Rotary International
Rotary is a worldwide organization of more than 1.2 million business, professional, and community leaders. Members of Rotary clubs, known as Rotarians, provide humanitarian service, encourage high ethical standards in all vocations, and help build goodwill and peace in the world.
There are 33,000 Rotary clubs in more than 200 countries and geographical areas. Clubs are nonpolitical, nonreligious, and open to all cultures, races, and creeds. As signified by the motto Service Above Self, Rotary's main objective is service - in the community, in the workplace, and throughout the world.
1. The Four-Way Test
The test, which has been translated into more than 100 languages, asks the following questions: Of the things we think, say or do
a. Is it the TRUTH?
b. Is it FAIR to all concerned?
c. Will it build GOODWILL and BETTER FRIENDSHIPS?
d. Will it be BENEFICIAL to all concerned?
2. 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:
a. FIRST: The development of acquaintance as an opportunity for service;
b. 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;
c. THIRD: The application of the ideal of service in each Rotarian's personal, business, and community life;
d. FOURTH: The advancement of international understanding, goodwill, and peace through a world fellowship of business and professional persons united in the ideal of service.
3. Declaration of Rotarians in Business and Professions:
As a Rotarian engaged in a business or profession, I am expected to:
a. Consider my vocation to be another opportunity to serve;
b. Be faithful to the letter and to the spirit of the ethical codes of my vocation, to the laws of my country, and to the moral standards of my community;
c. Do all in my power to dignify my vocation and to promote the highest ethical standards in my chosen vocation;
d. Be fair to my employer, employees, associates, competitors, customers, the public, and all those with whom I have a business or professional relationship;
e. Recognize the honor and respect due to all occupations which are useful to society;
f. Offer my vocational talents: to provide opportunities for young people, to work for the relief of the special needs of others, and to improve the quality of life in my community;
g. Adhere to honesty in my advertising and in all representations to the public concerning my business or profession;
h. Neither seek from nor grant to a fellow Rotarian a privilege or advantage not normally accorded others in a business or professional relationship.
4. Rotary Mission
The mission of Rotary International is to provide service to others, promote integrity, and advance world understanding, goodwill, and peace through its fellowship of business, professional, and community leaders.
5. 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:
a. Club Service focuses on strengthening fellowship and ensuring the effective functioning of the club.
b. Vocational Service encourages Rotarians to serve others through their vocations and to practice high ethical standards.
c. Community Service covers the projects and activities the club undertakes to improve life in its community.
d. International Service encompasses actions taken to expand Rotary's humanitarian reach around the globe and to promote world understanding and peace.
e. New Generations Service recognizes the positive change implemented by youth and young adults through leadership development activities, service projects, and exchange programs.
6. Diversity and Rotary
Rotary International recognizes the value of diversity within individual clubs. Rotary encourages clubs to assess those in their communities who are eligible for membership, under existing membership guidelines, and to endeavor to include the appropriate range of individuals in their clubs. A club that reflects its community with regard to professional and business classification, gender, age, religion, and ethnicity is a club with the key to its future.
7. Rotary Designated Months:
1. July :
2. August : Membership & Extension Month
3. September : New Generation Month
4. October : Vocational Service Month
5. November : Rotary Foundation Month
6. December : Family Month
7. January : Rotary Awareness Month
8. February : World Understanding Month
9. March : Literacy Month
10. April : Magazine Month
11. May :
12. June : rotary Fellowship Month
8. The Rotary Foundation Mission:
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.
