FRANKLIN TOWNSHIP, SOMERSET COUNTY, NEW JERSEY, U.S.A.: to be 201st CITY OF PEACE

by Tulsi Maharjan

Festival Shqiptar, 19th Festival, Bringing 700 yearsof Albanian heritage and culture to the Bronx at Lehman Center for the Performing Arts

FRANKLIN TOWNSHIP, SOMERSET COUNTY, NEW JERSEY, U.S.A.: CITY OF PEACE

We welcome Dr. Tulsi R. Maharjan and his interfaith community groups who have established Franklin Township, Central New Jersey as an International City of Peace. Franklin Township has become a microcosm of the 21st century, where you find people from all nations and houses of worship belonging to all major religions of the world.

http://www.internationalcitiesofpeace.org/cities-listing/franklin-township-new-jersey-u-s-a/

MARIA AREVALO – SERVICE ABOVE SELF

by Tulsi Maharjan

Banchburg Rotary member and RVCC Rotarct member Maria Arevalo, director of the RVCC Rotaract Public Relations, was recognized by the Rotary Club of Branchburg on May 1 with the Paul Harris Fellow award.

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Maria with Katie.

“I was very surprised,” Maria Arevalo said. “I wasn’t expecting it. I thought we were just getting inducted.”
According to the Rotary, the Paul Harris Fellow award recognizes individuals who contribute — or who have contributions made in their name — of $1,000 to The Rotary Foundation of Rotary International.

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“Paul Harris was the founder of the Rotary Club organization back in 1905,” said Tulsi Maharjan, president of the Rotary Club of Branchburg. “Following shortly thereafter in 1917, the Rotary Foundation was formed as an endowment, ‘for the purpose of doing good in the world.’”

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Maharjan said the Rotary Foundation is used to fund a variety of projects and grants, including the Rotary’s work eradicating polio worldwide through the PolioPlus program.
“When you give a $1,000 donation or contribution to the foundation, you are awarded a Paul Harris Fellow and you can either receive that award for yourself or you can name someone else in honor of that particular donation or contribution,” Maharjan said.
The donation specifically recognized Maria Arevalo’s commitment and dedication to the Rotary and Rotaract activities, which took place last year.
“For many years the Rotary Club of Branchburg has supported the RVCC Rotaract programs and activities,” Maharjan said. “Rotaract members participate in all programs and activities we conduct.

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Maria Arevalo was presented with the award on May 1st during the Rotaract member induction ceremony with her club members in attendance, which she called “pretty humbling.”

“I like Rotary because they’re a service organization, whose motto is” SERVICE ABOVE SELF” so it’s nice for Rotaractors to be able to see adults that are giving back to the community,” Maria Arevalo said.

City of Peace in Somerset County

by Tulsi Maharjan

Thanks to our interfaith community groups who have established Franklin Township, Central New Jersey as an International City of Peace. Franklin Township has become a microcosm of the 21st century, where you find people from all nations and houses of worship belonging to all major religions of the world.

A group called Somerset County Cultural Diversity Coalition has been sponsoring a variety of programs in this community to promote greater understanding of the changing community.  In 2000, the Coalition started the “Diversity Day” and sponsors many special ethnic and cultural events in Franklin Township, Bound Brook and Somerville areas.

For the last 8 years, this organization, in collaboration with houses of worships, Rotary International and Lions International has been celebrating World Peace Day in order to bring people together to talk and have an opportunity for reconciliation and healing. There have also been peace walks, interfaith dialogues, and Gandhi’s birthday celebrations.

 

There are many other events, as well as meditations, prayer groups, etc. There are two other groups who work to promote Peace programs in the community, the Franklin Interfaith Coalition and Franklin Human Relations Council.

After 9/11 the Coalition also started the Interfaith Thanksgiving Dinner and Diversity Awards program to recognize outstanding community leaders who have made a difference in the community.

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VISION OF THE CITY OF PEACE

  • Franklin Township is a community that fosters a culture of peace within, as well as in our homes, schools, businesses, government and all aspects of community life and livelihood. We are dedicated to serving our diverse community and promoting universal well being.

MISSION

  • To honor a culture of peace based on our one shared humanity and interconnectedness with all life.
  • To inspire educational programs and services designed to empower individuals and the community in establishing an inclusive, sustainable, and enduring culture of peace.
  • To foster a community that connects with, knows, and respects its neighbors of all ages, backgrounds, abilities, and beliefs.
  • To nurture a culture of love and peace.

Please join us as we celebrate the City of Peace on May 6, 2018 with a signing of the Peace declaration at the New Jersey Buddhsit vihara in 4299 Rt 27 at 12 pm.

http://www.sccdiversity.com

sccdiversity@comcast.net