Don't miss the sounds of New Orleans at the 2011 RI Convention
Rotary International News -- 24 March 2011
Grammy-winning trumpeter and bandleader Irvin Mayfield will be one of the entertainers during the 2011 RI Convention in New Orleans, Lousiana, USA.
Jazz, bluegrass, country, and opera will combine to provide a unique blend of regional music during the 2011 RI Convention in New Orleans, Lousiana, USA, 21-25 May.
Register online through member access by 31 March to take advantage of early pricing.
Grammy-winning trumpeter and bandleader Irvin Mayfield, the renown Preservation Hall Jazz Band, and internationally renown jazz pianist Ronnie Kole will represent their variety of music during plenary sessions. Michael Martin Murphy, known as the "singing cowboy poet," will perform at both the opening and closing plenary sessions, while Lacy J. Dalton will dazzle with her soulful voice and gritty style during the opening plenary session.
Also on stage for the closing plenary session will be Rhonda Vincent and the Rage. Vincent has been called "the new queen of bluegrass," but her music is more inclusive, incorporating contemporary touches while drawing deeply from classic bluegrass. World-renowned opera star Simon Estes performs during the opening plenary session.
Bill Gates, cochair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, will be a keynote speaker during the third plenary session scheduled for Tuesday, 24 May, at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center. Gates will discuss the progress of the polio eradication effort and the need to finish the job. The session has been moved to the afternoon, 15:00-17:00, from its original morning time slot.
The Gates Foundation has awarded US$355 million in challenge grants to Rotary for use in the campaign to rid the world of polio. Rotary has responded with Rotary's US$200 Million Challenge. Gates has made several trips to India and Nigeria, two of the four remaining polio-endemic countries, and has praised the work of Rotarians in his annual letter.
Other speakers will include Michael McQueen, founder of the Nexgen Group, who will discuss understanding Generation Y, and Patrick Chisanga, vice chair of the District Governors Review Committee, who will speak about Rotary's role in Africa.
Penny LeGate, a news anchor and reporter for KIRO-TV in Seattle, will share her experiences participating in and reporting on National Immunization Days in Ethiopia and India. See the speakers and entertainment page for more highlights of the convention, or download the preliminary program (PDF).
Workshops will provide convention attendees with an opportunity to learn from Rotarians, Rotary leaders, and non-Rotarian guest speakers. This year's workshops will highlight the three priorities of the RI Strategic Plan as well as the latest Rotary Foundation developments. Download a preliminary schedule of workshops(PDF).
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