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| Sunday, 31 August 2003 |
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Features |  |
| News Business Features Editorial
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We contribute largely towards our country's peace initiatives - Lion Asoka de Z. Gunasekara Asoka de Z. Gunasekara, businessman and former senior civil servant, was recently elected as an International Director of Lions International, the well-known social service organisation. Mr. Gunasekara, now a Director of IWS Holdings and who served as a Ministry Secretary at the end of his civil service career gave a short interview to the 'Sunday Observer'. Q: What does "Lions" stand for and who are "Lions"? A: Lions are members of the world's largest and most active service club organisation. They are men and women committed to solving the worldwide health and social problems and are serious about their commitment to humanitarian services, but have fun along the way. They also believe that working together would accomplish for more than would be possible as individuals. Q: Who was the founder of the Lions Movement and when was Lions Clubs international formed? A: The founder of the Lions Movement was Melvin Jones. He was born in Arizona - USA and made his home Chicago. He was an Insurance Agent who went on to form his own Insurance Agency. The first Lions Club was formed on 7th June 1917. Q: What are the objectives and ethics of this movement? A: To create and foster a spirit of understanding among the peoples of the world, promote the principles of good government and good citizenship, take an active interest in the civic, cultural, social and moral welfare of the community, and unite the clubs in the bonds of friendship, good fellowship and mutual understanding are some of the objectives. Q: In the Lions emblem, you depict the faces of the Lions turning to opposite directions - what is the reason for this? A: The official emblem for Lions International Association has an interesting explanation. The large letter "L" standing at the centre of the emblem stands for Law, Liberty, Labour, Loyalty, Love, Life, Lion and the circle around it represents the Lions and Lions Clubs all bound together into one. The two profiles indicate - one looking back at our past and what we have achieved and the other looking towards our future. As for the colours of the emblem - Purple stands for loyalty to the country, friends and to one's self and to integrity of mind and heart. Gold symbolizes sincerity of purpose, liberty in judgment, purity in life and generosity in mind and heart between the fellow men. Q: What are the official requirements to be a member of Lions Clubs international? A: Membership in the Lions Movement is open to men and women of legal majority and good reputation in the community and it is strictly by invitation. Q: What are the major international service commitments of Lionism? A: Sight First Through this programme the Lions work on a long lasting project preventing and reversing blindness. This programme and assistance is utilized to aid blind and visually impaired people to work towards eliminating preventable and reversible blindness through cataract, trachoma, glaucoma & diabetic retinopathy. We also have an International Eye bank Programme. It is estimated that approximately 42 Million people in the world are blind today and blindness is increasing - particularly in the developed countries. Lions International is spending millions of dollars towards this project. Hearing and Speech: Work with the deaf is also an important project that is being carried out. The problems affecting people who are deaf are deeper and more complicated and are more important than those of blindness. Environmental Services: This is another important area of focus of Lions International. Caring for Planet Earth has been a commitment of Lions, since 1972. Therefore, the Clubs are encouraged and display their concern in the planet by teaching the public 03 basics - (1) Reduce the amount of waste produce; (2) re-use materials instead of discarding them; (3) recycling the materials. We also involve ourselves in energy conservation, wildlife presentation and agricultural development and adequate sanitary facilities. Youth Services: Creating opportunities for the Youth is another important programme of the Lions, since Lionism is not only a service organization but also a leadership building programme. We have a very important programme called "Lions Quest" which has drug abuse prevention and life skills programmes. We also have a tri-level school based curricular designed to help the young people acquire the skills of self-confidence needed to make health, positive decisions and to resist negative influence such as drugs and gangs. We have started implementing this programme on a trial basis in Sri Lanka, with the under-study of the Ministry of Education and this programme is being tried out in 40 Schools. It is our hope that we would be able to implement this in the near future in all Schools, by including this in the curricular. Q: We understand that Lions has a special programme for Diabetes. Can you tell us about it? A: Where our programme for diabetes awareness is concerned, it has been identified that more than 200 Million people are suffering from diabetes, running the risk of losing their sight. The diabetic retinopathy affects the retina of the eye, which is a sensitive tissue which helps to transmit visual messages from the brain, resulting in lack of vision or blindness. The lions adopted diabetes awareness as a long-term project as far back as 1984, with the primary objective of reducing the number of new cases of blindness caused by diabetes. Since then, we started conducting educational programmes on the detection of diabetes and treatment by supporting wide research activities. We have even identified the month of November each year as the diabetic education month. To this extent, we identify this as an important project. Q: Lions supports communities during times of disaster. How does the Lions International provide these funds? A: Lions International has a fund called LCIF which means Lions Clubs International Foundation. This foundation supports the efforts of Lions Clubs around the world in serving their local communities through humanitarian services, major disaster relief and vocational assistance programmes. This foundation functions as the arm of Lions International and administers charitable, scientific, literary, educational programmes towards the well-being of humanity. Q: How closely do the Lions International work with the United Nations? A: Our association is a non-governmental organization (NGO) with the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations, which is one of the main non-political organs of the United Nations. It is also affiliated with the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization - UNESCO, UNICEF and WHO. Through these organizations, information is made available to our clubs on subjects such as environment, population growth, economic development, international control of narcotic drugs, self-development programmes and programmes to aid children and youth. We faithfully celebrate the United Nations Day through all our Clubs by conducting humanitarian service projects, which we identify as "Lions Day with the United Nations" on the 24th of October each year. Q: What are your contributions towards the peace initiative? A: We consider peace as a precious objective which when it exists in one's own mind and heart, can be found in one's relationships with others. Throughout the world religious leaders and others have issued statements of peace at various times. Even nations in military conflict have abstained from fighting during specific periods in order to recognize peaceful relationships - which should exist. We actively recognize January 24th each year as "World Peace Day" and through all our clubs we contribute largely towards our country's peace initiatives. Even in Sri Lanka the Lions through their Clubs in the South, North and East work together most harmoniously with a sense of togetherness. The Membership Report, Annual Activities Report, District Chairman's Report, Multiple Chairman's Report and the Club Officer's Report are made available for submission to International Headquarters through electronic submission. |
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