Rotary at a Glance
Rotary is a worldwide organisation of individuals, business and professional leaders respected for their selfless dedication to giving something back to our local and international communities.
The Rotary motto is Service Above Self
Rotary as an organisation
- provides humanitarian service
- encourages high ethical standards in all vocations
- builds goodwill and peace in the world
- enjoys each others friendship through the Rotary network
1.2+ million Rotarians belong to more than 32,000 clubs
in more than 200 countries.
The world's Rotary clubs meet weekly and are non-political, non-religious, and open to all cultures, races, and creeds.
Our Objective – SERVICE …
- in our community
- in our workplaces
- supporting charities
- supporting individuals
- throughout the world
The Four-Way Test
Rotary has embraced a code of ethics, called The 4-Way Test, that has been translated into 100+ languages.
The test asks the following questions of the things we think, say or do:-
1) Is it the TRUTH?
2) Is it FAIR to all concerned?
3) Will it build GOODWILL and BETTER FRIENDSHIPS?
4) Will it be BENEFICIAL to all concerned?
Using these principles, Rotarians develop community service projects that address many of today's most critical issues, such as children at risk, poverty and hunger, the environment, illiteracy and violence.
They also support programs for youth, educational opportunities and international exchanges for students, teachers, and other professionals, and vocational and career development.
The Rotary Foundation
A not-for-profit corporation that promotes world understanding through international humanitarian service programs and educational and cultural exchanges.
The Foundation is supported solely by voluntary contributions from Rotarians and others who share its vision of a better world. Since 1947 the Foundation has awarded more than US$1.1 billion in humanitarian and educational grants, which are initiated and administered by local Rotary clubs and districts.
Rotary in South Australia
The Rotary Club of Adelaide West is one of 49 clubs in the northern geographical half of South Australia / Nothern Territory within the Rotary International District number 9500.
Also in South Australia, the southern geographical half has a similar number of clubs in the Rotary International District of 9520.
Internationally, all clubs belong to districts like these. Geographically banded together with similar local challenges to deal with. Each year, a District nominates a District Governor and committee who liaises with all clubs in his or her District.
A District will also run separate charitable projects / programmes involving multiple clubs from within that district, plus will annually hold a Conference to bring members of all Clubs together to build camaraderie and networks, plus to further educate members of happenings around the full geographical district and Rotary internationally. They’re also good fun! < read more >
Promoting international understanding
During and after World War II, Rotarians became increasingly involved in promoting international understanding. In 1945, 49 Rotary members served in 29 delegations to the United Nations Charter Conference.
Rotary today still actively participates in UN conferences by sending observers to major meetings and promoting the United Nations in Rotary publications.
Rotary International's relationship with the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) dates back to a 1943 London Rotary conference that promoted international cultural and educational exchanges.
Attended by ministers of education and observers from around the world, and chaired by a past president of RI, the conference was an impetus to the establishment of UNESCO in 1946.
An endowment fund, set up by Rotarians in 1917 ‘for doing good in the world’, became a not-for-profit corporation known as The Rotary Foundation in 1928.
Upon the death of Rotary’s founder Paul Harris in 1947, an outpouring of Rotarian donations made in his honour, totalling US$2 million, launched the Foundation's first program — graduate fellowships, now called Ambasadorial Scholarships.
Today, contributions to The Rotary Foundation total more than US$80 million annually and support a wide range of humanitarian grants and educational programs that enable Rotarians to bring hope and promote international understanding throughout the world.
