More about Rotary

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Rotary club membership represents a cross-section of the community's business and professional men and women. The world's Rotary clubs meet weekly and are nonpolitical, nonreligious, and open to all cultures, races, and creeds.

The main objective of Rotary is service — in the community, in the workplace, and throughout the world. Rotarians develop community service projects that address many of today's most critical issues, such as children at risk, poverty and hunger, the environment, illiteracy, and violence. They also support programs for youth, educational opportunities and international exchanges for students, teachers, and other professionals, and vocational and career development. The Rotary motto is Service Above Self.

Although Rotary clubs develop autonomous service programs, all Rotarians worldwide are united in a campaign for the global eradication of polio. In the 1980s, Rotarians raised US million to immunize the children of the world; by 2005, Rotary's centenary year and the target date for the certification of a polio-free world, the PolioPlus program will have contributed US million to this cause. In addition, Rotary has provided an army of volunteers to promote and assist at national immunization days in polio-endemic countries around the world.

The Rotary Foundation of Rotary International is a not-for-profit corporation that promotes world understanding through international humanitarian service programs and educational and cultural exchanges. It is supported solely by voluntary contributions from Rotarians and others who share its vision of a better world. Since 1947, the Foundation has awarded more than US$1.1 billion in humanitarian and educational grants, which are initiated and administered by local Rotary clubs and districts.

The ROTARY FOUNDATION Rotary's Mission, and the achievement of world understanding and peace through local, national, and international humanitarian, educational, and cultural programs. Right, are Club members led by IPP Alfred at a visit to the Kitwe mayor's office. The year 2002 - 2003 has seen the club commence with plans to re-equip the City library run by the local council.
Regional Rotary Foundation Coordinators Rotary Governors are invaluable resources for Rotary clubs and districts. These dedicated Rotarians can assist with Foundation seminars, club programs, and other ways to inform club members about The Rotary Foundation. Here PDG Rafiq hands over a cheque on behalf of the Roatry Club of Kitwe to the Sister In-charge at St. Martins orphanage in Kitwe.
Rotary Milestones 1905 First Rotary club organized in Chicago, Illinois, USA 1908 Second club formed in San Francisco, California, USA 1910 First Rotary convention held in Chicago 1912 First club outside US formed in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada 1917 Endowment fund, forerunner of The Rotary Foundation, established 1933 4-Way Test formulated by Chicago Rotarian Herbert J. Taylor 1945 Forty-nine Rotarians help draft United Nations Charter in San Francisco 1947 Rotary founder Paul Harris dies; first 18 Rotary Foundation scholarships granted 1962 First Interact club formed in Melbourne, Florida, USA 1965 Rotary Foundation launches Matching Grants and Group Study Exchange programs 1978 RI's largest convention, with 39,834 registrants, held in Tokyo 1985 Rotary announces PolioPlus program to immunize all the children of the world against polio 1989 Council on Legislation opens Rotary to women; Rotary clubs chartered in Budapest, Hungary, and Warsaw, Poland, for first time in almost 50 years 1990 Rotary Club of Moscow chartered first club in Soviet Union 1990-91 Preserve Planet Earth program inspires some 2,000 Rotary-sponsored environmental projects 1994 Western Hemisphere declared polio-free 1999 Rotary Centers for International Studies in Peace and Conflict Resolution established 2000 Western Pacific declared polio-free 2001 30,000th Rotary club chartered
Leadership development The Leadership Education and Training Department supports the training of Rotary leaders through publication of self-paced study materials and Leaders’ Guides for those conducting training. Through leadership education and training, Rotarians become Rotary leaders of their clubs and districts. Rotary leadership training events are designed to provide Rotary leaders with the knowledge and skills necessary to successfully conduct their responsibilities and to allow them to exchange ideas with other Rotarians.
RI Programs Rotary International offers a broad range of humanitarian, intercultural, and educational programs and activities designed to improve the human condition and advance the organization's ultimate goal of world understanding and peace. Nine Structured Programs and nine Service Opportunities help clubs and districts achieve their service goals in their own communities and in communities abroad, fostering fellowship and goodwill in the process.