District Conference 2025

This page give a flavour of the conference, with the carousel above running through some pictures. A full report will be published in the next District Magazine.

22nd and 23rd March saw our second District 1320 Conference, in the Alona Hotel, Strathclyde Park.

The fun started on the Friday evening with a quiz, which looks to becoming a regular feature, before the main event started on Saturday.

Saturday opened with a welcome from Deputy Lord Lieutenant of Lanarkshire (and D1320 Rotarian) Margaret Morton, while RI President Stephanie's representative Mark DiBiase and his wife Rhonda told us to tear up the Rotary Action  Plan - well, not in the way that sounds!

Former First Minister of Scotland Lord Jack McConnell gave us some tales of his time in office and inspired us with his charity the McConnell International Foundation, whose work in Malawi chimes so closely with Rotary's aims and work, and Anna Fowlie, CEO of the Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations told us of their work and the help they can offer third sector organisations.

In the afternoon Shahid Khan, a Rotary Peace Scholar, told us about advancing peace, and Professor Tracy Morse was almost drowned out by rain on the marquee roof while describing some environmental challenges on International Water Day, a talk which gave perspective to many aspects of interlinked environmental factors.

DG Narek also gave a moving account of his visit to Syria, delivering aid collected by ours and other Districts folllowing the earthquake two years ago, when political and economic turmoil in the area meant we were unable to get it to the people who needed it. There will be more on this in the next magazine.

On Sunday, Immediate Past RI President Gordon McInally held delegates spellbound as he described his experience in Rwanda, as the country seeks to rebuild after the genocide some 20 years ago.

Many people asked to see the clip Gordon showed of his talk on this at the Singapore Convention again, and you can see it at https://youtu.be/hQgt329q3M0?si=_ll7EMWcsaUFhH4m.

Two clubs, Eyemouth & District and Ayr, then competed for the Community Challenge. In a close race, Ayr came out victorious but generously donated part of the prize to Eyemouth.

PDG Agnes Ritchie told us of tke progress of our mental health initiative and we heard from three of the ten Global Scholars in our District. And the baton was passed to DGE Brenda...

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As ever we are grateful to Rotarian Peter Croan for being offical photographer, and the full set of Peter's photos can be viewed here.