Action 2 Impact Podcast with Gwen Jones
Since 2019, host Gwen Jones — a proud Rotarian — has been sharing powerful stories of extraordinary people who turn bold ideas into meaningful impact. While many guests are Rotarians making a difference through service, the heart of the Action 2 Impact Podcast goes far beyond any one organization. Each episode spotlights inspiring individuals from around the world who took a single step to make life better for others — and ended up changing communities, and sometimes the world.
Listeners will discover uplifting stories, practical inspiration, and proof that real change doesn’t require perfection or permission — just action. Because impact isn’t reserved for a select few. It starts with one person, one idea, and one step.
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Action 2 Impact Podcast with Gwen Jones
Rotary In The UAE Proves Misconceptions Fall When We Ask Better Questions
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We travel to the United Arab Emirates to learn what Rotary looks like on the ground when your clubs are truly multicultural and your youth programs are built as a pipeline. We challenge common misconceptions about the UAE, then dig into how Interact and Rotaract in Dubai grow from reactivation to real demand and measurable service.
• how Rotary operates in the UAE through the Association of Rotary Clubs and District 2452 across nine countries
• what “emirates” means and why the UAE structure feels familiar to Americans
• misconceptions about women’s roles and what leadership actually looks like in Dubai and beyond
• why Rotary being non-religious and non-political builds trust and makes service easier to scale
• the practical system behind UAE youth growth from Interact to Rotaract to Rotary
• real projects that drive momentum including blood donation drives, RYLA, professional development sessions, and the Rotary Youth Decoded podcast
• youth-led environmental action through an Interact Eco Summit, mangrove planting, and Rotary Eco Dubai
If you like the show, please tell a friend. We're also on YouTube and we blog. We hit the road quite often, so if you'd like the podcast to come your direction, RotarianPod at gmail.com, shoot me an email.
Join me as I talk to those "amazing people turning their Actions 2 Impact all over the world. #BE THE CHANGE
Why The UAE, Why Now
SPEAKER_01Hi there everyone, I'm Gwen Jones and welcome to this week's episode of the Action to Impact Show. I am so glad that you joined me. This week I'm going around the world to the United Arab Emirates to meet two amazing people who are gonna tell me about one of the fastest growing Interact and Rotoract regions in Rotary Internet. That's right, the United Arab Emirates is on the move. Now, let's kinda split this show into two parts, shall we? I'm gonna introduce you to my new friend Dr. Basil, and he's gonna tell you about all the wonderful things going on with Rotoract and Interact in Dubai and the other Emirates. But I feel, talking about myself here, that I don't know a lot about the Emirates. And how are they united? And what does that mean? And are there a lot of misconceptions about your country? Hey, if you remember, I did a great show a little while back speaking to a proud Rotarian in Moscow, in Russia. That's right. And she was energetic, and she was fabulous, and she was doing all the service-above stuff that us Rotarians are known for. So I wanted to like send me those same questions to the United Arab Emirates. What is it like living there? How old is your history? When you take the religion and the politics out of it? By the way, Rotary, non-religious, non-political, is it a region that's really amazing? Well, speak ahead. Yes, it's really amazing. And I'm gonna introduce you to two amazing people that are turning their actions into impact in one of the most oldest and amazing areas of this world. Here we go, we're getting to know about the Welcome Back Dr. Buddy World. I'm Interact Ripple and Rotor. But we're gonna have an entire show about the youth of Rotary, about some rotor actors and interactors that are blowing some other people away, and this collection of countries that I think I personally do not know enough about. In fact, I even just said countries and they're not. They're emirates. That's right. I am all the way off to the United Arab Emirates this week to crash and get rid of some misconceptions to introduce you to some amazing Rotarians, rotor actors, and interactors, and just have a totally wonderful uh conversation about fantastic culture that's been around for thousands of years, the amazing people that proudly call them Rotarians, and maybe a really great connection in what we may perceive and what actually is not true.
Meet The UAE Rotary Leaders
SPEAKER_01Doctor, I should say president, Elena, and Dr. Basil. And you know what? I didn't do the last name, so Basil, give me your official name and where you what what rotary position do you hold at this time?
SPEAKER_00Thank you so much for hosting us. Uh, my name is Basil Radwan. I am the youth service chair of Rotary Club of Jumeirah and uh serving as the Ryla and Interact Country Chair in UAE as well. And I'm so proud today to be hosted in your uh podcast, which I consider it as a window that we will look into the American community and introduce ourselves and our culture. And I'm so proud that President Elena joined us today, accepted to be a host, to be hosted as well. And I will hand it over to President Elena.
SPEAKER_01Yes, President Elena, because first of all, you're breaking a lot of myth right there with Miss President Elena. What is your official title, ma'am?
SPEAKER_02Thank you very much, uh Gwen. It's a pleasure to be here. My name is Elena Schildken, but we can skip the last name. I know that it's difficult for a lot of Americans. I had a lot of fun traveling America and they're trying to pronounce my name. Sheldon, yeah, I think I got it. You're doing well. So uh my official title is president of the Association of Rotary Clubs in the UAE. So we are licensed by the government under an authority that is called the CDA, and uh, we have one license for the Association of Rotary Clubs in the UAE, and under this license, associations, all the different clubs are operating. So in total, we have 14 clubs, nine rotary clubs, and uh five rotary clubs. I'm not sure about the number of interact clubs. Uh, Dr. Basel knows that better than me. I think they're about three. Is that correct?
SPEAKER_00Okay, yeah, increased by one this year and will increase by one next year.
SPEAKER_01Uh so four by 2027-2028. Is that what I'm hearing?
SPEAKER_00Actually, 25-26, they are four already. They will be five next uh rotary year. Bravo.
SPEAKER_01Okay, yeah, thank you. So, President Eleanor, would would we in the United States call you a district governor?
SPEAKER_02No, just governor is somebody else, so we are in the UAE, are part of District 2452, and this district is an interesting district because it consists of nine countries, so we are one of nine countries that form a district. So the other countries in our district are Bahrain, Jordan, Lebanon, Cyprus, Armenia, Georgia, Palestine, and Sudan. And the district governor is chosen for each one of the countries. We were proud enough to have the district governor last year. No, no, the year before. Last year was the governor from Cyprus, and the year before was the district governor was from the UAE, Hussein Al-Jaziri. And that changes so every year, and so the district governor runs the whole district, decentralized, and in each of the countries there is a DDG, so deputy district governor, and that then it trickles down to the AGs and then to the club presidents, the secretaries at the club. So that's the hierarchy, if you want to call it that way.
SPEAKER_01I so first of all, I have I have
How Rotary Is Structured There
SPEAKER_01so many, I would say, foundational questions to ask you. First of all, you are part of the United Arab Emirates. And if I understand that correctly, the way good old Chat GPT told me is that that consists of seven countries. But Dr. Basil, you were telling me that they're emirates. Please tell me the difference in those things.
SPEAKER_02Well, it's like in the US, it's like in the US, you have different countries which form the United States of America. So states in America will be emirates in the UAE. So that's the equivalent. So the UE were formed in 1971, actually, with six Emirates, and the seventh came to the union a year later. That was Rasal Kema joining as last Emirates. And since then, since 1972, they are seven Emirates that form the United Arab Emirates. So there is uh federal laws, there is Emirati laws, and you know, each one of the Emirates has their own ruling family and their own government, but there is also federal authorities and the federal government covering as a roof everything.
SPEAKER_01So it's very much like the United States. I mean, because we have there is, let's say, the state that I'm talking to right now is Boston, Massachusetts, and Boston has a governor and lieutenant governor, and they have a state Supreme Court, and they have state Congress, they have a whole governing body, and then there is, of course, the United States of all of those together that's run by a president and a Congress. So it's it's very similar. I guess one would say the difference would be well, I should say they're very much the same because what I can do in Massachusetts may be different than what I can do in another state or what I can do in another state. So it's it's it's it's fascinating. It is more like the United States than I think we give it credit for. Was that a pretty fair statement?
SPEAKER_02Yes, it's very similar. It's very similar. And you have, let's say, as I mentioned, federal laws that are applicable in all of the Emirates. And then for certain aspects, the Emirates are entitled to do their own laws in a certain area. So you would have Emory laws and ministerial decrees. So um, but yeah, it's very, very similar.
SPEAKER_01So I think one misconception that I think we should get easily away is that I think when the people watch this on YouTube, they'll see that there are two women on the screen and one dashing man. In other words, the president of this and they support women as well, but that the woman that is in charge of all of this UAU area in district, you said 2452 is a woman.
SPEAKER_02In the CE, yes, we have a shared responsibilities. As I mentioned, we have a license from the CDA. In the license, we also have uh general manager that is the chairman. So the chairman Ahmed bin Saleila has uh was instrumental in bringing rotary to the UAE in 2001. He was actually the founding person of the UAE, so he's very much involved. And I would say it's very much shared responsibility. So we have titles. Yes, I'm the president, he is the chairman, and then we have a full team that helps in the association office, and we of course work closely together with all the presidents and the secretaries, and we try to run the UAE in the rotary in the UAE as uh teamwork.
SPEAKER_01So it sounds to me like one of our biggest misconceptions that we can get out of the way is that somehow rotary is uh drastically different in uh uh the UAE than it is maybe in the EU or in any. I mean, it's it's run, rotary is run everywhere pretty much the same. Is that a is that a fair statement?
SPEAKER_02I would say definitely, because um, you know, we have our rotary international rules to abide by that um, you know, we have the same general rules, we have the same background, we have the same four-way test, and we are very much uh focusing
Emirates Explained With A US Parallel
SPEAKER_02on this. And what's maybe uh different is the international part, the one that you also want to be introduced to and want to focus in, and that we have so many nationalities. We're all our clubs are filled with uh people from different nationalities, from Asia, from Europe, from the Middle East, from America, from all parts of the world. So not only our district is uh quite multinational, but also our clubs are run by presidents from different nationalities. And uh, this is, I think, the uniqueness of, let's say, rotary in the UAE.
SPEAKER_01So we talk about these emirates and as as like states, and it's under this one body called these United Arab Emirates. What do you guys think is one of the biggest misconceptions about your beautiful countries? And I do say countries, what is what are some misconceptions that you think people may have, especially white all-American folks like me, who sometimes get spoon-fed, interesting formats that they that some people want us to believe. And I myself love to learn about other countries. So, what's something absolutely amazing that I should know about your wonderful countries? And President Elena, I'll start with you and then I'll move to to Dr. Basil. What's something I should really want to know about?
SPEAKER_02Not to fall into the trap of you know going into this gender discussion, but I think one of the biggest misconceptions is still, and I'm facing this since 35 years being in the country, and still in some parts has not changed. So I'm a lawyer, I'm a qualified lawyer in Germany, I run my own law office, and still to the day, some questions are there, what you as a woman can work as a lawyer there in this country. Is this true? How can this happen? And you know, you know, all these, let's say, wrong interpretations and wrong pictures that maybe some people want to portray about not only our country, but also about other countries. But you know, women are really the backbone of this country and many Arab countries. You know, we have uh women ministers and not me only as a president role. We have possibilities and options for women that I sometimes would wish they would have in Germany as well, and maybe in America as well. We have really big support for women, and if you go to the authorities, you will sometimes only see women in the jobs there. So maybe Dr. Basel can add to this because um I, for one, um I have never in these 35 years felt any hindrance to do whatever I liked. I was always welcome in this country, always supported, and I never felt any hurdles in my way. On the contrary.
SPEAKER_01Wow. I think that I think that's an extraordinary misconception. Absolutely. Dr. Bezil, what about you? What is what is one of the biggest things that we should give up thinking about your wonderful countries? Emirates. Sorry. I'm correcting it out.
SPEAKER_00Actually, I want uh to continue on what President Elena was saying because I just remembered now that not only the current president, we still have one week in this rotary year. So we do. We technically we stay we are still in 25-26, right? The incoming district governor of our district will be a woman from Lebanon. Yeah, and like many clubs, the presidents are women as well. Okay, let me add another thing. 2022-2023, the Rotary year, we were discussing in the board of Rotary Club of Jumeirah what we should call this year, or what theme shall we adopt. So we decided to go in line with the annual theme that year in the UEE, which was about women empowerment. So we said that this year will be the year of the Emirati women. We will shed the light on the success stories of the Emarati
Misconceptions And Women’s Reality
SPEAKER_00women. So I was honored to host in one of our fellowships Dr. Saad Shamsi. Dr. Suad, she is the first aviation engineer as Imarati women, a woman in UE. And her story is inspiring because as an Imarathi woman, the doors are open for those comfort uh employment and opportunities by the government or private sector. But she followed her passion and she started to learn a mechanical engineering in the industrial area. Imagine. Okay. So an Imaratim was fixing his car in that garage where she was working, and he said, Are you really Imarati leaving all the comfort zone and coming to a garage, working hard with the cars? She said, Yes, I love doing this. And what he said, he said, You have one minute. If you will talk to the ruler of Dubai, His Highness Czech Mohammed Barrashid al-Maktoum, what you will tell him? She said, I will tell him, give me the opportunity to have a scholarship in the United States or UK to study aviation engineering.
SPEAKER_01Aviation engineering? Wow, okay.
SPEAKER_00So he called the ruler. Apparently, he was in his closed circle. So he called the ruler and he gave her the phone. He told her, just tell him you're talking talk to this gentleman. He may be able to see it. Exactly. And he made it happen. Not only a bachelor degree, not only a master's degree, but even a like a PhD, a doctorate degree. And now she is leading uh the very successful projects of Emirates Airlines and Ittihad Airways, which is like two biggest operations in the uh aviation field.
SPEAKER_01Amazing, amazing. So do you feel, and and I I threw this out to both of you guys that that and and I would say this is a rotary problem in the sense that here's my culture, and why is your culture, quote unquote, so different than my culture, and yet your culture to you is just fine, but to me or the grand me, it feels different, or how could you live that way, or or how come this this these preconceived notions? And so I feel in Rotary, until we have conversations like this, we have those even in somebody as warm and loving as Rotary International, we have judgments. Do you think we could ever get rid of those judgments that somehow people that live in France are so much different that they they have a problem and they should change? But we have a lot of countries that are just really happy in their own wonderful cultures. So, do we need to learn to understand and accept more and maybe judge less or can or have them want to conform to make us more comfortable? Maybe.
SPEAKER_02Does that make sense? Yeah, so if you want to learn how to do this, exactly this, you have to come and uh experience time in Dubai. So we are very happy that uh hopefully in two years' time we are gonna eventually host the international conference, Rotary International Conference in Dubai 2029. And I hope that then a lot of people will take this advantage and travel to Dubai, come to
Dubai, Abu Dhabi, And Deep History
SPEAKER_02Dubai and experience our hospitality, our culture, and also the beauty of the many cultures that we have peacefully living together in our culture, in our country, in our Emirates. So, and I think for one, I can only encourage, I have not been, unfortunately, to any other Rotary International conferences, but there was a lot of, let's say, difficulties with traveling these days. So I decided not to go to Taipei. But I think these yearly annual conferences where Rotarians have the chance to just experience those different cultures and see how the people live in their country and find out, yes, they might be living different, different lives and have different cultures, but you know, to share this culture is just the the beauty of um us uh being Rotarians and sharing time together. Or if you come to Dubai and find out, well, in Dubai they don't live so different at all. We have a very modern country, we have uh City that looks like good American high-rise area in in New York or Chicago or wherever.
SPEAKER_01And I would argue even more beautiful. I mean, my gosh, the architecture alone is worth get hopping on an airplane and seeing Dubai at the very least.
SPEAKER_02Everything available that makes life uh um comfortable. We have good infrastructure, good schools, you know, any we have uh good security. So, and this is what makes Dubai attractive to many nationalities, many families, many companies setting up. So, Dubai is not for nothing a good, let's say I would call it business model. Yes, it is a business model, but you know, people feel safe here, people have opportunities here, companies, individuals doing business, retiring here, just coming to enjoy and spending this. Quite a lot of expats, quite a lot from a lot of Europeans are are are I mean it's a if we talk about Emiratis, and to your surprise, maybe I'm blonde and blue-eyed, but I have Emirati passport. We are only 15% anymore. So we when I came here 35 years ago, it was still 20. Now we're down to 15, and the rest is expatriates.
SPEAKER_01Wow, I think that would really surprise people because I think people would just naturally assume that it's filled with people from some of these other countries. I also, my last question, and then I want to learn all about these interactors and these rotoractors. Dubai is not the capital. No, Abu Dhabi is okay. So I grew up in a beautiful state here in Washington called Washington State here in the USA, and everybody thinks Seattle is the capital of Washington, of that state, because it's the largest city and it's the one that gets the most press. But I found it very interesting in doing my research that Dubai is not the capital. So is it a why is it Abu Dhabi? Am I pronouncing that correctly?
SPEAKER_02Abu Dhabi, yeah.
SPEAKER_01Okay, that is the capital. Is why is there historically a reason why that is the capital and not Dubai?
SPEAKER_02Well, historically, Dubai, I think, was more on the forefront and being the city of merchants, let's call it that way. Dubai was city of merchants, the trade was there, like the silk trade kind of yeah, creek is like a waterway, a creek, the DAOs would travel to all the neighboring countries. There was a lot of trade with India and all the other countries. So this made the area kind of popular around the creek, Dubai side, and but then later on, when the oil was found, it was found in the area of Abu Dhabi. So most of the oil that is there is in Abu Dhabi, and then traditionally, when there was eventually a constitution for the United Arab Emirates, it was decided that Abu Dhabi is the capital, and that the ruler is always from Abu Dhabi, and that the vice president is always from Dubai. So that's what is in the constitution.
SPEAKER_01Wow, okay, all right. So that's homework for all the listeners and viewers out there. Should we get to know your countries a lot more? Like maybe look up a good documentary and not feel so jaded, my word by your wonderful countries. Because I mean, I had to say before I did this interview, I did a quick dive into the centuries of trade and beliefs and tribes and customs, and it was really fascinating. It was absolutely fascinating. And as America celebrates 250 years, you can top that by several centuries with some of the amazing history of your land. So maybe we should do a little research and cast the judgments aside.
SPEAKER_02Yes, definitely. So if really people are out there are interested in the history, uh, one of the most brilliant historians writing about uh the UAE is actually a German lady married to a British gentleman. Um, he has passed away since, but he established the oil and gas business, David Hurd, and her name is Dr. Frauke Hurt Bey, and she has written one of the most comprehensive books about UAE history that you can find. She has had interviews with uh like President Zayed, she ran the archive in Abu Dhabi, she is still very prominent and working. So I highly recommend that you maybe follow, you know, whatever she has published.
SPEAKER_01So if that isn't breaking the stereotype molds right there, we've we've been talking to President Elena, and she's telling us to go check out this fabulous Dr. Bay's book, who's German, about learning about the wonderful areas. Yeah. Okay. So I hope that awakens a lot of people listening and watching us that there's more to this fabulous country, countries, whatever it's did it again, okay, then we give them a try. Now, let's get to the fun part. The average age that that same old chat GPT told me in that area is 31 years old in in the UAE.
The Youth Boom In UAE Rotary
SPEAKER_01And it learning that it does not surprise me, Dr. Basil, that you guys, like I said, here's my piece of paper. You guys are doing stuff like blood drives, podcasts, huge Ryla, an interact and eco summit. You guys have your rotoract and interact going crazy. First off, congratulations. Second of all, do you have the pixie dust? I mean, people are saying, oh, we can't get an interact or a rotaract going for the life of me. And now you're telling me that it's it's not only growing, but it's thriving. What is your what is your secret magic?
SPEAKER_00Actually, there is a fellowship in Rotary called uh uh Young Rotary or Rotarians. So I checked this fellowship and I found them describing it as uh a fellowship for rotarian for rotarians, those who have uh like young hearts.
SPEAKER_01Young hearts, okay.
SPEAKER_00Exactly. So the Rotary Youth Movement in UAE is very active to the point that we just received today, our youth just received today the golden award from the district in the district conference for the innovative and impactful project of Ryla. And they received another award for the PD sessions that they have done this year, which is the professional development sessions, and a third golden award for the lead like exceptional leadership. This is I'm talking about Rotaracti Club of Jomeira, that is sponsored by Rotary Club of Jomera. This is on the district level. We just they just won it today.
SPEAKER_01Congratulations!
SPEAKER_00Thank you, thank you so much. And last month, uh Rotary Club of Jomeira won the Golden Award for the Youth Service venue in the district, Rotary District uh conference as well. We have active and implemented, well-integrated youth movement in UAE between Rotarians, Rotary actors, and interactors. As you mentioned, why we don't know each other? Because we don't talk simply, either as nations or either as generations. So that's why I started by uh doing a podcast called Rotary Youth Decoded, to decode the rotary youth, to make them simplified the Rotarians to be understood.
SPEAKER_01So in this to do like what we've been doing here, like let's just get it out in the open of what is what's misconceived, what's you know exactly.
SPEAKER_00Rotary itself, it focuses on programs such as Rotary Youth Exchange program or the use to be exchange. Another program is the Rotary Friendship uh program for Rotarians to visit each other. If we talk more, if we open our hearts and minds and just host each other on podcasts or even in our houses or in our countries, we will understand each other and misconceptions will be reduced significantly. That's the point. We need to talk more. Like I just remember now that in in UE there is a ministry called Tolerance and Coexistence Ministry. Wow. Yeah. So this is what we need. We need the tolerance. We need to live together, coexistence, you know. And as President Elena mentioned, that UE in general and Rotary in UE is like a cosmopolitan society where everyone from everywhere learned how to live together and respect each other's traditions and beliefs as well. So you will find us in Rotary UEE celebrating Christmas together from different religions. You will find us celebrating Ramadan, the holy month of Ramadan, the Islamic holy month of Ramadan together. Those who fast and those who do not fast. So, and even Diwali, which is the uh Indian festival. Beautiful celebration, yeah. We celebrate it in Rotary UAE as well. Simply, we need to apply the values of Rotary. If we apply it, I believe the world will be a better place to live in. So, back to your question about the movement of Rotary in youth in uh in UEE. So we started three years ago by founding the or reactivating, let's say, the only interactive club that was active at at that time because it got deactivated. It's like uh a plant. You if you don't give it water every day, it will die. Absolutely. This is what happened. So we used to have an interactive club in one of the most important schools in Dubai since 2013, which we lost because no one was following up. So we started by reactivating them three years ago.
SPEAKER_01And that's not and that is not a UAE problem, let me say.
SPEAKER_00Exactly. It is a common problem, right? Because I because I travel, to be honest, and whenever I travel, I like to visit other rotary clubs and to to see, and I found that even our problems are common, not only our values, you know. So geography has nothing to do with that part at all. Exactly. Long story short, that only Interact club active in Dubai or in UE three, four years ago, the founding president who helped us to reactivate the club again to recertify it from Rotary International. Awesome. She became the district governor of the Interact. Imagine. So for two years, not for one year. They call it in Interact, they call it DIR, the District Interact Representative, which is equivalent to district governor in Rotary. So she made it two years. We nominated her for two years after founding the club. So this Rotary year, we founded another Interactive Club because we have demand. Now the parents are coming to us. And let me tell you a funny story, actually, that uh I'm really proud of. That a few weeks ago, I received an email from the Rotary International saying that someone submitted a case with us saying that, hi, I am 15 years old student based in Dubai. Do you have Interactive Club? I saw the the Interact activities on the internet, and I was wondering if I can join this uh club. So they die redirected her request to me. And now, just today, I received her signed consent from her parents to join the Interactive Club. So we started to have demand, even you know? Right. Rotary Club of Dubai reactivated their uh their interactive club. Dubai downtown, they sponsor uh an interactive club. In Jumeira, we have two interactive clubs. Rotary Club of Dubai contacted me saying that Rotar Act actually, Club of Dubai contacted me saying that we need to certify an Interactive Club school based as a Rotary Act. We want them to be certified. So actually, the club that was certified this Rotary year, which is Interactive Club of Jomira, is a community-based Interactive Club, is sponsored by Rotar Act and Rotary Club of Jomera.
SPEAKER_01This is again that so it seems to me like there that everybody is very connected, that that they're very supportive of each other on a multi-generational as well as multi-platform. So it isn't just Interact is being supported by Rotoract, it's Rotarians are supporting the next generation. Is that an easy way to put it?
SPEAKER_00By them now, even. Like, for example, you mentioned the the blood drive. Blood drive, yeah. So the blood donation drive, every year we struggle with it because it needs some kind of permissions. Where are we going to park the truck? And there is like a minimum number of donors. If we don't achieve this number, the the health authority will not give us the drive again. Right. So this year, our Interactive Club hosted the blood donation drive, and we reached to 76 donors, the maximum number of donors.
SPEAKER_01Wow, that's fantastic.
SPEAKER_00So, as you mentioned, like for example, we we provided mentorship to our Rotar Active
Building Interact Demand From Scratch
SPEAKER_00Club of Jomera, and today they are paying back by helping us mentoring the Interactive Club of Jomera and sponsoring them. This is the kind of integration and implementation we are talking about.
SPEAKER_01I and it's and it's fabulous, and I hope people are paying attention. One thing that came to my attention that I loved, and I'm sure uh President Elena knows something about this too, is that you guys had an eco summit. And what I find fascinating is that the UAE, as you say, have seven uh seven Emirates, but the district you were talking about, Elena, is I think you mentioned almost six, seven countries. Nine countries. In those nine countries, we have some people that are under great environmental stress, some that are doing better than others. To have an eco interact eco summit where you are in Dubai is really brilliant in a lot of ways because where sometimes in North America we don't see it in our face. It's not getting cooler in Dubai, it's getting hotter and there is you know eco interest in in water, of course, and eco-devastation from unfortunately wars that are not that far away from your area. That an eco summit sounds brilliant because it really, I feel, gives your interactors and rotor actors who see it every day, they really can be impactful. Is that a true statement?
SPEAKER_02Well, it's very important that you start from the ground up. So from the youngest age, that there is understanding of what's important, that uh there is an understanding how you grow up, that there is the world out there that needs saving, and uh that you know we have to invest in the children, the future adults to grow up and you know have the understanding. So we have a lot of focus on all these kinds of uh issues. We have even a rotary club that is an equ club that uh particularly focuses also on these issues, although also all the other clubs try also to have certain drives that um also raise the awareness of certain matters. So, we in my club, I'm a member of Rotary Club Cosmopolitan, living in a cosmopolitan world, it's called cosmopolitan. We do mangrove planting. So, what is a big thing in the UAE? But you know, to raise this awareness, particularly in the young children, young adults, um, we think that's very important, and maybe Dr. Basel can add to this.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, actually, uh I was mentioning that uh the rotary clubs in UAE are involved in two mangrove plantation every year. We increase the number of trees, and we are very active in this area to the point that, as President Elena mentioned, the Association of Rotary Clubs in UEE supported certifying a new rotary club that's called Rotary Eco Dubai. So nice, okay. They are focusing 100% on echo initiatives, and they last year they sponsored an Interactive Club, which is our sister interactive club called Interact Echo Club. They are just focusing on echo, you know.
SPEAKER_01And I think it I think it's also very important for people to realize that the UAE is one of the as a as a governmental entity, is is one of the quickest and scientific base of of like renewable energies and all kinds of stuff that as emirates, your whole area, it kind of starts with youth, but it's going all the way up the ladder. And that's something not even with rotary, but in the whole structure of your states or emirates. That's something we all can agree on here with our 50. And it sounds like as a collective for the greater good, you're rather leading the way in the world, not just in you know, that part of the world, but the entire world, I think is a very easy statement to say.
SPEAKER_00Dubai hosted the COP28, which is the international environment summit from uh to gathering the leaders from around the world to do initiatives about environment. In addition to that, specifically Dubai, they have a plan, the ongoing plan, to increase the number of trees and palms every year. They they are very transparent to to even publish the number of trees planted this year to increase oxygen, to increase the eco-friendly environment in Dubai and in UE in general. And we as Rotarians supported the Interactive Club of ECHO and the SIS, which is the sister of our Interact Club in DIA. Both together they organized Interact Eco Summit. So we as Rotarians supported them by providing professionals from different fields to run this summit. The output the output was projects, doable projects actually, adopted by their schools.
SPEAKER_01Wow. So what is Dr. Basil? What do you think? How many, how many, let's say in five years? How many interact and and rotoract and rotor yeah, rotoract groups do you think you may have? If you're growing this fast, could could we actually see in five years maybe 10 groups or 15 groups? Is that kind of a pie in the sky, or does that seem like it very well could be? It really sounds like the the wheels are turning here and you guys could get bigger and bigger and bigger. Does that sound good?
SPEAKER_00If we read the past and the present, we will predict the future. So three years ago we had zero active interactive clock.
SPEAKER_01There you go.
SPEAKER_00Today we have four, and five the fifth is under process now. Students started to feel jealous from each other. Oh, why he is doing this? I also want to do that. I want to be a leader, you know. Um, it the family is getting bigger. President Elena can comment from the association perspective, but from the interact uh perspective, I can see it as the mushroom effect, I call it, you know. Yeah, very much. It's everyday growing.
SPEAKER_01And overall, President Elena, is is Rotary growing throughout the UAE? Is is as itself, is it a is it a green spot? Are we is Rotary International growing in that area?
SPEAKER_02Yes, it definitely is, because uh it's even branching out now to the other emirates. So as I said, uh it always is required to have a license to operate. Correct. Yes. We have one club now that is in a different emirate in Um al Kwain. We have uh another club planned in Rasalheima, so they will be under a different authority because each of the emirates has a different authority, and because we want to cover also different areas. So from Rasalheima, it's not really too far to come to Dubai, but if you want to be involved and regularly and have your meetings, you know, it's nice if you have it close by. So, you know, in addition to the clubs that I mentioned to the number, we have the one in Umar Quayne, we have the one in uh Rasalchema. There is a plan maybe we have also what we call now focus on maybe clubs that um have one language. So we have an Arabic-speaking club now. Okay, so the more common language between all of us is English, where that wherever we come from.
SPEAKER_01So all the all the Emirates as a whole,
Eco Summit And Mangrove Action
SPEAKER_01English is the is the primary language.
SPEAKER_02It is uh the government language still is Arabic, so Arabic, okay. You know, the the main language of the country is still Arabic, but uh everybody speaks English, you know, and is the common language for everybody to talk to each other. So all the clubs uh except that one operate uh in English, but there is a plan maybe to have also a French-speaking club or um German or Italian-speaking club, if there is enough, uh, there is different maybe also focus on having other clubs that pool together a certain profession, like uh rotary club that is for doctors, medical fields. So, yes, we are looking at different options, and uh we definitely want to grow also rotaract clubs, so maybe that every rotary club has at least also a rotary club and an interact club. So, and we as an association are definitely supportive, and whoever wants to charter a club and a new club, we will do whatever we can to support that.
SPEAKER_01I love it. Well, I just have a few more questions that I'm gonna let you go about your your wonderful days, but I have one that's it's rather generic and and one that I I hope you guys will enjoy. But because Rotary is non-religious and non-political, do you think that helps, especially in the UAE or I know in parts of India or even like South Korea, because we are so diligent on the we're gonna take the politics out of it, we're gonna take the religion out of it, and we're just here for human dignity and the betterment of mankind and this planet. Do you think that is why we are trusted so much and for us to grow, especially in your region, maybe easier than people actually think, because we really specify the peace and the human dignity part of Rotary as number one?
SPEAKER_02I think it's definitely playing a big part because um, you know, we kind of see that we're focused on the essential, what is really, you know, service above self. So whatever you believe in and wherever you come from, what nationality, you know, the service and the good, the projects that we want to implement, the outcome of these projects, the help that we can provide, the support that we can provide. So all our clubs have different focuses. So that's why we differentiate each other a little. Everybody has uh one my club, for example, supports uh organization that takes care of orphans in the country. Um, Jumera Club has a long-standing relation with an like I would say boarding school for children with uh disabilities. Uh so each club um tries to have as much impact as possible and take everything of religion, government, politics out of the equation just for the service to the people and the community. I love it.
SPEAKER_01So, my last question, and I'm gonna let you go. Because what time is it there? I know it's right about one o'clock, nine o'clock at night. Yes, good heavens. Let's have you go to sleep. Thank you for sitting up. We're gonna watch football. Oh, so as we do, I I have you noticed I have my I have a Franz shirt on as we speak because today's game is in Mbappé's plane. We are recording this during the World Cup. Outside of Rotary, I think football could bring us all together. And it does, you know, it does. And Steve Martin, who is a dear friend of mine and is a Rotarian who works at the Liverpool football club. And I have started the Rotary Fellowship of World Football Fans. You're gonna have to look it up. I'm telling you what, if you're in the World Cup, there is a very talkative fellowship going on right now. We're all Rotarians, we all love each other, but we do know how to poke at each other a little bit. It's a lot of fun, it's a lot of fun. All right, awful football, and I'm sure you guys noticed all the scars behind me there. Yeah, I am a huge football fan. All right, but that's not what this podcast is about. Amazing. Last question I don't I have to say, I don't have to get some uh UA E-teams in there. I'm just saying.
SPEAKER_02When you're gonna be able to do that, we wanna make sure that when you come in October and meet us, that we have some of the scars for you. There we go. We gotta we gotta we gotta all right.
SPEAKER_01So we've already talked about misconceptions from I would say people that just don't want to ask questions, and so thank you for taking on those questions that I asked you. And you've already told us about your wonderful country, and you've told us about your amazing rotoractors and interactors, but now we're gonna go that 10 years ahead of time, and because it's growing so fast, and because we seem to be like getting out of this mold of what exactly the E the UAE really is. What is your hope for this area? And what is your hope for rotary among the Emirates there? Especially, we're gonna start with you, Madam President, because you're about to end your reign for no better word. Is that correct? No, no, I'm gonna continue.
SPEAKER_02You're still in there, they got you for one more year or two more years, or I think for at least one more year, because we have a certain charter of bylaws for the association that is governed by the CDA, our regulatory body, and I think they require me to be there at least for two years, so at least one more year.
SPEAKER_01Gotcha for at least so so where do you think where do you think rotary could go in your part of the world? Do you think it could be as big as some of these places, like in India and throughout the world? Rotary is big in India.
SPEAKER_02Rotary, it's huge in India. So, I mean, for the for the UAE, I would say there is still much room for improvement to make it even more popular than it already is, to spread the world, to increase our members. To also, I mean, we have kind of a similar issue with um, you know, the female membership not being as high as the male membership,
The Future: Growth And Youth Pathways
SPEAKER_02but it's getting there, also um, all the female women presidents bringing in their girlfriends as I did during my presidency. So, yes, this is for one thing, more women in Rotoract, uh Rotary and Rotoract as well. I think Rotoract they don't have this issue. There are a lot of uh women in Rotoract.
SPEAKER_01The future, the future in in your neck of the woods.
SPEAKER_02I think also development they have to do moving Rotoract to Rotary, that they actually make this shift and become members because they like the Rotoract uh community and they don't really wanna let's say maybe I don't want to grow up.
SPEAKER_01Okay, yes. So but you think it's growing, you think the future is bright in your area.
SPEAKER_02Yes, definitely. Because we have a good base of rotaract, and eventually they're gonna be Rotarians as well. We have, as you said, Dr. Basso has explained, we have a good uh increase in interact, so I'm not afraid of the future because um there is good growth in rotary in the UAE.
SPEAKER_01Dr. Basil, your last question. What's been your proudest moment so far of all these of all these kids coming coming forward and starting these groups? What brings that smile on your face? What are you so proud of?
SPEAKER_00Because we are talking about the Rotary movement, Rotary Youth Movement, the first episode of our podcast, Rotary Youth Decoded, that was uh published already, was talking about this point. And uh we were four in the in that episode: a rotary actor, an interactor, a rotarian, and a dual member from Rotaract and Rotary as well. So, two two weeks ago, for the very first time in Dubai and UAE, we enrolled two interactors in the Rotar Act Academy, which is the orientation workshop that they have to attend in order to accept their membership or elevate their membership from Interact to Rotaract. So we are not only now elevating Rotar Actors' membership into Rotary, we are also elevating the membership of interactors into Rotaract. This is the full moment.
SPEAKER_01And I look at you, which is always fun to say that I look at you on a podcast, but you are proud. You can really see it in the smile on on both of your faces, on the sparkle in your eyes. You're you're proud of your country and you're proud of your kids. And yeah. Exactly. Madam President, Dr. Basil, thank you so much for joining me. I hope that the people who are either watching us or listening to us maybe tilt their head and go, you know what? Maybe I have uh not necessarily misinformation, but maybe I need to do my homework on a different part of the world, just like when I interviewed Rotarians in in Moscow, in Russia. Maybe we need to stop, take a breath, know that the word is words are Rotary International, and as an international family, we have a lot of friends. And we're more friends, we have more in common, I guess we should say, than not in common. Is that a fair statement? Yeah, definitely so thank you so much.
SPEAKER_02Thank you very much for coming. It was a pleasure.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, thank you. Really, thank you so much, and I'm happy to see our uh play stores being happening. Thank you. Thank you so much for that.
Final Reflections And How To Connect
SPEAKER_01Thank you, Madam President. Thank you, Dr. Basil. You know, when I started this whole uh intro to the show out, I I kept saying, amazing, amazing, amazing. Well, I hope I proved it. It's amazing what they're doing. I'm a little gobspatch. I think it's great, and I'm also really super aware of my ignorance. And you know, sometimes the greatest thing you can do is admit that you don't know, and you ask questions and you learn. Especially when it comes to other countries, other cultures. Because when you ask those questions, when you get to know those people, all of a sudden, those people turn into your family. And we are Rotary International, one big, amazing family. And wow, and by the way, Madam President, that should be the biggest knockdown of any rumor or misconceived uh ideas right there. Madam President and Dr. Basil, thank you again. And thank you, as always, out there listening to my voice. If you like the show, please tell a friend. We're also on YouTube and we blog. We hit the road quite often, so if you'd like the podcast to come your direction, RotarianPod at gmail.com, shoot me an email. And of course, if you know somebody that I should know about, I just got an email about a new friend to meet this morning. Hey, let me know. Rotarianpod at gmail.com. All right then, until next time, like I always say, take care of yourself and the world around you, and we'll hear you next time on the Action Impact Show. With me, Gwen Jones. Have a wonderful week, everybody. We'll talk to you soon.
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