THE LAUNCH OF TWO PROVISIONAL CLUBS IN THIS ONCE ROTARY RICH NATION HERALDS A NEW ERA OF EXTENSION IN ASIA, BY WEN HUANGThis month, RI President Richard "Rick" D. King leads a delegation of Rotary leaders to China and Southeast Asia on a mission with huge implications for Rotary growth through extension. The trip, which follows the Asian Presidential Conference in Taipei (22-24 March), gives President King the opportunity to personally welcome into the Rotary family the members of the new provisional Rotary clubs of Beijing and Shanghai. The delegation will also meet with government officials to discuss policy issues relating to Rotary in China extension. Once the Chinese government finalizes policies and laws to allow international, non- were actively involved in local community governmental humanitarian groups, such as Rotary clubs, to operate freely, the provisional projects. Rotarians in clubs can be officially chartered, opening up a golden opportunity for Rotary growth in this...

When and How Mongolia was grouped into R.I. District 3450? By Herbert K. Lau () (Rotary China Historian) 1 February 2015 January 2015 marked the 20th year of Rotary in the democratic nation Mongolia( ). However, for the first 5 years, the only Rotary Club in this country---The Rotary Club of Ulaanbaatar ( )---was non-districted. Until 1 July 2000, this land-locked country was grouped into Rotary International District 3450, and the Club became the 49th member in the District.Twenty years ago in the fall of 1994, the Shatin Rotary Club () in the British Territory Hong Kong initiated to sponsor and to organize the ever first Rotary Club in the capital city Ulaanbaatar of Mongolia. Few months later, the Rotary Club of Ulaanbaatarwas admitted to Rotary International on 10 January 1995. However, the new Club was not yet grouped under any district as determined by Rotary International. Without...

The Birth of the First Mongolian Speaking Rotary Club, By Herbert K. Lau () (Rotary China Historian) 1 February 2015 January 2015 marked the 20th year of Rotary in the democratic nation Mongolia ( ). Here is the story of the first Mongolian speaking Rotary Club in the world, or the first Rotary Club formed after Mongolia was grouped into Rotary International District 3450, or the second Rotary Club formed in the country---The Rotary Club of Khuree ().Dear President Oyungerel: Congratulations! The Rotary Club of Khuree, Mongolia, is now officially admitted to membership of Rotary International on 27 February 2002, and is becoming the 50th club of District 3450..., e-mail sent by District 3450 Governor Johnson Chu () (Peninsula)on 5 March 2002, at 12:30 hour.Khuree (The Chinese equivalent) is the former name of Mongoliascapital city Ulaanbaatar. Ulaanbaatar has been given numerous names in its history. Before 1911during the Manchu Empire, official...

Dr. Chengting T. Wang - Addressed again at the Atlantic City Rotary Convention in 1946 By Herbert K. Lau () (Rotary China Historian) 1 September 2020 - / (1945-1946) Dr. Chengting Thomas Wang - Chungking Rotary Club President (1945-1946) Rotary International Administrative Advisor for China, Director & 2nd Vice President This is the story of Rotarys 37th Annual Convention held in Atlantic City, New Jersey, U.S.A., on 2-6 June 1946, of which was the first Rotary Convention held in less than a year after the conclusion of the World War II. This was Atlantic City the third time the host city. Atlantic City enjoys the distinction of being the only city in the world (aside from Chicago) historically to be host of 5 Rotary International Conventions. Its first was held in 1920---and was attended by a record crowd of more than 7,000, one eighth of all the Rotarians in the world at that time. The next...

Ira Dan Kaye (), M.B.E. The 18th Governor of Rotary International District 345 (1977-1978) By Herbert K. Lau () (Rotary China Historian)1 September 2015 Ira Dan Kaye (/), President 1973-1974 of Kowloon Rotary Club () was elected to serve as the 18th Governor of Rotary International District 345 (Hong Kong, Macao, and Taiwan) in 1977-1978. Theme of the year was Serve to Unite Mankind. The next day when he stepped down the governorship, a new District 346 was formed on 1 July 1978 to supervise one half of the clubs located at the central and southern portion of the Taiwan Island. According to the Clubs historian, Kaye described his presidency in 1973/74 as a real fun year. His style was to keep the meetings light and enjoyable: I have always believed, as Fred Clemo did, that Rotary provides a diversion during the afternoon where you meet with other Rotarians and forget problems...

7-103450 35 Dr. Liu Lit-Mo, MBE, LLD, JP The 35th District 3450 Governor of Rotary International By Herbert K. Lau () (Rotary China Historian) 1 September 2017 Rotary International recorded with deep sorrow the passing of District 3450 Governor 1994- 1995, Dr. Liu Lit Mo (), M.B.E., LL.D., J.P., on 12 July 2017 at an age of 79 peacefully at Hong Kong Sanatorium & Hospital (). The then District 3450 of Rotary International was compiled with 43 clubs in the British Territory Hong Kong and 4 clubs in the Portuguese Territory Macao. Liu, a prominent banker by profession, brought along a long list of remarkable community service experience of more than 3 decades before he was elected to serve as President 1991-1992 of Hong Kong Island West Rotary Club (). One of the historical records highlighted Lius year of Rotary governorship was his proposal to Rotary International through the Asian Affairs Committee to open...

17-26 -- Dr. Chengting Thomas Wang The First Hong Kong Rotarian sit on the International Olympic Committee By Herbert K. Lau () (Rotary China Historian) 1 September 2020 - 1945-1946 Dr. Chengting Thomas Wang, 2nd Vice President, Rotary International 1945-1946 The oldest Rotary Club in greater China---the Rotary Club of Hong Kong () is holding a very rare record in the Rotary World that the Club has been the home of 2 members of the International Olympic Committee in 2 different eras, representing 2 different country and territory, for more than 3-4 decades respectively. The first person was Dr. Chengting Thomas Wang (), Rotary International 2nd Vice President in 1945-1946, who joined the Hong Kong Rotary Club in 1950 as a Senior Active Member until the last day of his life on 21 May 1961. Wang was a founder of the Chinese National Olympic Committee (). He was elected a Member of the International Olympic Committee...

The Rotary Foundation Educational Programs Before 1970 By Herbert K. Lau () (Rotary China Historian) 1November 2016 In this Rotary Year 2016-2017, our Rotary Foundation of Rotary International turns 100. That is a century of Rotary members changing lives and improving communities all over the world. And that is definitely something worth celebrating. The Rotary Foundation is recognized as one of the most effective and well-managed charitable organizations in the world, with 12 consecutive four-star ratings from Charity Navigator and an A-plus rating from CharityWatch. The mission of The Rotary Foundation of Rotary International is to enable Rotarians to advance world understanding, goodwill, and peace through the improvement of health, the support of education, and the alleviation of poverty. Since it was founded 100 years ago, the Foundation has spent more than US$4 Billion on life-changing, sustainable projects. Through our Foundation, Rotary members have supported thousands of projects to provide clean water, fight disease,...

Early History of The Rotary Foundation before 1950 By Herbert K. Lau () (Rotary China Historian) 1 November 2016 In this Rotary Year 2016-2017, our Rotary Foundation of Rotary International turns 100. That is a century of Rotary members changing lives and improving communities all over the world. And that is definitely something worth celebrating. November is Rotary Foundation Month of Rotary International. The Rotary Foundation is recognized as one of the most effective and well-managed charitable organizations in the world, with 12 consecutive four-star ratings from Charity Navigator and an A-plus rating from Charity Watch.The mission of The Rotary Foundation of Rotary International is to enable Rotarians to advance world understanding, goodwill, and peace through the improvement of health, the support of education, and the alleviation of poverty. Since it was founded 100 years ago, the Foundation has spent more than US$4 billion on life-changing, sustainable projects. Through our Foundation, Rotary members have...

Stories Behind The Four-Way Test By Herbert K. Lau () (Rotary China Historian) 1January 2016 January is the Vocational Service Month of Rotary. It may be the right time for all of us to review and to observe one of the guiding principles of the Rotary Movement world-wide. These principles have been developed over the years to provide Rotarians with a strong, common purpose and direction. They serve as a foundation for our relationships with each other and the action we take in the world.The Four-Way Test () is a non-partisan and non-sectarian ethical guide for Rotarians to use for their personal and professional relationships. The Test has been translated into more than 100 languages, and Rotarians recite it at club meetings:Of the things we think, say or do 1. Is it the TRUTH? 2. Is it FAIR to all concerned? 3. Will it build GOODWILL and BETTER FRIENDSHIPS? 4....

The Washington Conference 1921-1922 The Stage of the American and Chinese Rotarian Statesmen in making Peace on Earth By Herbert K. Lau () (Rotary China Historian)23February 2017 Commencing the Year 2015-2016, Rotary International has designated February to be Peace and Conflict Prevention/ Resolution Month. Ninety-five years ago in February, this mission was practically carried out by the American and Chinese Rotarian statesmen on the stage of The Washington Conference in the winter of 1921-1922--a significant international and political disarmament conference of the early 20th Century. The Conference convener was the United States President Warren G. Harding who was a Rotarian of the Rotary Club of Washington D.C. On the other hand, there was a Shanghai Rotarian being one of the plenipotentiaries of Chinas delegation: Dr. V.K. Wellington Koo (). Due to the participation of such a remarkable political conference by Rotarians,The Rotarianmagazine invited a guest writer George W. Harris to give...

By Will R. Manier, Jr., Nashville Rotary Club, Tennessee, U.S.A.June 1936 (Rotary International President 1936-1937) Great as was his vision and fine as has been his contributions to our Rotary movement, Paul Harris never dreamed Rotary in a single dream, but Rotary has been an evolution, a composite, of many mens thinking.Our conception of Vocational Service, like everything else in Rotary, has, too, been an evolution. Curiously enough, the earlier Rotary clubs, such as the Chicago Club and the others of the first sixteen, each had an official who was known as a statistician whose duty it was each week to compile the orders which the various members had given to and received from each other, and many of the earlier Rotary meetings were devoted to scolding the members because they didnt trade with each other. Certainly, at the earlier conventions, a very important part of those conventions was when the Rotarians...