Lars-Olof Fredriksson

16 bodies are recovered from the Italian cruise ship Costa Concordia, and 16 is still missing. Meanwhile, salvage workers are to begin pumping out fuel. Costa Concordia hit rocks January 13. (see picture)

STORY HIGHLIGHTS

Captain told a friend managers pressured him to steer toward the island, newspapers say
He told court officials he was helping with lifeboats and realized he was off the ship
But in a taped conversation, he tells the friend he left after the ship began listing, paper says
Sixteen people are dead and 16 others missing after Costa Concordia hit rocks January 13

Kabul, Afghanistan (CNN) Allied forces have suffered heavy losses in Afghanistan in a helicopter crash that killed 6 U.S. Marines and an attack that killed four French service members.

STORY HIGHLIGHTS

Six U.S. Marines were killed in the helicopter crash, a U.S. military official says
French troops killed by an Afghan soldier were unarmed at the time, an official says
Sarkozy says France may bring its troops home early if security is not restored
NATO chief Rasmussen pays tribute to four French soldiers killed in Afghanistan. It raised the prospect of France withdrawing its troops early.

The United States should use the "utmost caution" as it makes the Asia-Pacific region a key focus of its new military strategy, China's state media says. (CNN)

STORY HIGHLIGHTS

President Barack Obama unveiled U.S. military strategy which will focus more on Asia
Amitai Etzioni says many voices in U.S. policy assume we should see China as potential enemy
China has made provocative moves, but its forces are dwarfed by the U.S. military
Etzioni: Rather than prepare for war, U.S. should reach out to improve relations with China

PEACE IS POSSIBLE

Lars-Olof Fredriksson

When I took my position in the Rotary International Board of Directors (2008-10) world understanding had a high priority on my personal agenda.

Rotary, transcending all boundaries, reaching all cultures and civilizations, means huge world vide and permanent service possibility as a part of the World Community and mankind in its whole.

We must find ethical, constructive and tolerant way to all handlings and activities to be credible and trustworthy.

It means that there must be an ongoing dialog between fellowmen and their philosophy of religion, culture and ethnic back ground. We need a dialog now more than ever as basis of peace.

We have to struggle for peace in our near surroundings and crises far off with humanitarian work and ethical consciousness, meet the peace obligations and lend our hand and knowledge where ever needed. War is all around us, but also the hope of peace as a mirror of the human consciousness.

As a retired officer I feel strongly for all peace efforts, talking about international understanding and good relationship to people in all civilizations and cultures. Rotary in its whole is a peace movement and our peace programs are serving that aim. (look at the PDF PROGRAM DOWN HERE)

RI Peace LOF 2011.pdf (966 kB)
THIS PDF WAS MADE FOR THE PEACE FORUM NOT HELD IN EGYPT

Ajankohtaista

KIRJOITTAMISEN HYVÄT JA PAHAT

21.1.

MIKÄ ON NORMAALIA?

20.1.

PERHESURMAT

11.1.

SIUNAUSTA TARVITAAN

8.1.

NATOUHO TURHANAIKAISTA

1.1.

Aiemmat uutiset

US MILITARY (click the picture)

The US is to withdraw some 7,000 combat troops from Europe, Defence Secretary Leon Panetta has announced, as part of measures to reduce military spending. The troops, making up two combat brigades, will be replaced with rotational units to ensure a continued strong presence in the region, he said. The US currently has four combat brigades stationed in Europe - three in Germany and the fourth in Italy. Each brigade has about 4,000 members. The troops have regularly been deployed from Europe to combat duties in Iraq or Afghanistan. In his announcement last week, Mr Obama said the tide of war was receding and that the US must now focus on renewing its economic power. He was seeking to end "long-term nation building with large military footprints", he said, and instead allow the Pentagon to pursue a national security strategy based on "smaller conventional ground forces". In the future, the US "will no longer need to be sized to support the large-scale, long-term stability operations that dominated military priorities and force-generation over the past decade".

SUMMARY OF IA 2012

ALL IA 2012 RESOURCES HERE

PEACE SPEAKER IN BANGKOK

PEACE CENTRES

REACHING 200 USD MILLION CHALLENGE

READ "THE ECONOMIST" FOR POLIO

Rotary’s Challenge for polio eradication has reached the US$200 million milestone. The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation has awarded The Rotary Foundation an additional $50 million grant, which is not a challenge grant, in recognition of Rotary's early achievement of this milestone.