Rotary International

Rotary International
FormationFebruary 23, 1905 (1905-02-23)
FounderPaul P. Harris
TypeService club
HeadquartersEvanston, Illinois, U.S.
Location
  • Global
Membership1.24 million
Official language
English, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, Spanish
Key people
Francesco Arezzo (President)
John Hewko (CEO & General Secretary)
Publication
Rotary Magazine
Volunteers1,165,554 Rotarions (142,506 Interactors)
Websitewww.rotary.org

Rotary International is a global service organization, headquartered in Evanston, Illinois, United States of America, that is one of the largest NGOs in the world. The self-declared mission of Rotary, as stated on its website, is to "provide service to others, promote integrity, and advance world understanding, goodwill, and peace through [the] fellowship of business, professional, and community leaders". It is a non-political and non-religious organization. Membership is by application or invitation and based on various social factors. As of 2026, there are over 45,000 member clubs worldwide, with a membership of 1.2 million individuals, known as Rotarians.

Rotary International is the organization of service clubs with the largest membership in the world, with 1.9 million volunteers, including all the members of clubs that make up the Rotary family, namely Rotary, Interact and Rotaract clubs.