7. Carlo Salter

Sponsor Club: Southern Pines, USA, District 7690

Host Club: Loganholme, AUS, District 9630

Carlo was born in Italy to a bicultural family, having a father from the United States and an Italian mother. His childhood and teen years were spent in Italy, being exposed to multiple European cultures. He then enrolled in college to study International Studies at Niagara University and his keen interest in international affairs and foreign languages landed him opportunities to study abroad in Spain and Mexico. While studying for his Bachelor’s degree, he also earned a commission as a Second Lieutenant in the United States Army in the specialty of Field Artillery.

Carlo has served in the US Army filling in all typical roles young officers have. He has deployed to two conflict areas in the Middle East and Southwest Asia (Iraq & Afghanistan). In both capacities, he worked as a Combat Advisor to local forces, requiring not only extensive professional training, but also training in the culture, language and customs of each country. He relied on the cultural training and his experiences abroad to foster enduring relationships with his Iraqi and Afghan Army counterparts, being able to successfully complete his mission. Carlo’s interests are in civil-military cooperation and the resolution of conflict related to the extractive industries.

These interests allowed him to conduct his Applied Field Experience in the South American nation of Peru, where he worked with the Office for National Dialogue and Sustainability (ONDS) Thanks to his language skills and UQ studies, he was able to immerse himself into the social and political landscape of Peru, and gain a better understanding of the successful work the ONDS is conducting in preventing, managing and resolving conflict in Peru. He is very much looking forward to sharing experiences with other Rotary Peace Fellows and acquiring new tools to improve his expertise in conflict mediation, cross-cultural communication/ understanding and corporate social responsibility.