Rotary International President Urchick commends Rotarians for creating magic

 

Past Rotary International President Garry Huang (third from right), 2024~2025 Rotary International President Stephanie Urchick, Rotary International Board Director and Taipei Institute Co-Convener Ghim Bok Chew took a group photo with distinguished guests (Photo by Taipei Rotary Institute)

Taipei, Rotary International President Stephanie Urchick visited Taiwan on November 29, 2024, for the "2024 Taipei Rotary Institute" at the Grand Hotel, hosted by Rotary Clubs of Taiwan. The event gathered over 1,000 Rotary leaders from 18 countries across Zones 1B, 9, and 10.

President Stephanie delivered a speech on "The Magic of Rotary," highlighting how Rotary advances peace, education, and addresses global challenges through collaboration and service. She emphasized Rotary's transformative impact and urged attendees to lead locally and engage actively in Rotary programs.

She shared a story about helping to install a water filter in the Dominican Republic many years ago.  When two young boys watched the dirty water enter the filter and flow out as clean water, one of the boys grabbed her sleeve in surprise and expressed his hope to take another look at this magical magic. In fact, water filters are not magical, but Rotarians use technology to improve the quality of their water. This is the result of Rotarians’ hard work and service.

Stephanie emphasized that achieving membership growth, eradicating polio, and fostering global peace requires more than wishful thinking—it depends on members' actions. Each project completed, penny donated, and new member recruited contributes to these miracles.

The five-day Taipei Rotary Institute, held from November 26 to December 1, serves as an exceptional platform for knowledge exchange, networking, and idea sharing. Participants will engage in in-depth discussions on the latest updates from Rotary International and the Rotary Foundation. Featuring a rich and diverse agenda, the seminar aims to deepen participants' understanding of Rotary's progress while providing space for future strategic planning. Key highlights include updates on the Rotary Foundation, a polio eradication progress report, a five-year vision plan, open forums, keynote speeches, networking opportunities, and a variety of cultural and social activities.

President Stephanie highlighted that Rotary's true strength lies in the contributions of its members—a force capable of transforming the world. She expressed hope that today’s exchanges and discussions would inspire more Rotarians to take action, fostering greater global impact and uniting efforts to build a better future.

Caption left: 2024~2025 Rotary International President Stephanie Urchick (Photo by Taipei Rotary Institute)

Caption right: A total of 18 countries and more than 1,000 Rotarians and Rotary leaders participated in the 2024 Taipei Rotary Institute (Photo by Rotary International)