Rotary International

Rotarians are People of Action
 

Rotary International is one of the largest service organizations in the world.
Its mission is to “provide service to others, promote integrity, and advance world understanding,
goodwill, and peace through the fellowship of business, professional, and community leaders.”

 

Service Above Self

Rotarians build a better world – individually, locally and globally. It is a non-political and non-religious organization.

 

For 129 years, Rotary members have been addressing challenges around the world. It started with the vision of one man – Paul Harris. The Chicago attorney formed the Rotary Club of Chicago on February 23, 1905, so professionals with diverse backgrounds could exchange ideas, form meaningful, lifelong friendships, and give back to their communities.

 

Rotary’s name came from the group’s early practice of rotating meetings among its members’ offices. Rotary became an international organization after founding a Rotary Club in Winnipeg, Manitoba, in 1912.

 

 

 

 

Rotary unites people from all continents and cultures
who take action to deliver real, long-term solutions
to our world’s most persistent issues.

 

In communities across the globe, our 1.4 million members come together to strengthen
connections to friends and neighbours and their commitment to improving lives. Solving real problems
takes real commitment and vision. Each year, Rotary members invest hundreds of millions of dollars
and countless volunteer hours in sustainable, community-based solutions to promote health, peace,
and prosperity in communities across the globe.
 

 
Rotary combines global reach, local resources, and highly skilled volunteers with a funding
structure that distributes US $200 million annually to fund projects having the following areas of focus:

 

Becoming a Rotary member connects you with diverse professionals who share your drive to give back. It is a global group of members who envision a world where people unite and take action to create lasting change globally, in our communities, and within ourselves.

While our 46,000 clubs in 220 countries share a commitment to community service, each club is unique in its experience, focus, and dynamics. 

The motto of Rotary was created from a Paul Harris quote: “Service Above Self”. The Rotary Club of Calgary at Stampede Park is one of 13 clubs in Calgary and 160 in Alberta. Rotary International can boast 47 million volunteer hours yearly—we are People of Action!

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Waterton Glacier International Peace Park

 

Authorized by the U.S. Congress and Canada's Parliament, the designation of the peace park combines the 203-square-mile Waterton Lakes National Park in Canada with the 1,600-square-mile Glacier National Park in the United States. The arrangement allows both national parks to operate as separate entities under the peace park mantle.

 

Thereafter, the Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park Association was created to perpetuate the message of peace and good will inspired by this monumental achievement. Rotarians agreed to meet annually at a Peace Park Assembly which alternates between each country. Rotarians from over 200 clubs across four districts partake in the Assembly, usually on a September weekend which culminates with the Hands Across the Border Ceremony.

 

Our Programs

  • Friendship Exchanges
  • Grants
  • Peace Fellowships
  • Rotary Community Corps
  • Rotary Youth Leadership
  • Scholarships
  • Youth Programs
  • Youth Exchanges
Join Us
Hands across the Border
Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park

The Four-Way Test

The Four-Way Test is a non-partisan and non-sectarian ethical guide for Rotarians to use for their personal and professional relationships. The test has been translated into more than 100 languages, and Rotarians recite it at club meetings:

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?


Together We End Polio

Since 1988, we’ve seen a 99.9% worldwide reduction in polio cases.
 
With renewed global attention and commitment, we can finally beat polio,
but the last stretch is the toughest. Only two countries remain polio-endemic:
Afghanistan and Pakistan and we won’t stop until we end polio for good.
 
Of the 3 strains of wild poliovirus (type 1, type 2 and type 3), wild poliovirus type 2 was
eradicated in 1999 and wild poliovirus type 3 was eradicated in 2020.
As at 2022, endemic wild poliovirus type 1 remains in two countries: Pakistan and Afghanistan.
 
The eradication of polio is one of our longest standing and most significant efforts.
Along with our partners, including the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, we have
helped immunize more than 2.5 billion children against polio in 122 countries.
 
As with any challenge, we are stronger when we work together as a team.
 
Polio, or poliomyelitis, is a paralyzing and potentially deadly infectious disease that most commonly affects children under the age of 5. The virus spreads from person to person, typically through contaminated water. It can then attack the nervous system.