UN representative speaks on peace as Rotary Int’l celebrates 106 years

M. Kiari Liman-Tinguiri

Members of Rotary Georgetown Central paying rapt attention to UN representative, M. Kiari Liman-Tinguiri during yesterday’s event to celebrate 106 years since Rotary International was established.

Rotary International on Wednesday, last, celebrated its 106th anniversary, in a month that has been designated World Peace and Understanding Month.
That day was also named World Peace and Understanding Day, with the Rotary Club of Georgetown Central hosting a luncheon to celebrate the event.
M. Kiari Liman-Tinguiri, Resident Representative of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) to Guyana was the special guest and he delivered an address on world peace.
He noted that the UN and Rotary International relationship dated back to 1945, a clear testimony of the achievements of civil society and the organization.
Speaking to members of the Rotary Club of Georgetown Central and other invitees at the Georgetown Club, the diplomat acknowledged that the past years have not been easy and there were numerous threats and challenges to peace, with the situation growing even more complex.
Despite the two world wars, he explained, the UN has grown stronger since drastic measures were introduced in 1965.
The Resident Representative defined peace as allowing humans beings the opportunity to live a decent life. The UN has seen its role expanding increasingly to help resolve conflict. Mr. Liman-Tinguiri stressed that while UN is there, it is ultimately its role to manage the various conflicts.
He explained that while in 2000, the UN’s peace keeping troops numbered around 20,000, this figure jumped five-fold by 2009 to 116,000. An estimated US$8.5B is being spent on peace-keeping exercises, he said.
It was also noted that the UN’s role has turned to other forms. These included, closer to home, the appointment of a Rapporteur to handle the Guyana/Venezuela border issue.
The official also fielded questions from the Rotarians yesterday.
Rotary International has more than one million business and professional leaders, who provide humanitarian services “to help build goodwill and peace in the world.”