Friends Forever

 “If you want to really know someone,

take the seat next to him in a life raft.”

Portsmouth Rotarian Bob Raiche created Friends Forever in 1986, an innovative teen peace program for one of the most chronically troubled places on Earth: Northern Ireland. It continues today, and now includes groups from Israel. 

In 2004, as part of Rotary International’s 100th anniversary celebration, Friends Forever was named the best Rotary project in the District  since Rotary began 100 years ago. (click here)

Visit the FRIENDS FOREVER website

The first Friends Forever program included 5 Protestants and 5 Catholics from Carrickfergus, Northern Ireland, who came for 2 weeks into a carefully structured psychological life raft: housed together, transported in a single van, and equally “adrift” in an unfamiliar culture, teens that were “enemies” at home had nowhere to turn but to each other. They soon became like brothers and sisters.

A critical element of Friends Forever is perpetuation – a mandatory series of follow-up meetings at home.  If these do not occur, no matter how good the USA experience, all that’s been proven is that the kids can get along outside their country.  Equally important, all of the parents are enabled to come together and forge adult friendships that were impossible before.

In 1988 Portsmouth Rotarian Bill Holt went seeking other Rotary clubs to sponsor additional groups. Soon, expansion into other states and other Rotary districts required creation of an independent Friends Forever 501(c)(3) corporation to assume responsibility for overall coordination, liability insurance for widespread groups, etc.

Today, Friends Forever continues to operate through alliances of Rotary clubs, from Maine to Florida.  In a typical year, 5 or more Northern Irish groups are sponsored, plus one or two from Israel. Approximately 50 Rotary clubs now contribute the necessary cash plus in-kind donations and all-important personal interactions of Americans with the Friends Forever teens.

Friends Forever has twice been featured in the Rotarian Magazine, and has been called a MODEL PEACE PROGRAM in Rotary International publications.