In Gear | Rotary in Southern New Zealand Issue 2 | Page 26
PROMOTING PEACE ON EARTH
District 9980 is very proud to be hosting one of this year’s Rotary
global peace scholars. Here, Sakhr Munassar, who is pursuing his
Master of Arts at the University of Otago’s Department of Peace and
Conflict, shares some of his journey, and how that has led him from
his birthplace, conflict-torn Yemen, to Dunedin.
By Sakhr Munassar | Peace scholar
I was born and raised in Yemen.
There are so many things I can say about
that place, I am just not sure if it will be
about the glorious past, or the doomed
present and uncertain future.
So, just to be fair, I will discuss a bit of
both. I come from the country that saw
the first skyscrapers in the world, in a
city once known as ‘the Manhattan of
the desert’, a country that the mocha
coffee originated from, one that was
also called ‘the kingdom of Sheba’.
The thing with my degree is that people
have the notion that we are only
supposed to work on areas of conflict
where people die or, at least, suffer the
results of direct violence. Even though
it is somewhat true, the extent of our
work goes far beyond war; it deals with
violence of many types.
Violence can be found in the United
States, Europe and even here in New
Zealand – not just in war zones or
Sakhr Munassar
“undemocratic” countries. My field of
study will enable me to identity these
types of violence.
Now, however, it is simply a place full of hate and
destruction.
I have always been drawn into new adventures and
starting new chapters in my life, and, I can say, this
The hate is, of course, not because Arabs are in conflict
chapter has started perfectly, and I am certain it will be
and simply hate one another – as the media might
one that I will always look to with a smile.
convince you – but, rather, because of the international
greed and a proxy war between great powers: those
who are not concerned with the lives of the average
Rotary’s support helped me
Yemeni citizen, or anyone else for that matter, as long
as it serves their interest.
It is no surprise that all this conflict and destruction
of lives, structures and dreams are what pushed me
towards the field of peace and conflict. Today, I am
pursuing my Master of Arts degree at the University
of Otago in the Department of Peace and Conflict,
hoping to find some answers as to why there are other
countries in a situation like Yemen, why there is war at
all, and how we address each and every single conflict.
I came to New Zealand as a Rotary Global Grant
Scholar after having been sponsored, and accepted,
by District 6250 in Wisconsin, USA. It was at a time
when I had to leave Lebanon, and Yemen wasn’t safe
for me to go back to.
Rotary’s support helped me open a new chapter in
my journey. I can say I am only here today because of
Rotary.
I have only been in New Zealand for a little over four
months now, and I have around eight months left here
to finish my programme.
I have already been involved with Rotary and Rotaract,
in addition to a few other organisations, through
volunteer work in Dunedin, which has helped me in
getting to know many outstanding individuals, make
friends and be part of the community.
open a new chapter in my
journey. I can say I am only
here today because of Rotary.”
Having been a guest speaker at a few Rotary clubs
here in New Zealand, I am always asked: ‘What is
next, what comes after New Zealand?’ – especially
after Rotarians hear about the current conflict in
Yemen.
I know that I can’t go back to Yemen now, or anytime
soon, but I have known that for the past three or four
years, and I have managed so far.
I didn’t know what I was going to do after my
undergraduate studies in 2015 – and now I am a Rotary
global grant scholar in New Zealand.
So my answer usually is, I don’t know. But what I know is
that I will make it work somewhere, continuing to work
on what I am passionate about, just like I always have.
Sakhr is keen to speak to as many Rotarians
as he can during his time here. If you would
like to book Sakhr to talk to your club, please
email him on:
[email protected]
Page 26 | In Gear - Rotary in southern New Zealand - District 9980 | www.rotarydistrict9980.org