The Rotary Foundation Trustees have set a goal for the Rotary Peace Centers Major Gifts Initiative: raising $150 million in gifts and commitments by June 2017. The funds will be used to build an endowment to ensure the program’s continuation for future generations as well as meet its immediate expenses. Each year, up to 100 Rotary Peace Fellows are selected to participate in a master’s degree or certificate program at one of our partner universities. Fellows study subjects related to the root causes of conflict and explore innovative solutions that address real-world needs. Today, almost 900...

For the second time in three years, the Interact Club of Hugh Boyd Secondary School in Richmond, British Columbia, Canada, took the $500 grand prize in the annual Interact video contest, beating 88 entries from 33 countries. The secret to the club's success isn't just the professional quality of the videos but the stories behind them, says club member Kyle Gomes, who was the director, cinematographer, and editor for this year's three-minute entry, "Our Best Day in Interact." The video, narrated by several Interact members, shows the students decorating Christmas trees at Richmond's City Hall...

This year marks 30 years since Rotary launched PolioPlus, its campaign to rid the world of polio. Beginning on Rotary's anniversary, 23 February, Rotary members worldwide will be holding events to celebrate three decades of polio eradication progress. Since 1985 Rotary and its partners have helped reduce the number of cases from 350,000 annually to fewer than 400 in 2014, and they remain committed until the disease is eradicated. Rotary has contributed more than $1.3 billion and countless volunteer hours to protect more than 2 billion children worldwide. In addition, Rotary's advocacy efforts...

Despite his longstanding interest in polio eradication, polio was not on Joe Pratt's mind as he prepared for a mid-April 2012 climb of Mount Everest, the highest mountain on earth. But that changed in late 2011, when the resident of Nottingham, New Hampshire, USA, participated in a polio immunization project in Pakistan with fellow Rotary member Steve Puderbaugh. Moved by the efforts of the Pakistanis to battle the crippling disease, and by the vulnerability of the young victims, Pratt reset the focus of his climbing adventure. Pakistan is one of three countries where polio has never been...

The RI Board of Directors elected Bryn Styles to serve the remaining term of Rotary Foundation Trustee Monty Audenart, who passed away on 21 January. Styles, a member of the Rotary Club of Barrie-Huronia in Ontario, Canada, will serve through 30 June 2017. His previous Rotary International positions include director, Council on Legislation representative, RI president's representative, and regional Rotary Foundation coordinator. Audenart joined Rotary in 1987 and was a member of the Rotary Club of Red Deer East in Alberta, Canada. Before taking on the trustee role, Audenart served Rotary as...