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國際 RI 與總監事務 3
In the spirit of caring
t the 2023 Rotary International
A Convention in Melbourne, I asked all
Rotary members to become champions in
our effort to illuminate mental health needs
near and far. This includes helping one
another feel more supported, advocating for
mental health services, and building bridges
with experts in the field to expand access to
treatment.
It’s an important task and a big ask. But
it’s also something that should feel familiar
to every Rotary member — because
everything we do is in the spirit of caring,
giving, friendship, and compassion, and has
been from the beginning of our organization. have a greater impact on ourselves and the
We’ve grown into an amazing global
network of 1.4 million interconnected
community leaders — leaders who share
a deep commitment to doing good in the
world. But what makes Rotary powerful
isn’t just what we do for the communities
we serve. We also support and empower
each other, by creating a safe space for our
members to bring their whole, authentic
selves. We show each other comfort and
care.
These connections are deeply meaningful.
The U.S. surgeon general recently declared
loneliness a public health epidemic. Dr.
Vivek Murthy said, “We must prioritize
building social connection the same way
we have prioritized other critical public
health issues such as tobacco, obesity, and
substance use disorders.” I am proud of what
Rotary has done across generations to build
those kinds of social connections — and
this magazine focused on loneliness and
what Rotary can do about it in its January
2023 issue.
Our worldwide community and our
foundational value prioritizing Service
Above Self makes Rotary a powerful global
advocate for mental health. A recently
published study by Ohio State University
found performing acts of kindness was
the only one of three mental health
interventions tested that helped people
feel more connected to others. Study co-
author David Cregg said, “Performing acts
of kindness seems to be one of the best ways
to promote those connections.”
This research suggests what we’ve known
all along — that doing good helps transform
not just the communities we serve, but it
also transforms us. As we put a greater focus
on mental health, let’s not think of this effort
as something new to Rotary, but rather as
something we can do better and as a result
people we serve.
We are not starting this effort from
scratch. The Rotary Action Group on
Mental Health Initiatives has been focused
on these kinds of issues for several years,
and we will be looking to members of that
group for leadership as we continue to build
awareness.
Mental health care fits comfortably within
several of our areas of focus. As of May,
there are 41 global grant-supported projects
with a mental health focus. Many of them
have tremendous promise, and we will be
highlighting them in the months ahead.
So let’s work together to erase the stigma
associated with emotional well-being,
raise awareness of mental health needs,
and improve access to preventive and
interventional mental health services.
Together, we will Create Hope in the World.
R. GORDON R. MCINALLY
President, Rotary International
2023. 8-9 總監月刊