Some FIRSTs in District 3450 of Rotary InternationalBy Herbert K. Lau () (Rotary China Historian)1January 2020District 3450 of Rotary International was inaugurated on 1 July 1960 when the code then was 3 digits of 345 only. Commencing 1 July 1991, all Rotary districts are to be identified with a 4-digit number system. This was initially accomplished by adding a zero at the end of each current District number. Since then, District 345 was changed to District 3450 until today.In 1960, the District 345 was originally compiled with 3 territories of the:(1) Chinese province Taiwan; (2) British Crown Colony Hong Kong; and (3) Portuguese Territory Macao. While Hong Kong and Macao were the 2 remaining territories since1 July 1987 allocated for self-development ofRotary, the independent nationMongolia (after 6.5 years of non-districted) later initiated to jointhe District 3450 on 1 July 2000.Further on, commencing 1 July 2013, the Chinese province Guangdong was...

Rotary International President Percy Hodgson Visit to Hong Kong and Canton in 1949by Herbert K. Lau () (Rotary China Historian)1 July 2015Percy HodgsonThe Presidential TravelThe pattern for a year marked with inspiration, enthusiasm and achievement, was set by Rotary International President 1949-1950 Percy Hodgson of Pawtucket, Rhode Island, U.S.A., when, as President Nominee, he met with and talked to the incoming district governors at the 1949 International Assembly.So enthusiastic were they over the Objectives of the Team for 1949-50, in which President Hodgsonset out the points he believed should be stressed, that they asked him to prepare a similar set of objectives for the clubs. This he did, and each three months sent a fresh copy of the objectives to all the district governors and to the clubs, with a letter reminding them of the importance of these objectives.About mid-year, Hodgsonasked the governors for a frank report on the acceptance of the objectives...

Paul P. Harris visited Shanghai and Hong Kong in 1935 By Herbert K. Lau () (Rotary China Historian) 23 February 2015 Rotary has satisfactorily demonstrated the fact that friendship can easily hurdle national and religious boundary lines. ~~ Paul P. Harris, Founder, 1935 FEBRUARY is the anniversary month of Rotary. The February in 1935 was the 30th Anniversarywhich was very remarkableto the 2 Rotary clubs in Shanghai and Hong Kong, respectively, because they had the visits of the most distinguished guests: Rotary International President EmeritusPaul P. Harris and Mrs. Harris, together with President 1934-1935 Bob Robert L.Hill and Mrs. Hill.Bobwas the Alumni Director of the University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri, U.S.A.However, these 2 oriental cities were not their final destinations, but were 2 stop-overs of their journey to attend the 5th Pacific Regional Conference held in Manila of The Philippines. Originally, Shanghai was the designated host cityelected at the 4th Conference in...

Rotary in Hong Kong and Kowloon in 1952By Herbert K. Lau () (Rotary China Historian)1 December 2015This is the cover of the April 1952 Issue ofThe Rotarianmagazine, and this was the first time the beautiful Victoria Harbourscene used on the cover of this global magazine with pictorial story telling Rotarians world-wide how the then British Crown Colony Hong Kong was recovering from the hard time of 3 years and 8 months during the Pacific War (1941-1945). The story also tells the effort and leadership of Dr. Arthur W. Woo (), O.B.E., J.P., on leading the Rotary Club of Hong Kong () to be re-admitted in 1946to the membership of Rotary International(R.I.); the development of Rotary in Kowloon Peninsular and their service projects. The entire article is affixed herewith on Pages 3-6.Some vital information about the Rotary World in that month: There were 7,447 clubs and an estimated 353,000 Rotarians. New and...

Entered The Guinness Book of World Records 1991 The Worlds Longest Dancing Chinese Dragon by Hong Kong Rotarians and Rotaractors By Herbert K. Lau () (Rotary China Historian) District 3450 Rotaract Chair 1990-1991-1992 1 August 2017 In a summer night of 10 August 1991, highlight of the 3rd International Abilympics () hosted by the Hong Kong Society for Rehabilitation () and to celebrate the inauguration of International Abilympic Federation (IAF) in Hong Kong, 250 pairs of Rotarians and Rotarctors danced the then longest Chinese dragon in the world, 3,000 ft. (almost 1 km), attempted to break the Guinness Book Dragon Dancing World Record. Responding the invitation of District 3450 Rotaract Chair Herbert K. Lau, the District Rotaract Representative called upon more than 300 Rotaractors to join the athletes. Rotary International President Rajendra K. Saboo () (India) officiated at the Dragon Eyes Dotting Ceremony accompanied by District 3450 Governor Andres L. Guillen (). More than 1,500 delegates from 80...

District 345 of Rotary International A General Picture in the Year 1977-1978 by Herbert K. Lau () (Rotary China Historian) 1 May 2014 Except here below is a report given by S. H. Sung (), of Hong Kong Rotary Club (), District 345 Governor 1975-1976, at the Voices of Asia Session during the 69th Rotary International Convention in Tokyo, Japan, on 14-18 May 1978. The Session was moderated by Bhichai Rattakul (), of Dhonburi, Thailand. S. H. Sung () I am a Chinese, one of over 800 million, the most numerous race in the world. My Rotary District 345 includes the Republic of China, Hong Kong and Macao, with a population of over 21 million. Out of a total of 3,750 Rotarians, less than 200 are non- Chinese. Because of this, Rotary in District 345 has always characterized Chinese thinking with Chinese philosophy as its motivating force. Rotary came to China in 1919 when the first club was chartered in...

The Birth of District 345 Rotary International China, Hong Kong and Macao by Herbert K. Lau () (Rotary China Historian) 1 July 2015 Non-districted clubs in China, Hong Kong (Crown Colony) and Macao have been constituted into a new district, No. 345. -- This is quoted from the Annual Report 1959-1960 by the Rotary International General Secretary George R. Means. Hence, on 1 July 1960, the number of districts in the Rotary World increased to 267 as a result of the decision. This was 55 years ago. The above statement could only be so concise to describe the District within a very long report of several dozens of items in 70 pages. The more precise description as administered by the first District 345 Governor would be like this: The code No. 345 is allocated to a new group of 19 Rotary clubs with 14 clubs located in the Taiwan Province of the Republic of China, 4 clubs...