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What is Rotary

Our Mission

We provide service to others, promote integrity, and advance world understanding, goodwill, and peace through our fellowship of business, professional, and community leaders.

Our Motto

Service Above Self

  • Members of the Rotary Club Elblag Centrum, Elblag, Poland, distribute toothbrushing kits to kindergartners through the club’s Healthy Teeth Project. The project educates children on the importance of dental hygiene through annual presentations in schools. 22 November 2019. Elblag, Poland.
  • Rotarians from across Korea plant Rose of Sharon trees at the Independence Hall museum in Cheonan, South Korea, on 28 May 2018 as a project promoting peace on the Korean peninsula.
  • Rotarian Jorge Francisco Viau of Guatemala (right) reviews a supply list with Raul, a local electrician, at Rancho Alegre school. Rancho Alegre is one of nine schools in the Sumpango area of Guatemala that are scheduled to have their water and sanitation facilities improved through Rotary global grant 25643. The schools will have classroom water filters, hand washing stations, toilets, septic tanks, and drainage systems. Rotarians are extensively involved in the project, consulting with local residents, community advocates, employees, and the students' parents to assess the priorities of each school and community. After examining Rancho Alegre's needs, Rotarians decided to use the grant to install an emergency exit from the second floor and build a new kitchen there, also.
  • Members of Dutch Rotary and Rotaract clubs partner with Plastic Whale to remove plastic from canals in Amsterdam, Netherlands. Plastic Whale is a social enterprise that removes plastic from waterways worldwide and creates usable objects from plastic waste. 23 March 2019.

Rotary is a global network of 1.2 million neighbors, friends, leaders, and problem-solvers who see a world where people unite and take action to create lasting change – across the globe, in our communities, and in ourselves.

Solving real problems takes real commitment and vision. For more than 110 years, Rotary's people of action have used their passion, energy, and intelligence to take action on sustainable projects. From literacy and peace to water and health, we are always working to better our world, and we stay committed to the end.

Together, we see a world where people unite and take action to create lasting change — across the globe, in our communities, and in ourselves.
- Rotary International Vision

The Object of Rotary:

The Object of Rotary is to encourage and foster the ideal of service as a basis of worthy enterprise and, in particular, to encourage and foster:

  • FIRST. The development of acquaintance as an opportunity for service;

  • SECOND. High ethical standards in business and professions; the recognition of the worthiness of all useful occupations; and the dignifying of each Rotarian's occupation as an opportunity to serve society;

  • THIRD. The application of the ideal of service in each Rotarian's personal, business, and community life;

  • FOURTH. The advancement of international understanding, goodwill, and peace through a world fellowship of business and professional persons united in the ideal of service.ethical standards in business and professions; the recognition of the worthiness of all useful occupations; and the dignifying of each Rotarian's occupation as an opportunity to serve society;

The Four-Way Test:

Of the things we think, say or do

  • Is it the TRUTH?
  • Is it FAIR to all concerned?
  • Will it build GOODWILL and BETTER FRIENDSHIPS?
  • Will it be BENEFICIAL to all concerned?

Rotary at a Glance

Rotary brings together a global network of volunteer leaders who dedicate their time and talent to tackle the world’s most pressing humanitarian challenges. Rotary connects 1.2 million members from more than 200 countries and geographical areas. Their work improves lives at both the local and international levels, from helping families in need in their own communities to working toward a polio-free world. Rotary also offers expanded service opportunities including:

Interact: A service organization organized and sponsored by Rotary clubs for young people aged 12-18. There are more than 12,300 Interact clubs in 133 countries.
Rotaract: Groups organized by Rotary clubs to promote leadership, professional development, and service among young adults aged 18-30. There are more than 8,000 Rotaract clubs in 167 countries.
Rotary Community Corps (RCCs): Groups of non-Rotary members who work to improve their communities. There are more than 7,500 RCCs in 80 countries, all organized and sponsored by Rotary clubs.

Membership Snapshot

Who

Rotary brings together the kind of people who step forward to take on important issues in communities worldwide. Rotary members hail from a range of professional backgrounds; doctors, artists, small business owners, corporate executives and public servants. Rotary connects these unique perspectives, and helps leverage its members’ expertise to improve lives everywhere.

Where

Rotary brings together the kind of people who step forward to take on important issues in communities worldwide. Rotary members hail from a range of professional backgrounds; doctors, artists, small business owners, corporate executives and public servants. Rotary connects these unique perspectives, and helps leverage its members’ expertise to improve lives everywhere.

What

Rotary brings together the kind of people who step forward to take on important issues in communities worldwide. Rotary members hail from a range of professional backgrounds; doctors, artists, small business owners, corporate executives and public servants. Rotary connects these unique perspectives, and helps leverage its members’ expertise to improve lives everywhere.

1
North America and the Caribbean
1
North Asia (inc. Japan and Korea)
1
Central and South America
1
South and Southeast Asia, India
1
Europe
1+
Countries
1
Australia, Phillippines, and Pacific Realm
1
Africa and Southwest Asia
1+
Rotary Districts
1+
Clubs
~1
Rotary Community Corp (RCC)
~1
Rotaract
~1
Interact

AVENUES OF SERVICE

For years, Rotary's commitment to SERVICE ABOVE SELF has been c through five Avenues of Service, which are the foundation of club activity.

Club Service focuses on strengthening fellowship and ensuring the effective functioning of the club. Thriving clubs are anchored by strong relationships and an active membership development plan.

Vocational Service calls on all Rotarians to work with integrity and high ethical standards contributing their expertise to the problems and needs of society.

Community Service covers the projects and activities the club undertakes to improve the quality of life in their community and to serve the public interest.

International Service exemplifies our global reach in promoting peace and understanding. Support this avenue by sponsoring or volunteering on international projects, using local member expertise to build long-term partnerships for sustainable projects, and seeking service partners abroad.

New Generations Service recognizes the positive change implemented by youth and young adults through leadership development activities as Rotary Youth Leadership Awards, Rotaract and Interact, service projects, and creating international understanding with Rotary Youth Exchange.

The Rotary Foundation (TRF)

TRF is a not-for-profit corporation that supports the efforts of Rotary International to achieve world understanding and peace through international humanitarian, educational, and cultural exchange programs.

Rotary Foundation's Humanitarian Programs fund international Rotary club and district projects to improve the quality of life, providing health care, clean water, food, education, and other essential needs primarily in the developing world. One of the major Humanitarian Programs is PolioPlus, which seeks to eradicate the polio virus worldwide. Through its Educational Programs, the Foundation provides funding for some 1,200 students to study abroad each year. Former participants in the Foundation's programs have the opportunity to continue their affiliation with Rotary as Foundation Alumni. The Rotary Foundation is supported solely by voluntary contributions from Rotarians and friends of the Foundation who share its vision of a better world. Included in this section is information pertaining to the history of The Rotary Foundation, its financial support, its Alumni programs, training and resources, and the SHARE system.