Rotary is an organisation of business
and professional leaders united worldwide
who provide humanitarian service, encourage
high ethical standards
in all vocations and help build goodwill and peace in the world. In
more than 160 countries worldwide, approximately 1.2 million Rotarians
belong to more than 31,500 Rotary clubs. Rotary club membership represents
a cross-section of the community's business and professional
men and women. The world's Rotary clubs meet weekly and are
non-political, non-religious and open to all cultures, races
and creeds.
 The
main objective of Rotary is service - in the community,
in the workplace and throughout the world. Rotarians
develop community service projects that address many of
today's most critical issues, such as children
at risk, poverty and hunger, the environment, illiteracy
and violence. They also support programs for the youth, educational
opportunities and international exchanges for students,
teachers and other professionals, and vocational and career
development. The Rotary motto is "Service Above Self".
Although Rotary clubs develop autonomous service programs, all
Rotarians worldwide are united in a campaign for the global eradication
of polio. In the 1980s, Rotarians raised US$240 million to immunize
the children of the world; by 2005, Rotary's centenary year and
the target date for the certification of a polio-free world,
the PolioPlus program will have contributed US$500 million to
this cause. In addition, Rotary has provided an army of volunteers
to promote and assist at national immunization days in polio-endemic
countries around the world.
The Rotary Foundation of Rotary
International is a non-profit corporation that promotes
world understanding through international humanitarian service
programs and educational and cultural exchanges. It is supported
solely by voluntary contributions from Rotarians and others
who share its vision of a better world. Since 1947, the Foundation
has awarded more than US$1.1 billion in humanitarian and educational
grants, which are initiated and administered by local Rotary
clubs and districts.
From
the earliest days of the organisation, Rotarians were concerned
with promoting high ethical standards in their professional
lives. One of the world's most widely printed and quoted statements
of business ethics is The 4-Way Test, which was created in
1932 by Rotarian, Herbert J. Taylor (who later served as RI
president) when he was asked to take charge of a company that
was facing bankruptcy.
This 24-word test for
employees to follow in their business and professional lives
became the guide for
sales, production,
advertising and all relations with dealers and customers,
and the survival of the company is credited to this simple
philosophy. Adopted by Rotary in 1943, The 4-Way Test has been
translated into more than a hundred languages and published
in thousands of ways. It asks the following four questions:
Of
things we think, say and do...
1. Is it the truth?
2. Is it fair to all concerned?
3. Will it build goodwill and better friendships?
4. Will it be beneficial to all
concerned?
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The object of Rotary is to encourage
and foster the ideals of service as a basis of worthy
enterprise and, in particular, to encourage and foster:
First - The development of aquaintance as an opportunity
for service.
Second - High ethical standards in business and professions;
the recognition of 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 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 ideals of service.
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service is a privilege - assume it
service is a challenge - meet it
service is a journey - complete it
service is a gift - accept it
service is a duty - perform it
service is a promise - fulfill it
service is a friendship - enjoy it
service is a spirit - live it
service is a a goal - achieve it
service is action - do it
service is vision - have it
service is the future - build it
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