As an international organization, Rotary offers each member unique opportunities and responsibilities. Although each Rotarian has first responsibility to uphold the obligations of citizenship of his or her own country, membership in Rotary enables Rotarians to take a somewhat different view of international affairs. In the early 1950s a Rotary philosophy was adopted to describe how a Rotarian may think on a global basis. Here is what it said:
“A world-minded Rotarian:
- looks beyond national patriotism and considers himself as sharing responsibility for the advancement of international understanding, goodwill and peace;
- resists any tendency to act in terms of national or racial superiority;
- seeks and develops common grounds for agreement with peoples of other lands;
- defends the rule of law and order to preserve the liberty of the individual so that he may enjoy freedom of thought, speech and assembly, and freedom from persecution, aggression, want and fear;
- supports action directed toward improving standards of living for all peoples, realizing that poverty anywhere endangers prosperity everywhere;
- upholds the principles of justice for mankind;
- strives always to promote peace between nations and prepares to make personal sacrifices for that ideal;
- urges and practices a spirit of understanding of every other man’s beliefs as a step toward international goodwill, recognizing that there are certain basic moral and spiritual standards which will ensure a richer, fuller life.”