Author Archives: Rotary International

Tour Melbourne’s world-renowned street art

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Catch the street art while you are in Melbourne, Australia, for the 2023 Rotary International Convention.

By Etelka Lehoczky, RI staff

When I found out I’d be going to Melbourne, Victoria, Australia to cover the 2023 Rotary International Convention, my mind raced. I thought of exhibition halls, Ayers Rock, packed auditoriums, and kangaroos. Even briefly an auditorium packed with kangaroos. I also thought of one word: laneways. For a street-art fan, Melbourne’s graffiti-filled alleyways are at the top of the bucket list. The city’s graffiti has been world-renowned since Keith Haring painted several murals there in 1984. Even the king of modern street art, Banksy, said Melbourne’s graffiti is “more diverse and original than any other city in the world.”

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Rotary service is the best public relations

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The Rotary Club of Cubao Edsa distributed books, notebooks, and other learning materials as well as hygiene kits to children in Gabaldon, Nueva Ecija. Photo by Maurice Librea

By Maurice Librea, past president of the Rotary Club of Cubao Edsa, Quezon City, Philippines

As a public relations professional, my work involves building and maintaining relationships between organizations and their target audiences. On a personal level, working in public relations has opened my eyes to many beautiful moments. Life truly looks much richer through the lens of public relations.

Recently, I had the opportunity to witness the impact of our service project in the Municipality of Gabaldon, Nueva Ecija. The project provided help for 250 Katutubo (Indigenous) families, including 150 children. It was led by our club president, Shirley Dionisio, and members of the club implemented various aspects of the project in a single day.

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Our most important value is leadership

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Past District Governor Haresh Ramchandani, a member of Rotary International’s Membership Growth Committee, speaks during a past International Assembly.

By Haresh Ramchandani, Rotary Club of LIFE, Montego Bay, Jamaica

Since I joined Rotary in 1997, we’ve had many presidential themes. There’s a new one every year, and they all focus on one or more aspects of our core values: service, fellowship, integrity, diversity, and leadership. But I would like to spotlight just one of those values – leadership – because I think it’s the most important and sometimes gets overlooked. It is by developing leaders that we change the world.

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Tips for using the Brand Center to tell Rotary’s story

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By Peter Roaf, Rotary Club of Ladner, British Columbia, Canada, and District 5040 Interim Public Image Chair

As the interim public image chair for my district, I’ve spent a lot of time thinking about how we tell our community about Rotary and share our excitement about our organization to motivate others to join us in the work we do. Growing our organization requires three things: attracting and retaining members, supporting The Rotary Foundation, and strengthening our brand.

Many of us know the importance of membership. And we understand how our gifts to the Foundation drive life-changing, sustainable projects. But strengthening and supporting Rotary’s public image may be harder for us because we’re less familiar with how to do it. Fortunately, Rotary’s Brand Center is a valuable resource that I often turn to for guidance.

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Rotarians in India, Pakistan promote peace at sacred site

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Rotarians from India and Pakistan exchange club banners during the visit to Kartarpur Sahib in Pakistan, a Sikh holy site.

By Amrit Pal Singh, District 3080 assistant governor and past president of the Rotary Club of Chandigarh, India

I was thrilled recently to help coordinate a remarkable meeting between Rotary members in India and Pakistan that promoted peace and understanding between our two countries. On 4 March, more than 100 Rotary members, friends, and family from India and another 100-plus from Pakistan met together at a sacred site in Pakistan. The goodwill meeting sought to break down some of the historic barriers of animosity between our countries and unite us in the spirit of Rotary fellowship.

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