Rotary Day At The United Nations

Newtown High School students Kayla O’Leary, Sally Martinelli, Issyana “Inez” Indraswari, Ben Galassi, Shannon O’Gorman, Liz Eiserman, and Henry Summ attended the Rotary United Nations Day Youth Program at the UN’s headquarters in New York City on November 6, after being selected for the honor by the Newtown Rotary.

More than 1,100 Rotarians, UN officials, and Rotary youth program participants attended panel discussions on literacy, water, health, and youth activities as part of Rotary UN Day.

In 1942, Rotary Clubs from 21 nations organized a conference in London to develop a vision for advancing education, science, and culture after World War II. In 1945, 49 Rotarians went to San Francisco to help draft the UN Charter. Rotary and the UN have been close partners ever since.

The event was especially interesting for Inez Indraswari, who is in Newtown from Indonesia, as part of the Rotary Youth Exchange program. Inez is sponsored by the Newtown Rotary Club and is living and studying in Newtown during her senior year of high school. After the UN program the students also toured Saint Patrick’s Cathedral, Rockefeller Center, and other places.

Rotarians Aaron Coopersmith and Christopher Hoeffel accompanied the students to New York.

The Newtown Rotary Club comprises men and women who are in business and professions in the local community.