Rotary International, the world’s first service club organization, is made up of 46,000 clubs in more than 200 countries and geographical areas. Its members form a global network of business, professional, and community leaders who volunteer their time and talents to serve their communities and the world.
Rotary’s motto, “Service Above Self”, exemplifies the humanitarian spirit of the organization’s more than 1.2 million members.
Strong fellowship among Rotarians and meaningful community and international service projects characterize Rotary worldwide.
Rotary enjoys a rich and sometimes complex tradition and organizational structure, with many programs that can be confusing to new and even not-so-new members. This section of our website is dedicated to offering a basic Rotary education – the fundamental knowledge that will make every member better informed about Rotary and proud to be a Rotarian.
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.
Avenues of Service
Based on the Object of Rotary, the Avenues of Service are Rotary’s philosophical cornerstone and the foundation on which club activity is based:
Club Service focuses on strengthening fellowship and ensuring the effective functioning of the club.
Vocational Service encourages Rotarians to serve others through their vocations and to practice high ethical standards.
Community Service covers the projects and activities the club undertakes to improve life in its community.
International Service encompasses actions taken to expand Rotary’s humanitarian reach around the globe and to promote world understanding and peace.
New Generations Service recognizes the positive change implemented by youth and young adults through leadership development activities, service projects, and exchange programs.
The Rotary Foundation
The mission of The Rotary Foundation is to enable Rotarians to advance world understanding, goodwill, and peace through the improvement of health, the support of education, and the alleviation of poverty.
The Foundation is a not-for-profit corporation supported solely by voluntary contributions from Rotarians and friends of the Foundation who share its vision of a better world.
