What is Rotary?
Rotary International is a worldwide organization of business and professional clubs, dedicated to high vocational standards, community service, and international understanding. To foster fellowship through diversity of interests, a Rotary club is composed of one representative of each business and profession in a community. Established in 1905 in Chicago, Illinois, it now has its headquarters in Evanston, Illinois. Rotary is the oldest service club organization in the world; in 1922 the name became Rotary International as clubs were organized in other countries.
Rotary International is comprised of 1.2 million Rotarians who make up more than 34,000 Rotary clubs in nearly every country in the world who share a dedication to the ideal of Service Above Self. Rotary clubs are open to people of all cultures and ethnicity and are not affiliated with any political or religious organizations. Membership is by invitation, and clubs determine their own service activities. Currently the organization is encouraging clubs to focus community activities on fighting hunger, illiteracy, and drug abuse, and helping the elderly and the environment. Clubs also may participate in the international programs of the Rotary Foundation, which administers privately funded scholarships and grants in order to accomplish large-scale, international humanitarian projects as well as smaller projects that are sponsored and partially funded by Rotary clubs or districts in two or more countries. Rotary International's Polio Plus program, in cooperation with the World Health Organization and the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), funds vaccine purchases and social mobilization activities in order to help eradicate polio worldwide by the year 2000. The organization also publishes an official periodical, The Rotarian in English and Revista Rotaria in Spanish.
Rotary International is comprised of 1.2 million Rotarians who make up more than 34,000 Rotary clubs in nearly every country in the world who share a dedication to the ideal of Service Above Self. Rotary clubs are open to people of all cultures and ethnicity and are not affiliated with any political or religious organizations. Membership is by invitation, and clubs determine their own service activities. Currently the organization is encouraging clubs to focus community activities on fighting hunger, illiteracy, and drug abuse, and helping the elderly and the environment. Clubs also may participate in the international programs of the Rotary Foundation, which administers privately funded scholarships and grants in order to accomplish large-scale, international humanitarian projects as well as smaller projects that are sponsored and partially funded by Rotary clubs or districts in two or more countries. Rotary International's Polio Plus program, in cooperation with the World Health Organization and the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), funds vaccine purchases and social mobilization activities in order to help eradicate polio worldwide by the year 2000. The organization also publishes an official periodical, The Rotarian in English and Revista Rotaria in Spanish.
Philosophy
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:
1. The development of acquaintance as an opportunity for service;
2. 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;
3. The application of the ideal of service in each Rotarian's personal, business, and community life;
4. The advancement of international understanding, goodwill, and peace through a world fellowship of business and professional persons united in the ideal of service.
This objective is further set against the "Rotarian four-way test", used to see if a planned action is compatible with the Rotarian spirit. The test was developed by Rotarian and entrepreneur Herbert J. Taylor during the Great Depression as a set of guidelines for restoring faltering businesses and was adopted as the standard of ethics by Rotary in 1942. It is still seen as a standard for ethics in business management:
In addition to the Four-Way test, the organization's motto is: "Service Above Self"
1. The development of acquaintance as an opportunity for service;
2. 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;
3. The application of the ideal of service in each Rotarian's personal, business, and community life;
4. The advancement of international understanding, goodwill, and peace through a world fellowship of business and professional persons united in the ideal of service.
This objective is further set against the "Rotarian four-way test", used to see if a planned action is compatible with the Rotarian spirit. The test was developed by Rotarian and entrepreneur Herbert J. Taylor during the Great Depression as a set of guidelines for restoring faltering businesses and was adopted as the standard of ethics by Rotary in 1942. It is still seen as a standard for ethics in business management:
- Is it the truth?
- Is it fair to all concerned?
- Will it build good will and better friendships?
- Will it be beneficial to all concerned?
In addition to the Four-Way test, the organization's motto is: "Service Above Self"
A Brief History of Rotary
The first Rotary Club in the world was organized in Chicago, Illinois, USA, on 23 February 1905 by Paul P. Harris, a young lawyer, who gathered together in a spirit of friendship and understanding, a group of men, each of whom was engaged in a different form of service to the public. That basis for membership - one person from each business and profession in the community - still exists in Rotary. At first, the members of the new club met in rotation at their various places of business and this suggested the name "Rotary".
Since 1905, the ideals of Paul Harris and his friends have become ideals which have been accepted by people of practically all nationalities and many political and religious beliefs. Today, there are Rotary clubs in Austria and American Samoa, in Brazil and Brunei, in India and Italy, in Scotland and South Africa, in 184 countries and geographical regions. The universal acceptance of Rotary principles has been so great that there are now more than 27,000 Rotary clubs, which have a membership of over 1.2 Million. The general objectives of Rotary clubs in every country are the same, the development of fellowship and understanding among the business and professional leaders in the community, the promotion of community-betterment endeavors and of high standards in business and professional practices, and the advancement of international understanding, goodwill and peace. Rotary clubs everywhere have one basic ideal - "ideal of Service", which is thoughtfulness of and helpfulness to others.
Since 1905, the ideals of Paul Harris and his friends have become ideals which have been accepted by people of practically all nationalities and many political and religious beliefs. Today, there are Rotary clubs in Austria and American Samoa, in Brazil and Brunei, in India and Italy, in Scotland and South Africa, in 184 countries and geographical regions. The universal acceptance of Rotary principles has been so great that there are now more than 27,000 Rotary clubs, which have a membership of over 1.2 Million. The general objectives of Rotary clubs in every country are the same, the development of fellowship and understanding among the business and professional leaders in the community, the promotion of community-betterment endeavors and of high standards in business and professional practices, and the advancement of international understanding, goodwill and peace. Rotary clubs everywhere have one basic ideal - "ideal of Service", which is thoughtfulness of and helpfulness to others.