PDG Nabil Oudeh Recipient Of 2020 Zone 28 Donald MacRae Peace Award

Every year, our Zones honor Rotarians, Rotary alumni or Rotary-based organizations whose lives and work exemplify Rotary’s passion to strive toward international service and peace.
 
This tradition started in then-Zone 22 in 2004 to honor Donald MacRae, a Rotarian from the Rotary Club of Halifax, Nova Scotia.  Back in 1921, MacRae pushed for Rotary to expand its community base and think in terms of global service. As a result, at the International Convention held that year in Edinburgh, Rotarians unanimously agreed to incorporate international peacemaking into Rotary’s incorporating documents with these words, “The advancement of international understanding, goodwill, and peace through a world of fellowship of business and professional persons united in the ideal of service.”  Today, we know those words as the Fourth Object of Rotary, and they are the basis for all the international work – from club service trips to Polio Plus – we do today.
 
When our two Zones, 28 and 32 came together in 2011, it was decided that two Awards – one in each Zone – would be presented. Then, last year, senior Zone leaders once again reviewed and rethought the criteria to be more in keeping with a changing Rotary, and it was decided to create one expanded judging panel for the award.  With this change, the judges are drawn from senior Rotarians across our two Zones who are themselves committed to international service and the ideals of peace, and they will serve three-year terms on a revolving basis. 
 
The judging panel was led this year by Past RI President Wilf Wilkinson.  Members of the panel were past RI Director Ken Grabeau; past Trustee Carolyn Jones; PDG and WASRAG chair Ron Denham, and Rotarian David Ives.  The group includes three past Donald MacRae recipients and one Nobel Peace Prize finalist.  Rounding out the Donald MacRae team are administrators Dan Doherty (Zone 28) and Marty Helman (Zone 32). She stayed on one final year to assist with transition.  The Administrators will also serve revolving three-year terms in the future. 
 
This year, during their deliberations, the judges decided to present awards for 2019 as well as 2020.  As a result, the four winners recently selected are:
  • Dr. Benjamin Doz, Rotary Club of Edmonton West, District 5370 – ophthalmologist who has led service teams that provide eye care in Guatemala annually since 1998 - 2019 Zone 28 selectee.
  • Emily Gould, Rotary Club of Lebanon, NH, District 7850 – co-director of African Peace Partners, founding member of Mediators Beyond Borders - 2019 Zone 32 selectee.
  • Nabil Oudeh, Rotary Club of Ottawa, District 7040 - president and founder of Conflict Resolution International - 2020 Zone 28 selectee.
  • Lonnie Hackett, nominated by the Rotary Club of Brunswick, Maine, District 7780 – Global Grant Scholar, president and founder of Healthy Learners, Zambia - 2020 Zone 32 selectee. 
Profiles of all past winners are available on the Zone website: https://portal.clubrunner.ca/50077/SitePage/donald-macrae-award.
Do you know a Rotarian, Rotary alumni or Rotary-based organization that should be honored in this fashion?  Read about the Donald MacRae award on the Zone website and look for the call for nominations next spring.