About Rotary
Rotary is a worldwide organization of business and professional leaders that provides humanitarian service, encourages high ethical standards in all vocations, and helps build goodwill and peace in the world. Approximately 1.2 million Rotarians belong to more than 31,000 Rotary clubs located in 167 countries.
Rotary membership
Members of a Rotary club are part of a diverse group of professional leaders working to address various community and international service needs and to promote peace and understanding throughout the world. If you would like to be considered for membership by a local Rotary club, complete a Prospective Member Contact Form. RI will forward your information to clubs in your area.
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.
The mission of Rotary International is to support its member clubs in fulfilling the Object of Rotary by:
Service defines Rotary's character and is the basis for its appeal and visibility in the community. Above all other principles, "Service Above Self" is the credo that guides Rotary. Each Rotaract club is required to complete at least two major service projects annually, one to serve the community and the other to promote international understanding. For information on the development of effective service projects, download the following publications:
Communities in Action: A Guide to Effective Projects
Menu of Service Opportunities
More information about developing community projects is featured in the Community Service section of the RI Web site. For information on international service project development, visit the World Community Service and Rotary Volunteers sections.
