Rotary began with the vision of a single man — Paul Harris, a Chicago attorney who founded the Rotary Club of Chicago on February 23, 1905. His goal was simple yet powerful: to bring together professionals from diverse backgrounds to share ideas, foster meaningful relationships, and create lasting friendships.

As Rotary grew, so did its mission. What started as a local network of professionals soon expanded into a global force for good, dedicated to humanitarian service and community development. Rotary members around the world have consistently taken action to tackle real-world challenges — both locally and globally.

“Whatever Rotary may mean to us, to the world it will be known by the results it achieves.”
— Paul Harris, Founder of Rotary

A Global Commitment That Endures
Rotary’s commitment to service continues today through a truly international presence. Just 16 years after its founding, Rotary had established clubs on six continents. Today, our members span the globe — united by the common purpose of creating positive, lasting change.

We believe in setting bold goals and making big dreams a reality. In 1979, we launched our fight against polio by immunizing 6 million children in the Philippines. Since then, we’ve helped reduce polio cases from 125 countries in 1988 to just two endemic countries today.

At Rotary, we turn ideas into action — and action into impact.