International Service

Through International Service, Rotarians work to develop and maintain friendly, peaceful relations in a troubled world. Rotary's programs approach this goal in two ways -- by assisting projects of clubs and districts abroad and by facilitating contact and exchanges between individual Rotarians and clubs in different countries.

World Community Service (WCS) occurs any time a club in one country assists a club in another country with a community service project. Under this broad umbrella, RI offers clubs and districts many tools for seeking help from or assisting clubs abroad. Through the Projects Exchange, the Donations-in-Kind Information Network (DIN), and Rotary Volunteers, RI helps to link offers of resources, service, funding, and goods with club and district projects where they are most needed. Through the Disaster Relief program, RI issues notices at the request of the disaster-affected districts, explaining to Rotarians how they can help victims of earthquakes, floods, droughts, and other havoc. Intercountry committees, made up of Rotarians from two or more countries, offer a way for clubs to participate in World Community Service projects, student exchanges, and other activities to improve understanding among nations. Many WCS projects receive funding from the Humanitarian Grants program of The Rotary Foundation.

RI's intercultural programs focus on promoting international understanding by bringing together people from different countries to share their cultures and traditions. The most popular of these programs is Rotary Youth Exchange, which each year sends about 7,000 students aged 15 to 19 to live and study in another country. The Rotary Friendship Exchange provides for Rotarians and their families to stay in the homes of fellow Rotarians while visiting another country. A similar program, Pre- and Post-Convention Homestay, facilitates such visits in the area of the Rotary convention city. Rotarians can make contact with others who share similar interests through the more than 70 Rotary Recreational and Vocational Fellowships.