Address of Past RI President Bhichai Rattakul As President's Representative At the District Conference of District 2700 Fukuoka City, Fukuoka, Japan 12 – 13 April, 2014 Closing Remarks Governor Anai and my fellow Rotarians, Time flies!  And two full days of our togetherness will come to an end. I am sure that at this moment many of us here are looking forward to the Sydney Convention, and I hope all of you will look forward to your own district conference comes next year. I hope the last two days have been a productive two days to all of you.  I have watched  with great admiration of the way Governor Anai has conducted this meeting, and the way you have participated in all the programmes fun and fellowship. with It will be a great pleasure to report to President Ron Burton of the success of this conference which will be remembered by all for a long time to come. I wish to take this opportunity o extend to your District Governor-Elect Jyoichi Kumazawa, and your District Governor Nominee, Masahiro Honda, my heartfelt congratulations as you two take over the helm of  running a great  district,  and the  responsibility of making it a Movement that will be a force for good. Whatever have been achieved by Governor Anai, I am sure you would do your best to do even better. After all, Rotary cannot be stagnant,  Rotary cannot stand still.  It has to move forward, and always ….engaging Rotary and changing lives. Someone once said that there was no limit to what could be achieved if no body wanted the credit  for it. I think this is very true of the Rotary Movement. How much it can accomplish when it does not insist on the exclusive Rotary label.  The same is also true  of service in the local community. Does it really matter who is given the credit  as long as the need is filled? This is the reason why I personally am not too enthusiastic about public image as I mentioned earlier.! With our wide cross-section of membership;  with the great geographical area which our clubs cover, we are in a unique position.  We are ideally poised to give assistance to those who are already in the field , to involve others by our influence , to give a lead  where a lead is required, and to provide enthusiasm where interest flags. And if, in grasping the opportunities that exist  and in making new ones  where they do not, we revitalize ourselves...as we surely shall...we shall have gained much, and we shall have lost nothing. My dear friends, the time has come that I have to say “goodbye” to you.  Saying “goodbye” is difficult always. Allow me to thank you all for your participation in this conference.  Two o r three persons can confer, but it takes many people of true goodwill to make a grand conference like we  have here, and I believe that has been the key-note of this gathering . I hope you will be able to reflect with pleasure and that you will recall with happy memories the time you spent here and the old  friends you have met, and the many new ones you have made. I wish you one and al safe and sunny journey home. As for us, both Chiemi san  who will serve as President of the Rotary Club of Bangkok in 2015 - 2016, and I shall not leave you the same as we came, but we shall take part of you with us, and shal not forget this occasion that has brought us here. We are grateful to have this fellowship with you and these three days with you in an informal sharing of our hearts, our thoughts, and our feelings about the great organization that has brought us together. We shall also miss you all, particularly Governor Ina, and our very dear and intimate friends, Past RI Director Naoyuki Suenaga ,and Past Governor Tomio Hirohata whose friendship we take it t o our hearts. At my age of 88,I know that I don't have many years left. I know that very soon the sun will set on me, but what ever time is left for me, I shall never fail to Engage Rotary  and do whatever I can to Change the lives of those who need us most. And so, my fellow Rotarians, may we bid you farewell once again? Goodbye my friends, and until we meet again may God be with you this day and always!