Thank you YE Chair Onanong Siripornmanut for your Service Above Self
Dr Wongpoom Wanasin tells the children to be
good ambassadors for Thailand.
Staff Reporters
Rotary Youth Exchange is one of Rotary’s most popular
programs to promote international understanding and develop lifelong
friendships. It began in 1927 with the Rotary Club of Nice, France. In 1939,
an extensive Youth Exchange was created between California and Latin
America. Since then the program has expanded around the world. In recent
years more than 8,000 young people have participated annually in
Rotary-sponsored exchange programs.
The values of Youth Exchange are experienced not only by
the high school-age students involved but also by the host families,
sponsoring clubs, receiving high schools and the entire community. Youth
Exchange participants usually provide their fellow students in their host
schools with excellent opportunities to learn about customs, languages,
traditions and family life in another country.
Youth Exchange offers young people interesting
opportunities and rich experiences to see another part of the world.
Students usually spend a full academic year abroad, although some Rotary
clubs and districts sponsor short-term exchanges of several weeks or months.
The youth exchange program is also very popular in
Thailand and every year hundreds of children compete to be selected to
represent their clubs and districts as a student exchange ambassador.
PDG Peter Malhotra extolls the
virtues of Rotary and the international organisation’s humanitarian service
programs.
In Rotary District 3340, which covers the northeast and
eastern regions of Thailand, 40 boys and girls aged 16-18 who were selected
for the 2011-12 program attended the final outbound orientation held at the
Pinnacle Grand Jomtien Resort & Spa June 30-July 1, 2012.
The seminar was organised and officiated by Onanong
Siripornmanut, chairperson of the District Youth Exchange program with
district leaders such as District Governor Thirayudh Watanatheerawud,
District Governor Elect Thatree Leetheeraprasert, Past District Governor
Thongchai Lortrakanon, Chairman of the District Rotary Youth Exchange
Foundation and PDG Pratheep Malhotra, the Youth Exchange program co-chair in
attendance.
The selected students spent the weekend familiarizing
themselves with the customs and cultures of the countries that they would be
travelling to, which include the United States, Canada, Germany, Mexico,
Brazil, Taiwan, Japan, and South Africa.
District Governors and Rotary
leaders play a vital role in the development of our youth. (top l-r)
Theerayud Wattanathirawud, Thatree Leetheeraprasert, (above l-r) Siri
Eiemchamroonlarp, Thongchai Lortrakanon, Kittisak Pensuwaparp and Pichit
Permvanichagul.
YE Chairperson Onanong Siripornmanut said, “Exposure to
different cultures ranks as one of the most powerful ways to promote
international understanding and peace. The Rotary Youth Exchange program
provides thousands of young students with the opportunity to meet people
from other countries and to experience new cultures, planting the seeds for
a lifetime of international understanding. Thai students will study in high
schools in foreign countries for a year where they will act as cultural
ambassadors for promoting Thailand’s culture and traditions to their foreign
hosts.”
Dr Wongpoom Wanasin, president and managing director of
Pinnacle Hotel Group was guest speaker at the seminar. He spoke on future
developments for youth and advised them on how to be good ambassadors of our
country. He also made a presentation of his Youth Development Foundation, a
foundation that helps develop youth from three most restless southern
provinces of Thailand.
The Rotary Youth Exchange
committee poses for a group photo with the outbound students.
During the sacred candle light closing ceremony, Onanong
touched the heartstrings of all present with her emotional talk of the
undying love that parents have for their offspring and asked the children to
honour and respect their parents and be thankful for all that they have
sacrificed so that they could go on this trip of a lifetime.
At the end of the two day orientation program, Rotarians
honoured Onanong Siripornmanus at the completion of her two year term as
chair of the Rotary Youth Exchange program in District 3340.
Past District Governor Thingchai Lortrakanon expressed
his feelings about Onanong with these words. “Ever since I have known
Rotarian Onanong I have grown to appreciate and respect her for her love for
Rotary. On is always at the forefront of service for the underprivileged in
her community. She has been involved in the Rotary Youth Exchange program
for many years and as chairperson for the past two years. I have never once
heard her grumble or say that she is tired. Her energy is limitless.
Rotarians as we all know perform their humanitarian services voluntarily and
without pay. Here is a perfect example of physical and spiritual sacrifice.”
Aunty On, as she is lovingly known, spoke of how for so
many years she has worked hard for the children, “I stay up nights on my
computer writing and receiving e-mails from Rotarians all over the world.
Every year we have almost 50 applicants vying for places on the program, and
I must find them hosts and sponsors in the many foreign countries. I don’t
give up until each and every one of them gets a seat. I don’t want to
disappoint anyone.”
“This year 40 children have been approved to travel to a
foreign country to spend a year with their host families…my job is done…for
now. But there are still hundreds of children out there still waiting for my
love and care. A Rotarian’s work is never done.”
YE Chair Onanong
Siripornmanut lights the sacred candle and gives her blessings to the
children as they pay their respects to this most benevolent human being.
The ceremony of honouring the
parents was emotionally charged as the children for once realised that it is
only their parents who can give them unconditional love.
It was a mixture of laughter
and tears as Onanong celebrated her birthday and at the same time bid
farewell to the Youth Exchange program…for now.
Youth exchange students show
off their talents during an evening of song and dance.
