The Rotary Club of Helena, in partnership with the Helena Sunrise Rotary Club and the Rotary Club of Townsend, hosted the 84th Annual Waterton Glacier International Peace Park Assembly, centered at the Glacier Park Lodge in East Glacier, Montana. The event started with a golf tournament on Friday, September 16, and culminated with the "Hands across the Border" ceremony at noon on Sunday, September 18.
In 1932, at the behest of Rotarian's in Montana, Alberta, 'and Saskatchewan, the Governments of Canada and the United States approved the establishment of the Waterton Glacier International Peace Park as the first ever international peace park. The WGIPP was dedicated on June 18th, 1932. Since that time, Rotarian's have gathered each year to commemorate this momentous achievement at the annual WGIPP Assembly. Rotarian's have strengthened and ensured continued support of the Peace Park by forming the WGIPP Association, which is responsible for Rotary activities and assemblies associated with the Peace Park. A central highlight of the 84th Assembly was the participation by a dozen International Trans Boundary Conservation Practitioners from Africa, Asia, Europe, and the Americas. Many of the practitioners did presentations to the Assembly about the trans boundary conservation work they were doing in their own countries. |
The international guests were part of a Trans Boundary Conservation Practitioners workshop in the days preceding the Assembly. The workshop was entitled "Hands across Borders" and was organized by The Center for Natural Resources and Environmental Policy at the University of Montana with financial support from numerous companies and organizations including Rotary Clubs in the U. S. and Canada.
Other highlights included: nature walks in Glacier Park led by Park naturalists; art displays; a BBQ dinner on Friday followed by musical entertainment, singing, and dancing; a banquet on Saturday featuring 20 Rotary Youth Exchange students from 16 different countries and being hosted by Rotarian's in Montana, Alberta, and Saskatchewan; and, the "Hands across the Border" ceremony, which was held at the border near the Chief Mountain border crossing. During the ceremony, Canadian and U. S. participants, grasp hands across the border and recite the following Rotary Pledge of Peace: "In the name of God, we will not take up arms against each other. We will work for peace, maintain liberty, strive for freedom and demand equal opportunities for all mankind. May the long existing peace between our two nations stimulate other peoples to follow this example. We thank thee O' God." 
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2016 Peace Park Photo's
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2016 Peace Park Assembly Rotaract 
2016 Hands Across Borders Photo's
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2016 - Hands Across Borders Conference Video
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