ROTARY YEAR 2009 - 2010

DGE Aatos Lahtinen

Estonian PETSPärnu 27-28.2.2009

WHAT COULD A CHRYSTALL BALL TELL US ABOUT

THE FUTURE, ABOUT THE ROTARY YEAR 2009 -2010?

THE FUTURE IS BUILDED ON THE PAST.WHAT DO WE KNOW ABOUT THE PAST? 23. February 1905: Paul Harris, 36 years old lawyer,

convenes the first Rotary meeting Notice the age

Principal ideas: Friendship

Friends meet often, every week

Each member has different occupation Mutual co-operarion, learning from each other

Civic service First Service Project a public comfort station

THE EXPANSION OF ROTARY

1908 Second Rotary club (in San Francisco) 1910 First Rotary convention with 16 clubs 1912 First Rotary Club outside USA (in Canada) 1917 The Rotary Foundation 1924 Rotary membership reaches 100 000 1930 Rotary in Estonia 1985 Rotary membership reaches one million 1985 Eradicate Polio program starts 1987 The first female Rotarian 1991 Rotary again in Estonia

ROTARY TODAYROTARY TODAY

COL every 3.yearCOL every 3.year

Rotary International Rotary International Board (2 pres + 17 dir)Board (2 pres + 17 dir)

Rotary Foundation Rotary Foundation Trustees (15 Trustees (15 members)members)

Regional co-ordinators

Chairman

Gen. Sec.

HQ/Evanston

Administr.

Zones 1-34

Districts (532)

Clubs (33 000)1.23 million 1.23 million membersmembers

Regional offices

ON THE ROTARY FOUNDATION

Eradication of polio is primary target The Future Vision Plan will alter the present situtation

from 2013 Our District will not be a Pilot District for the Plan The economic depression affects also the Rotary

Foundation to some extent Humanitarian Grants Budget for 2008-09 has been

reduced by 16.3 million USD

SOME REFLECTIONS ON ROTARY

Rotary International is the largest charity organisation in the world

Rotary has initiated the Eradication of Polio –program, which is now in a critical state (4 difficult countries remain)

RI has a large and stiff byrocracy RI has thousands very detailed rules and bylaws It is often difficult to experience the original philosophy

of Rotary behind the forest of rules and rites

SOME THOUGHTS OF PAUL HARRIS

The foundation upon which Rotary has been built is friendship; on no lesser firm foundation could it have stood.

In the final analysis, Rotary exists for the purpose of developing the individual member and thereby increasing his capacity to serve.

Whatever Rotary means to us, to the world it will be known by the results it achieves.

•10

ROTARY YEAR 2009 – 10 IN DISTRICT 1420THE AIMS OF DISTRICT GOVERNOR

More weight should be given to the original pilosophy of Rotary

Especially, attention should be given to

Fellowship Development of individual members Service above self

THE FUTURE OF ROTARY IS IN YOUR HANDS

District founds a FUTURE COMMITTEE. It tries to find effective means to get young people to join Rotary.

District gives information on Rotary and its ideology In PETS In District Conference by District Trainer by Assistant Governors by Club Presidents

THE FUTURE OF ROTARY IS IN YOUR HANDS

Clubs are encouraged to found new Rotaract clubs. to join the Polio+ campaign and to answer the

challenge of Bill Gates to think on their future to add members knowledge on Rotary and its

ideology

THE DISTRICT GOVERNOR

Visits all Estonian Clubs in August and September

(The governor’s spouse (from Finlandia Hall Rotary Club) will accompany the governor at visits.)

Encourages clubs to take care of their future Gives hand to clubs in their challenges

200 YEARS FROM THE BIRTH OF DARWIN

Evolution has no direction, it produces random changes We cannot build the future of Rotary to evolution We must build the future of Rotary with planned actions

and continuity Your building year starts soon. It is time to prepare for the important year.

Thank you for your attention