ROTARY WORLD GATHERS IN ATLANTA TO CELEBRATE 100 YEARS

Rotary’s biggest get-together of the year is underway. More than 40,000 members from 174 countries have gathered in Atlanta, Georgia, USA, to renew friendships, find inspiration, and celebrate The Rotary Foundation’s 100 years of Doing Good in the World.

The 2017 Rotary Convention’s opening ceremony took place Sunday at the Georgia World Congress Center, and included the presentation of the centennial bell. This special bell was forged at a 1,000-year-old foundry in Agnone, Italy, in honor of the Foundation’s centennial. The presentation marked the start of a five-day centennial celebration, which includes a book signing, a photo exhibit, and an enormous birthday party.

During the opening session, Georgia Governor Nathan Deal welcomed Rotary to Atlanta, and RI President John F. Germ emphasized opportunities for making connections during the convention.

“I hope that, as busy as all of you are going to be, you still make time for what might just be the most important part of every convention: meeting new people, and getting to know your fellow Rotarians,” Germ said.

Indian philanthropist Rajashree Birla, chair of the Aditya Birla Centre for Community Initiatives and Rural Development named for her late husband, pledged another $1 million for Rotary’s efforts to eradicate polio. Birla has already contributed more than $7.2 million to the effort. 

Over the next four days, attendees will also hear from Bill Gates, co-chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, about progress on our pledge to rid the world of polio. Ashton Kutcher, cofounder of Thorn, will be part of a panel discussion on human trafficking and the need to end modern slavery.  

Other speakers include WWE Superstar, actor, and Rotary polio ambassador John Cena and golf icon Jack Nicklaus.

Monday through Wednesday, members will have the chance to attend breakout sessions where they’ll find inspiration for new service projects, polish their leadership expertise, and learn skills for building stronger clubs. Find the completebreakout session schedule  and slides from workshops.

Fellowship is the biggest part of any Rotary Convention, and the week wouldn’t be complete without Host Organization Committee  events welcoming attendees to Atlanta, showing off the city, and giving members a chance to get together and socialize. Check the committee's site for the latest information.

“If there’s one thing I’ve learned this year, it’s that when two Rotarians get together, and start talking about service--there’s just no telling where that might lead,” said Germ. 

Follow all our convention coverage as the action happens. Find photos, videos, live blog posts, speeches, and more.

• 42,100

  convention attendees

• 174

  countries and geographic areas represented

RI Photo: The Rotary Foundation Centennial bell, whose resounding clang marked the convention’s official start, was handcrafted in Italy by the Marinelli brothers.