On Friday 1st March 2019, a delegation from Rotary International led by Mr. Bryn Styles visited Makerere University to evaluate the Institution’s potential to host the Rotary Peace Center in Sub-Saharan Africa. He was accompanied by Jill Gunter (Manager, Rotary Peace Centers Fellowship Program), Edward Kakembo, Ronald Kawaddira Ssentongo, Emmanuel Katongole- members of Rotary Club Uganda.

In December 2018, Makerere University through the College of Humanities and Social Sciences submitted a bid to host the Rotary Peace Centre. Makerere University is competing with Kofi Annan International Peace Keeping Centre, Ghana and the University of Nairobi-African Leadership Centre to host the Rotary Peace Centre.

The Rotary Peace Centre aims at promoting world peace by educating and empowering peacebuilders through a rigorous academic training, applied field experience, and global networking opportunities. Through this training, Rotary Peace Fellows develop the skills they need to serve as leaders and catalysts for peace and conflict resolution both in their local communities and around the globe.

The Centre to be established in Sub-Saharan Africa, is envisaged to offer a professional development certificate fellowship; a newly developed Rotary International program through which experienced leaders will gain tools for promoting peace and development. The program is a multi-faceted social impact fellowship emphasizing peace, development and leadership. It inspires social action and provides participants with a platform to hone their leadership skills and build robust regional networks for peace.

The Professional Development Program will be held twice a year and is expected to take up 20 peace fellows per cohort. Each cohort is envisioned to overlap with a future cohort to build networking opportunities and a sense of community as Rotary Peace Fellows.

The program components consist of:

• An online preliminary course to provide a baseline level of knowledge for entering participants
• A 10-week on-site resident course including field studies
• Regular mentoring check-ins and virtual peer learning sessions while fellows work on an individual plan that promotes peace and social change in their workplace or community.
• A one-week consolidation residential session where fellows will be invited to reflect and report on their social change efforts and impact.

In the meeting attended by Makerere University Management and the leadership of the College of Humanities and Social Sciences in the Main Building, Council Room, the Vice Chancellor Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe informed the delegation that peace and conflict; human rights and good governance; agriculture and food security are part of the six items of Makerere University research agenda.

“We have a rich history in peace and conflict management. We have nurtured some of the African leaders, prominent people, scholars and researchers in the world. The institution has built a formidable human resource over the past years and enhanced capacity for training and research. Makerere University has considerable expertise and experience positioning her favorably to undertake programmes for the Rotary Peace Centre,” he remarkably said.

The University Secretary Mr. Charles Barugahare assured the Rotary team of the University’s solid legal, regulatory, policy and governance framework to regulate its activities given the opportunity to host the Rotary Peace Centre.

“We also have reliable working systems, policies and procedures with an effective monitoring and evaluation mechanism to make a proper follow up on the procedures of the Centre,” he said.

After the meeting with the University Management and leadership of the College of Humanities and Social Sciences, the Delegation met with the members of staff in Peace and Conflict Studies, under the Department of Religion and Peace Studies for a specialized discussion.

Article by Mak Public Relations Office.