About Us
Rotary Club Sarajevo - Serving the community since 1930
District 1910 • Club 52538
What is Rotary?
Rotary is a global organization of business and professional leaders dedicated to humanitarian objectives, who value and promote high ethical standards in business and private life, and spread goodwill and understanding in the world. These ideals are cultivated in Rotary clubs, where like-minded people meet. The bearers of this idea are individual Rotarians who bring Rotary principles and ideals to life in their communities.
Our History
The first Rotary club was founded on February 23, 1905, in Chicago by lawyer Paul P. Harris with the goal of reviving the spirit of friendship from the small towns of his youth in a professional club. The name Rotary came from the early custom of rotating the meeting location among club members.
By 1921, Rotary clubs had been established on all six continents, and just a year later the organization adopted a new name: Rotary International. By 1925, Rotary represented 200 clubs and more than 20,000 members.
Today there are 1.2 million Rotarians in over 32,000 clubs from more than 200 countries. Rotary Club Sarajevo, founded in 1930, continues this rich tradition of service to the community, connecting local leaders and professionals in joint projects that deliver concrete results.
“Service Above Self”
This is the motto of Rotary International that reminds us that service to others is the most important goal of our work.
Rotary Goals
Rotary seeks to achieve its goals in the following ways:
- To cultivate friendship and be of service to others
- To embrace high ethical standards in business and private life and respect the value of every act for the common good
- To promote responsible action by all Rotarians in private, business and public life
- To foster goodwill for understanding and peace among nations through a global community of business people, united in the ideal of helping others
Four Avenues of Rotary Service
Rotary's goal is to advance and deepen the ideal of service in four basic avenues: club, vocational, community, and international service.
All activities through which Rotarians contribute to the success and impeccable functioning of their club - attendance, active engagement in projects, cooperation in the board and club committees, paying dues and participating in Rotary events.
The obligation of every Rotarian is to bring their ideal of service in work and profession closer to others. By talking to young people about professional careers and experiences, we emphasize the possibility of service in every profession.
Encompasses all efforts by Rotarians that contribute to improving the quality of life of people in their own environment. Clubs identify existing community problems and needs and initiate actions to solve them.
Everything Rotarians undertake to facilitate understanding among nations, goodwill and peace in the world, getting to know people from other countries as well as their culture, customs, achievements and problems.
Rotary Areas of Focus
We work on training leaders, supporting local peace initiatives and helping refugees.
We support health campaigns, vaccinations and access to basic health care.
We enable access to clean water and basic sanitation in vulnerable communities.
We support basic literacy, scholarships and access to quality education for all.
We create opportunities for employment, training and entrepreneurial initiatives.
We provide access to quality health care and education for mothers and children.