Category Archives: Convention

News, highlights, interviews, and more from the Rotary International convention

Why attend the Rotaract preconvention?

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2018 Rotaract Preconvention

Rotaractors take a selfie during the Rotaract Preconvention in Toronto, Canada, 22 June 2018. Photo by Alyce Henson/Rotary International

By Florian Wackermann, Rotary Club of Germering, Germany

You don’t have to be a Rotaractor to enjoy the Rotaract Preconvention. In fact, there are plenty of reasons for Rotarians to attend, as well. Perhaps one of the best is getting to know this vibrant part of the Rotary family and building connections that will welcome these younger members into the Rotary fold. Continue reading →

Why I love YEO Preconvention

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Viktorija Trimbel and her daughter, Gabija, a 2010 Rotary Youth Exchange student.

By Viktorija Trimbel, District 1462 (Lithuania) Youth Exchange Chair, and Governor nominee for 2020-2021

Days before the Rotary Convention, over 500 Youth Exchange Officers (YEOs) from all over the world get together to learn and share best practices. The YEO Preconvention is my favorite Rotary meeting. From my past experience, I have found the challenges of youth exchange are pretty universal – selecting students, overseeing behavior, finding host families, and involving Rotary clubs. It is very interesting to learn solutions from other districts. Continue reading →

See you in Toronto

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The flag ceremony at the opening session.

The Rotary world is gathering in Toronto to celebrate our largest event of the year, the annual convention. It’s a time of great excitement as members share ideas, find inspiration, and reconnect with old and new friends. You can follow all of the action on our convention page, where we will be live blogging and tweeting from the general sessions, House of Friendship, workshops and more. Live coverage will include videos, interviews, daily news stories and our Convention Minute, a quick video recap of the previous day’s events and look ahead. You can also watch a livestream of the general sessions and select breakout sessions, and register for next year’s convention in Hamburg, Germany.

Effective stewardship makes Rotary service possible

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Steven Snyder

By Steven A. Snyder, Rotary Club of Auburn, California, USA, and Chair of the Rotary International Finance Committee

As my year of service on the Rotary International Finance Committee winds down, I find myself reflecting on how a critical part of Rotary service is effective financial planning. Simply put, effective stewardship of the contributions of our members is what helps Rotary execute its vision for a better world. Continue reading →

Becoming a Rotary alumni is just the beginning

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Members of the Rotaract Club of Birmingham attend The Rotary Club of Birmingham’s Annual Rotary Trail Party in May. From left: Erica Murphy, Mary Meadows Livingston, Jeris Gaston, Amanda Martin, and Uma Srivastava.

Jerris Gaston

By Jeris Burns Gaston

If you told me twelve years ago upon finishing my Rotary Ambassadorial Program year in Dublin, Ireland, that this was just the start of an adventure, I would have been hard pressed to believe you. The program itself was such a unique and enriching experience that improving on this worldview changing year seemed impossible. However, as I enter my thirteenth year as a member of the Rotary family, I now realize that being an alumnus is just the beginning. Continue reading →

Ralph’s Rickshaw Ride for Polio

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Ralph Zuke with a passenger in his cycle-drawn rickshaw.

By Ralph Zuke, president of the Rotary Club of Fairview Heights, Illinois, USA

I am often asked, “Why Rotary?” The short answer is: Rotary allows me the opportunity to do things I never dreamed I could do.

The Rotary symbol is a cogged wheel. I view every member in Rotary as a cog in that wheel (about 1.2 million). When I first joined Rotary I learned that I, as one person, could move that wheel forward. Continue reading →

Rotaractors: Find your road to Rotary

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Rebecca Fry will be presenting a workshop on the Road to Rotary at the Rotaract preconvention.

By Rebecca Fry, a member of the Rotary E-Club of Silicon Valley

In 2005, I made a seemingly small decision to apply for “science camp.” It happened to be the Rotary-sponsored, National Youth Science Forum. Fast forward 13 years and I’ve been heavily involved in the Rotary Youth Leadership Awards (RYLA), Rotaract and most recently I took the next exciting leap and joined the Rotary E-Club of Silicon Valley. Selecting the best Rotary club to join was an 18-month journey. Continue reading →

New award celebrates success of women in Rotary

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Tory Paxson, right, with Dr. Sylvia Whitlock.

By Tory Paxson, Rotary Club of Boothbay Harbor, Maine, USA

On Tuesday, 13 June, we sat down in a cool auditorium in the Carter Center in Atlanta, Georgia, for the first annual Women in Rotary Event. The four of us sitting together were all women, all members of my Rotary club, and all at our very first Rotary International Convention. We were unaware of the impact this event was about to have on us. But then, the lights began to dim. Continue reading →

My first convention was amazing for the whole family

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Smera Chandan (third from left) making new friends in the House of Friendship in Atlanta.

By Kamlesh (Kam) Chandan, president of the Rotary Club of Lake Norman/Huntersville, North Carolina, USA

As a club president, I attended my first Rotary convention this year in Atlanta with my parents, my children, and my wife. It was a special moment celebrating the end of the Rotary year with my family and with friends from all over the world. I enjoyed connecting with other Rotarians, listening to great speakers, learning about the global impact of Rotary, and celebrating 100 years of The Rotary Foundation. Continue reading →

Why attend a Rotary convention?

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The House of Friendship is a great place to connect with other Rotary members during a convention. It’s not too early to register for the 2018 Convention in Toronto, Canada.

By Maud Huey Kenyon, Rotary Club of Boulder Valley, Colorado, USA

As I contemplated the survey I received from Rotary for attendees of the 2017 Rotary Convention in Atlanta, I had a chance to reflect on the four conventions I have been to. I think the program put together for the Atlanta Convention was both forward thinking and full of fresh perspectives. Here are my reasons why you should consider attending a convention. Continue reading →