One thing you will have noticed is that Rotarians are friendly people and as personal acquaintanceship and friendship are the cornerstones of Rotary it is natural that we are on a first-name basis with each other setting aside formal titles.

 

There is the ever present opportunity to meet and even work alongside good people from a diverse background of cultures, occupations and interests whether within Rotary, the local community or internationally.  The best opportunities to make your Rotary membership more meaningful come from :

• Club and other Rotary meetings – as a Rotarian you will be welcomed at any Rotary meeting anywhere in the world as you travel and in addition to meeting new friends you will enjoy an experience most people would never have (the same can be said of your participation in some projects)
• Projects and events you can participate in - most Rotary projects are welcoming of additional support, you just have to offer.
• District conferences – over a weekend meet Rotarians and their partners from throughout the district including from the 7 Pacific Island nations who are a part of our district (American Samoa, Cook Islands, Fiji, French Polynesia, Kiribati, Samoa and Tonga).  Learn something of who they are and their diverse Rotary experiences during the several social activities while enjoying a lively programme of motivational and informational presentations. Typical numbers at a conference are 300 and a club team attending is usually around 16+
• Rotary Conventions – by far the best way to experience the internationality of Rotary is to attend an international Convention somewhere in the world.  The experience is “mind-blowing” and will be nothing like you have ever experienced before as you meet and socialise with Rotarians and their partners from every community in the world.  You could just as easily be sitting next to a past world president as meeting a new Rotarian from somewhere in Europe, Africa or Asia. This also serves as a showcase of Rotary and you will be almost overwhelmed to become aware of the achievements of Rotary and the opportunity that is open to you as a Rotarian. Indicative numbers at a Convention are 30,000 (the Centennial Convention was 45,000) and a team from the district attending is typically around 45+

This opportunity for networking can be both social and vocational resulting in a wider community, occupational and cultural awareness.  Rotary was founded on a need for business networking and many a business association has come as a natural result of the friendships developed in Rotary, but a Rotarian doing business with another should not expect preferential treatment just because they are a Rotarian.