SERVICE ABOVE SELF

The world's first service club, the Rotary Club of Chicago, Illinois, USA, was formed on February 23, 1905 by Paul P. Harris, an attorney who wished to recapture in a professional club the same friendly spirit he felt in the small towns of his youth. The name "Rotary" is derived from the early practice of rotating meetings among member's offices.

During World War II, many clubs were forced to disband, while others stepped up their service efforts to provide emergency relief to victims of the war. In 1942, looking ahead to the postwar era, Rotarians called a conference to explore international education and cultural exchange that served as an inspiration for the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Rotary also played a significant role in the birth of the United Nations itself, with fifty Rotarians serving as delegates, advisors, and consultants at the UN Charter Conference in 1945.

"Few there are who do not recognize the good work which is done by Rotary Clubs throughout the free world," British Prime Minister Winston Churchill once declared.