簡訊

In Brief

移除在巴爾幹半島戰爭中埋下的地雷，乃是克羅埃西亞16個扶輪社的服務重點。在第1910地區(奧地利一部份、波士尼亞-赫塞哥維納、克羅埃西亞、匈牙利、與斯洛代尼亞)奧地利的扶輪社協助之下，這些扶輪社已經募集到50萬美元，足以清除38萬平方公尺的地雷。憑藉第1910地區的技持，他們希望能清除更多土地。捐出3萬2,000美元給這項計劃的札格熱沃-桑塔(Zagreb-Centar)扶輪社社長馬拉維克(Tomislay Maravic)，以及卡洛瓦克(Karlovac)扶輪社社員，克羅埃西亞扶輪社清除地雷協調人韋伯(Kresimir Veble)，都參與最近由第5030地區(美國華盛頓)主辦的除雷策略會議。

Removing land mines planted during the Balkans wars is a service focus of Croatia's 16 Rotary clubs. The clubs have raised about US$500,000, enough to clear 380,000 square meters, with help from Austrian clubs in District 1910 (part of Austria, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Croatia, Hungary, and Slovenia). With District 1910 support, they hope to clear even more land. Tomislav Maravi´c, president of the Rotary Club of Zagreb-Centar, which has donated $32,000 to the effort, and Kresimir Veble, member of the Rotary Club of Karlovac and demining coordinator for Croatian Rotary clubs, participated in a recent conference on demining strategies hosted by District 5030 (Washington, USA).

去年10月以色列與中東阿拉伯人的關係正處於低潮。可是在以色列，擁有35名社員的那薩勒斯(Nazareth)扶輪社，其組成正反映出該市的居民為以色列籍的阿拉伯人。該社接待來自13個扶輪社的社員─包括猶太人及阿拉伯人─信仰基督教的那薩勒斯市市長(阿拉伯人)、以及海法市市長(猶太人)。大家共聚一堂，慶祝一項由那薩勒斯扶輪社共同主辦的2萬美元配合獎助金計劃。此計劃將協助傅授經營技巧給那薩勒斯的阿拉伯年輕人。第5300地區(美國加州與內華達州的一部份)的5個扶輪社，是這項計劃的國際贊助人。

Relations between Israelis and Arabs in the Middle East were at low ebb last October. But in Israel, the 35-member Rotary Club of Nazareth, whose membership reflects the town's Israeli Arab citizenry, hosted Rotarians, both Jews and Arabs, from 13 clubs, as well as the mayor of Nazareth, who is a Christian Arab, and the mayor of Haifa, who is Jewish. The crowd toasted a US$20,000 Matching Grant project co-sponsored by the Nazareth club, which will help provide entrepreneurial skills to Arab young people in Nazareth. Five clubs in District 5300 (parts of California and Nevada, USA) are the international sponsors for the project.

希臘帕特拉斯南區(Patras South)扶輪社透過許多計劃幫助希臘同胞。可是該社社員也注意到移民的困境。希臘的移民在過去10年來已經成長至120萬人。前地區總監卡茲拉斯(George Katsilas)表示，許多前來帕特拉斯這個港市的移民打算繼續前往其他西歐國家，可是來自鄰國阿爾巴尼亞的移民可能會留下來找工作。該社參與市府當局及希臘東正教教會的一項計劃，提供移民住宿、衣物、食物、與兒童照顧。

The Rotary Club of Patras-South, Greece, helps fellow Greeks through a plethora of programs. But the members also heed the plight of immigrants, whose number in Greece has grown to 1.2 million in the past decade. Club member George Katsilas, a past district governor, says that many immigrants arriving in the port city of Patras seek to go on to other countries in Western Europe, but those from neighboring Albania are likely to stay and find work. The club takes part in a program with the municipality and the Greek Orthodox Church to provide immigrants with housing, clothing, food, and child care.