The Rotary movement

At the heart of global humanitarian engagement, the Rotary movement stands as a beacon of hope and selfless service. What began as a modest gathering of professionals in Chicago in 1905 has grown into a powerful international network of more than 1.4 million dedicated individuals, united under a simple but profound motto: "Service Above Self".

The vision of founder Paul Harris was to bring the spirit of small-town friendship and ethics back into the business world, creating a platform where professionals could exchange ideas and, most importantly, serve their community. The name "Rotary" comes from the early practice of rotating meetings between members' offices — a symbol of constant movement, progress and civilisation.

What Rotary actually is

Rotary International is an organisation of business and professional leaders united to provide service to their local and global communities, deliver humanitarian aid, encourage high ethical standards in all professions and advance goodwill and peace in the world.

The organisation's standing and reputation, and the high moral and ethical values of its members, have driven continuous growth in membership — today Rotary has more than 32,000 clubs and over 1.2 million members in more than 200 countries.

The principles of Rotary

Rotary's principles encourage and cultivate the ideal of service as the basis of worthwhile enterprise, through:

• Developing acquaintance as an opportunity for service
• Upholding high ethical standards in business and professions, and recognising the worth of every useful occupation
• Applying the ideal of service in each member's personal, business and community life
• Advancing understanding, goodwill and peace through a world fellowship of business and professional people united in the ideal of service