“Fear and Hate Must Go! And they will go when nations have goodwill based on understanding”
– the world’s first Rotarian, Paul P. Harris,
Founder and President Emeritus of Rotary International.
WHEN a certain distinguished scientist was asked what coming invention would mean most to mankind, he answered, "I don't think that any invention will mean so much to mankind as the discovery of a better way to get along together."
He was gravely disturbed by a world gone war‑mad. He had asked himself - as we all should - this question: What profiteth it that industry produce great wealth if all must be dissipated in a few hysterical months?
How can we find a better way to get along together?
There's the Golden Rule, but every nation believes its way is the Golden Rule way. Sir Norman Angell has wisely observed that no nation, however aggressive and inhuman its course may be, is conscious of guilt; its people are taught that they are superior to all others and that destiny calls them to lead.
Most nations are overeducated in their virtues and undereducated in their vices.
Travel is a good corrective for this type of mental near-sightedness - if the traveller will cast aside his prejudices. People will see what they look for, the ugly or the beautiful. If they seek things to condemn, they will find them in plenty and return home more prejudiced and arrogant than ever.
Open‑mindedness and tolerance are earmarks of the Rotary approach to the problem. Clubs exist in some 60 nations and opportunities for discord abound. But though membership includes representatives of all religious and political parties, discord is rare in Rotary.
“The Rotary way works! But Rotary has no patent on it, for it is but the Golden Rule in action. Any person, any nation, can apply it by displacing negative hatred and fear with goodwill based upon understanding. Peace among nations is not impossible of attainment; they can find peace if they will.”
– Paul P Harris, January 1946.
- www.peacehistory.org
RI President-elect Wilfrid J. Wilkinson unveiled the 2007-2008 theme “Rotary Shares”. "What makes Rotary great is our expressing the love in our hearts through the work of our hands and our minds," said Wilkinson. "As Rotarians, we don't just sit back and talk about loving other human beings. As Rotarians, we demonstrate that love, and we share that love, through helping each other."