Exchange students participated. The workshop also celebrated the 100th Anniversary of the US National Parks Service. As a result of this workshop 17 projects were identified and started.
In closing, Kitt reminded us of the importance of these Peace Parks as they help us to remember, Rotarians promote peace. She also put in a plug to encourage more members to attend these ceremonies held every year in September. If you have never attended one of these assemblies, the Hands Across the Border ceremonies is a very powerful event that helps you appreciate how lucky we are to live in a country like Canada.