In 1976 the Rotary International Board of Directors asked the RI Public Relations Committee to create a one-sentence definition of Rotary. After numerous drafts the committee presented this definition, which has been used ever since in various Rotary Publications:

"Rotary is an organization of business and professional persons united worldwide who provide humanitarian service, encourage high ethical standards in all vocations and help build peace and goodwill in the world."

This 31-word sentence is an excellent answer to give to someone who asks the question, "What is Rotary?"

Rotary's primary mission is service in the community, in the workplace and throughout the world.

Rotarians build goodwill and peace, undertake humanitarian endeavors, and encourage high ethical standards in all vocations, demonstrating by their actions.

Rotary's Motto: "Service Above Self" & "They Profit Most Who Serve Best".

The object of Rotary is to encourage and foster the ideal of service as a basis of worthy enterprise, and in particular, to encourage and foster:

First. The development of acquaintanceship as an opportunity for service;

Second. High ethical standards in business and professions; the recognition of the worthiness of all useful occupations, and the dignifying of each Rotarian's occupation as an opportunity to serve society;

Third. The application of the ideal of service in each Rotarian's personal, business and community life; and

Fourth. The advancement of international understanding, goodwill, and peace through a world fellowship of business and professional persons united in the ideal of service.