Rotary Peace Camp to Help Train West African Youth in Peace and Conflict Resolution

Former Rotary World Peace Fellow Richelieu Allison to kick-off peace caravan in November linking the first peace hut in Jendemah to ones in Liberia, Ivory Coast, Sierra Leone, and Guinea

JENDEMAH, Sierra Leone, August 17, 2010 - Rotary's Peace Camp, bringing together youth leaders, government
representatives, and traditional leaders from post-conflict and fragile
states in West Africa, including Liberia, Ivory Coast, Sierra Leone, and
Guinea, will take place on August 22-25, in Jendemah, Sierra Leone.

Rotary's Peace Camp, "Strengthening the Capacities of Youth Leaders to
Engender Human Rights, Peace Building, and Non Violent Conflict Resolution in
Post Conflict and Fragile States in West Africa," will train youth leaders in
peace and conflict resolution. A special cross-border training workshop will
also be held for immigration and law enforcement officers and traditional
leaders, like town chiefs and elders, living along the border area between
Liberia and Sierra Leone. Other events include a midnight peace parade, peace
vigils, and the dedication of the Rotary Peace Hut.

2006 Rotary World Peace Fellow Richelieu Allison, who is spearheading the
upcoming peace camp and is the vision behind the peace hut and peace caravan
says, "There is still a need to ensure that the people continue to reconcile
their differences." A native of Liberia, Alison knows the horrors of war. "I
saw summary executions. I witnessed the recruitment of my friends who, as
young as eight, were sent to the battlefront," he recalls.

Allison graduated from the Rotary Peace and Conflict Studies certificate
program at Chulalongkorn University, in Bangkok, Thailand - Rotary's first
graduating class from Thailand. Determined to restore peace to his country,
he returned home to continue working with the West African Youth Network, an
organization he helped to establish in 2001 that mobilizes and trains young
people to restore peace and human rights in West Africa.

Rotary International President Ray Klinginsmith notes that 641 Rotary
Center alumni, including 65 Africans, already are making a difference in
grass-roots efforts and key decision-making positions in governments and
organizations around the world.

"It is this growing network of peace fellows like Richelieu Allison, who
has returned to his homeland and is applying directly what he learned, that
makes me believe that peace is possible and Africa will have a peaceful and
prosperous future," said Klinginsmith.

Allison recently helped build the Rotary Peace Hut in Jendemah with help
from the Rotary Club of Freetown, Sierra Leone, and The Rotary Foundation. It
will be officially dedicated during the Peace Camp, on August 25. The palaver
hut, an important symbol of peace in West African culture, is where town
chiefs and elders settle conflicts.

In addition, Allison will kick-off a Peace Caravan this November linking
the first peace hut in Jendemah to seven others in post-conflict and fragile
states in West Africa. With help from the InterChurch Organization for
Development Cooperation (ICCO), and Kert In Actie, two Dutch based groups,
Allison will embark on a three-week peace caravan through Liberia, Sierra
Leone, Guinea and Ivory Coast. The aim of the caravan is to promote peace,
unity and reconciliation in the war-affected countries in West Africa and to
increase the involvement of local people in the peace-building process.

The caravan, comprised of two large buses with members of the West
African Youth Network and Rotary club volunteers from Liberia, Guinea, Ivory
Coast and Sierra Leone, will travel through major towns and villages in the
four countries and will undertake peace workshop and distribute messages of
peace, love and reconciliation. A small team of medical personnel to treat
people in the remote villages and town will also be part of the caravan.

The Rotary Centers for International Studies in peace and conflict
resolution launched in 2002 to help the next generation of government
officials, diplomats and humanitarian leaders develop the skills needed to
reduce the threat of war and violence worldwide.

Through a worldwide, competitive process, this program awards full
scholarships to up to 100 Rotary Peace Fellows each year. Fellows embark on
one-to-two years of study to earn a master's-level degree or a professional
certificate in peace and conflict studies at one of six Rotary Peace Centers
at leading universities in Argentina, Australia, England, Japan, the United
States and Thailand.

Rotary is an organization of business and professional leaders united
worldwide to provide humanitarian service and help to build goodwill and
peace in the world. It is comprised of 1.2 million members working in over
33,000 clubs in more than 200 countries and geographical areas. Rotary
members initiate community projects that address many of today's most
critical issues, such as poverty, disease and illiteracy.

Sandra Prufer + 1-847-866-3208, sandra.prufer at rotary.org, or Kiki Melonides +1-847-866-3134, kiki.melonides at rotary.org, both of Rotary International