ROTARY is an organization of business and professional leaders united worldwide, who provide humanitarian service, encourage high ethical standards in all vocations, and help build goodwill and peace in the world.

There are approximately 1.2 million Rotarians, members of more than 27,000 Rotary clubs in 158 countries and geographical areas.

Rotarians meet weekly for fellowship and interesting and informative programs dealing with topics of local and global importance. Membership reflects a wide cross-section of community representation.



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.

International Responsibilities of a Rotarian

As an International organization, Rotary offers each member unique opportunities and responsibilities. Although each Rotarian’s first responsibility is to uphold the obligations of citizenship of his or her own country, membership in Rotary enables one to take a somewhat different view of International affairs. In the early 1950’s, a Rotary philosophy was adopted to describe how a member may think on a global basis. Here is what it said.

A world-minded Rotarian:
 
  • Looks beyond national patriotism and considers himself sharing responsibility for the advancement of international understanding, goodwill and peace
     
  • Resists any tendency to act in terms of national or racial superiority
     
  • Seeks and develops common grounds for agreement with peoples of other lands
     
  • Defends the rule of law and order to preserve the liberty of the individual so that he may enjoy freedom of thought, speech and assembly, and freedom from persecution, aggression, want and fear
     
  • Supports action directed toward improving standards of living for all peoples, realizing that poverty anywhere endangers prosperity everywhere
     
  • Upholds the principles of justice for mankind
     
  • Strives always to promote peace between nations and prepares to make personal sacrifices for that ideal
     
  • Urges and practices a spirit of understanding of every man’s beliefs as a step toward international goodwill, recognizing that there are certain basic moral and spiritual standards which will ensure a richer, fuller life.