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Eyes opened towards dreams, goals see opportunities everywhere: Miss World 2014
Miss World 2014, Rolene Strauss, who is on a brief visit to Sri Lanka, spoke of the need for other young people to expand their worldview, saying, “If your eyes are open towards your dreams and goals, you will see opportunities wherever you go.”
She was among the speakers at Friday’s opening ceremony of Rotary Sri Lanka and Maldives organised 24th Rotary District Conference held at the BMICH.
Miss Strauss, 22, was crowned Miss South Africa in 2014 and later that year was crowned Miss World in London, where she also took on her designated role as a ‘Beauty with a Purpose’.
Just two months into her role Strauss is on her first official visit to Sri Lanka, where she will support Rotary’s work and projects over the duration of the conference. Speaking to the Sunday Times, she emphasised her desire to share the message of Miss World, which in recent years has placed particular importance on community service and empowerment among its participants.
District Governor Gowri Rajan in a brief speech, thanked her fellow Rotarians for their contribution to Rotary projects over the past year. This year’s conference was themed under ‘Light a Candle- Spark a Change’, and attendees were reminded that their role was to take steps in their own right to initiate change. Panel discussions on topics such as nation branding, and sessions on the current political climate of Sri Lanka and the period post-100-Day programme will also be held.
In her speech, Vice President 2014-2015, Celia Cruz de Giay noted that this conference was “a good opportunity to review the position of our Rotarians, and discuss ideas for moving forward.” At present, Rotary International records a membership of 1.2 million worldwide, with over 34,000 clubs. Giay urged her fellow Rotarians to keep at their individual journeys within their communities and on a national level, concluding, “If I light a candle, and you light a candle- if 1.2 million people light candles, then together we can illuminate our communities and the world.”
Chief Guests, Celia Cruz de Giay and Luis Giay, Rob Raylman, Katie Spotz, David Lim, E.V. Gireesh, District Governer Gowri Rajan, Past District Governor Krish Rajendran and Minister of Tourism and Sports Naveen Dissanayake were among other distinguished guests at the event.