Catch them Young

Carl Wilhem Stenhammar comes from a country that boasts the highest density of Rotarians in the world. For him,it all started with a tennis match back home in Sweden in 1974. “My wife and I were playing against a Rotarian couple and soon enough,we had more than tennis in common,” reminisces Stenhammar,chairman of the one of the world’s largest trust,The Rotary Foundation. Stenhammar was in Chandigarh for a two-day visit to review various projects being undertaken by the Rotary Club,some of which are funded through the Rotary Foundation,including the adult literacy project for the women living in Colony Number 5 and rainwater harvesting project in the Government High School,Sector 46.

“I have been to India before with my wife who works with WWF but this time around,I am really happy to be in Chandigarh where the Rotary Club is doing good work with local projects,” says Stenhammar who has been the world president of Rotary International in 2005-06. He has also steered Rotary International’s front-runner programme — that of polio eradication — with success. “If all goes well,we should have a polio-free world by 2011,” he says,going on to add,“The fight against polio has seen united effort by Rotarians around the world and I salute the Indian endeavour particularly.”

During his visit,Stenhammar will also address a congregation of about 200 Rotarians at Dr Ambedkar Institute of Hotel Management in Sector 42,Chandigarh. “The Rotary Foundation is funded through voluntary contribution from Rotarians. India,Japan and the United States alone account for 46

per cent of the Rotary population worldwide,and are among the largest contributors to the Foundation,” he adds.

Having travelled the world over (he’s a food broker for international products),the Swedish national rates youth programmes — be it cultural exchange programmes or scholarships — as investments of the future. “Cultural exchange programmes are like civilian peace programmes. We always view peace keeping with war as the backdrop but I feel civilian peace should be the focus in these times and rely on the youth to take the message forward,” he sums up.