What is Rotary?
What is Rotary? from Rotary International on Vimeo.
We are 1.2 million neighbors, friends, and community leaders who come together to create positive, lasting change in our communities and around the world.
Our organization started with the vision of one man - Paul P. Harris. The Chicago attorney formed one of the world's first service organizations, the Rotary Club of Chicago, on 23 February 1905 as a place where professionals with diverse backgrounds could exchange ideas and form meaningful, lifelong relationships. Rotary's name came from the group's early practice of rotating meetings among the offices of each member.
Today, Rotary clubs, Rotary International, and The Rotary Foundation work together to make lasting improvements in our communities and around the world. Our impact starts with our members - people who work tirelessly with their clubs to solve some of our communities' toughest challenges.