TABU - An Amazing Experience
The Rotary Club of Belfast was delighted to welcome back to the Club, Monday 19 September, the 6 TABU 2016 students who each reported back to the Club with their reflections on the programme organised by the Rotary Club of Highland Park/Highwood, Illinois last April. A common theme throughout their presentations was how they had had their eyes opened by the amazing experience. They were particularly struck by how different everything was and their experiences had been "unrepeatable"," very formative" and "life-changing".
Each student expressed their sincere appreciation to The Rotary Club of Belfast, the leaders on the trip Brian Gillespie, Chris Warnock and Past President Bryan Johnston and their hosts in Highland Park for the opportunity to go on the programme. The confidence of these sixteen and seventeen year old young people and the obvious impact that the TABU programme had on them was striking. Thanking the students for participating and for their presentations President Ivan McMinn noted that it had been a hugely successful and enriching trip and presented them with their Certificates of Participation. Picture shows from left: Rtn Chris Warnock, Hannah Al-Qaryooti (Friends School), Bronagh Hughes (Our Lady St Patrick's), Rtn. Brian Gillespie, President Ivan McMinn, Past President David Boyd, TABU Convenor, James Graham (Friends School), Cameron Hamilton (Grosvenor Grammar) and Sarah Hanley (Victoria College).
TABU – Towards A Better Understanding - is a Rotary Club of Belfast exchange project, which has been running for over 20 years, with the Rotary Club of Highland Park/Highwood in Chicago. It aims to create a better mutual understanding between different communities by studying Conflict Resolution through finding ways to break down barriers among people, particularly young people, and learning how to reconcile differences. Six Northern Ireland students from different religions, schools and backgrounds are carefully selected to go on this exchange, accompanied by Rotarians, every other year while, in between, six Highland Park students visit Belfast.