A Brief Description of the Rotary Organisation
What is Rotary?
Rotary is an organisation of men and women volunteers united worldwide who provide humanitarian service, encourage high ethical standards in all vocations, and help build goodwill and peace in the world.
Rotary Clubs are made up of like-minded people that provide humanitarian services at local, national and international levels. Members are required to encourage high ethical standards in all vocations and help to build goodwill and peace in the world through fundraising and active involvement in projects where appropriate. Members are required to encourage high ethical standards in all vocations and help to build goodwill and peace in the world through fundraising and active involvement in projects where appropriate.
If you would like to become a Rotarian but cannot physically attend regular meetings for any reason you can join an E-Club. In an E-Club everything is done on line. E-Clubs hold meetings online and contribute to the work of Rotary just like traditional clubs undertaking projects and fund raising. E-Clubs are linked to a Rotary District but can draw members from anywhere in the world.
Rotary International is a collection of more than 31,000 Rotary clubs located in 166 countries. There are approximately 1.2 million Rotarians in these clubs. Rotary International is one of the world's largest service organizations dedicated to supporting humanitarian projects on a global scale. It sets the standards, goals and aspirations of all Rotary Clubs and manages a range of international humanitarian projects which individual clubs can support.
Rotary Foundation is the organisation that translates funds donated by Rotarians into service projects. Over the past 100 years it has channelled over £2.5bn to its 6 causes.
- Promoting Peace
- Providing Clean Water
- Saving Mothers and Children
- Supporting Education
- Growing Local Economies
- Fighting Disease
RIBI is Rotary International in Great Britain and Ireland. More information can be found on the RIBI website.
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:
- The development of acquaintance as an opportunity for service.
- The promotion of 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.
- The application of the ideal of service in each Rotarian's personal, business, and community life.
- The advancement of international understanding, goodwill, and peace through a world fellowship of business and professional persons united in the ideal of service.
Origin of Rotary
The first Rotary Club was formed in Chicago in 1905.
Service Above Self
All true Rotarians are driven by the motto SERVICE ABOVE SELF.
While it is always nice for our efforts to be appreciated by others this is not how we are motivated. "Service Above Self" is an inspired motto.
"Service above Self" was not always the Rotary motto. It was only adopted in 1989. The first motto was "He profits most who Serves Best". This would be regarded as somewhat sexist nowadays!
People of Action
Rotarians share a unique passion for taking action to improve their communities and the world. Where others see problems, we see solutions. 'People of Action' is a campaign to promote Rotarians as pro-active people dedicated to helping others through their actions. It is aimed at those who do not about Rotary or do not understand what Rotarians do.
During his year of office Denis Spiller, RGBI President 2017/18, has launched Rotary 2, an ambitious plan that includes the creation of 250 new Rotary groups. In an attempt to boost Rotary membership by appealing to young people these groups are to be very different to traditional Rotary Clubs. They will meet and deliver Rotary in a less traditional style and in line with lifestyles we know have changed over the past decade.
The videos below have been released to support Rotary 2.
1. Rotary Tacking Homelessness
2. Rotary Supporting Young People
3. Rotary On The Brink Of Polio History
4. Rotary Championing Local Causes
5. Rotary Giving Back To The Community
6. Rotary Blazing A Trail
7. Rotary Members Unite To Tackle World Hunger
8. Learn, Develop And Grow With Rotary
9. Family Rotary Club Use Skills To Kick-Start Local Charities
2017-18 Rotary: Making a Difference
In 2017-18, we will answer the question “What is Rotary?” with the theme Rotary: Making a Difference. However each of us chooses to serve, we do it because we know our service makes a difference in the lives
of others. Whether we are building a new
playground or a new school, improving medical
care or sanitation, training conflict mediators
or midwives, we know that the work we do will
change people’s lives — in ways large and small
— for the better. Whatever motivation each of
us had for joining Rotary, it is the satisfaction
we find in Rotary that causes us to remain, the
satisfaction of knowing that week by week,
year by year, we are part of Rotary: Making a
Ian H.S. Riseley President, Rotary International, 2017-18