Rotary Club of Northlakes Toukley In Touch February 2014 | Page 5

FEBRUARY 2014
It was 109 years ago this month that Paul Harris
and three of his friends founded the first Rotary
club. His goal was simple: to create an oasis of
friendship amid a city of strangers, with those
who shared his values.
Over time, the philosophy of Rotary developed
and matured, and Rotarian ideals expanded to
include service, vocational ethics, and international understanding. As Rotary grew and spread,
Paul Harris envisioned a world in which conflict
would ultimately melt away – a world where personal connections and acceptance of differences
would relegate war to history. If people could
only come together in a spirit of friendship and
tolerance, he felt, they would soon realize how
much they had in common.
Paul Harris was fortunate in his lifetime to see
the Rotary idea take hold and establish itself in
dozens of countries around the world. Every
week, in 34,000 communities, his vision lives on
in every Rotary club meeting. But nowhere in the
world does Paul Harris' vision take life as vividly
as it does at our annual Rotary International convention.
At a convention, for a few short days, we see the
world as Paul Harris imagined it: a world where
men and women from every corner of the globe
come together, to build peace, to serve others,
and simply to enjoy one another's company. Differences of background, politics, culture, and religion are woven together, all part of one bright
tapestry. It is an unforgettable experience, one
that Jetta and I look forward to every year. Every
convention is different, and every one becomes a
memory that we cherish.

Paul Harris
Convention in Sydney, 1-4 June. Sydney is a vibrant international hub, a gateway between East
and West, and a wonderfully appropriate city to
host a Rotary convention. It is tremendously diverse, rich in culture and history, and one of my
favourite cities to visit; at once exciting and relaxed, it is a place where I know I will always feel
at home – and always find something new to see
and do.

This year, I will have the tremendous privilege of
presiding over the 105th Rotary International
Rotary Club of Northlakes Toukley

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