Reporter: Sandy Currie
Visiting Rotarians: Mark Bedford (Penticton Rotary),Ulla Coco (Copenhagen, Denmark) and Catherine Poln
Visitors: Lia Warden (Mustard Seed Victoria) and Erin Gray
Guest Speaker:
Katie DeRosa, Rotary Global Grant Scholar, and Times-Colonist journalist was our guest speaker. She used the scholarship to pursue graduate studies at the London School of Economics (LSE). The end result was her successful completion of the requirements for a Master of Science in International Migration and Public Policy.
Her dissertation titled ‘Frontex and Fundamental Human Rights’ was based on practical research she carried out on the ground in Calais at the refugee camp. Here she helped the Syrian refugees streaming into France and badly needing the basic human rights of food, shelter and medical attention.
As part of the LSE group she partnered with members of Amnesty International. Katie then detailed her experiences and observations in a series of four blogs aimed at breaking the barriers the refugees faced as well as destroying stereotyping. These Syrians had been portrayed as people who had nothing positive to contribute and would only be a drag on whichever country they ended up in. However, most were actually professionals (medical doctors, lawyer etc,) who would make significant contributions wherever they went.
When Katie returned to Victoria she used this invaluable experience as a foundation for writing articles related to the plight of Syrian refugees.
It was a well-researched heart-felt presentation to the club members and guests who fortunate enough to have attended the meeting.
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