Rotary Representative Network

Rotary and the United Nations (UN) share a history of working together toward world understanding and peace. To help further this shared vision, 30 members of the Rotary Representative Network serve as unofficial ambassadors to 22 United Nations agencies and key international organizations in 13 cities worldwide.

Global impact and reach

Established in 1991, with its members appointed annually by the Rotary International president, the Rotary Representative Network increases Rotary’s impact around the world by working with these international organizations to facilitate further collaboration and support on shared priorities such as polio eradication, food security, peace, health, the environment, and the alleviation of poverty.

To build understanding of Rotary’s global scope and reach, the representatives also contribute articles, blog posts, opinion pieces, and social media posts to the organizations they work with; and hold and attend high-profile events to network with key decision-makers, influencers, and leaders with organizations such as:

• UNICEF
• World Health Organization (WHO)
• European Union (EU)
• Organization of American States (OAS)
• Commonwealth of Nations
• UN Environment (UNEP)
• United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)

Through this global networking, Rotary is expanding its reach to new audiences, and creating opportunities to gain members, donors, and partners. Examples of recent high-profile event participation includes:

• Rotary Day with UNICEF — a joint event focused on empowering girls through projects and programs that support health and hygiene, distance learning, and positive social change setting them up for healthy, hopeful, and thriving futures.
• 75 years of action between Rotary and the United Nations — a multidistrict conference supported by the Rotary Representative Network and streamed live with UN officials, Rotary senior leaders, and actress Téa Leoni, a UNICEF ambassador.
• “Rotary | World Health Organization: Together for Mothers’ and Children’s Health” — a knowledge sharing opportunity that featured seven maternal and child health global grant projects and remarks from the WHO’s director-general and the RI President about Rotary’s polio eradication efforts, response to the COVID-19 pandemic, and the need for continued routine immunizations.
• A polio event with the European Union — an event that highlighted our progress fighting polio as a model for global health initiatives and featured the story of one European Parliament member’s battle with polio as a child.

Learn more about virtual events during the pandemic in a blog post by Judith Diment, dean of the Rotary Representative Network.

Supporting clubs and districts

The Rotary Representative Network connects clubs and districts with knowledge and expertise from the organizations where they are assigned. The representatives give presentations at club meetings, produce quarterly newsletters, and connect clubs with speakers and resources. For example, they organized a partnership between Rotary clubs in Kenya and UNICEF-Kenya for a COVID-19 safe-return-to-school project, and arranged for the WHO’s director of maternal and child health to provide counsel on several global grant projects in India, and countries in Africa and Latin America.

Rotary Representative Network members also collaborate on events and exchange information with Rotary Action Groups and The Rotary Foundation’s Cadre of Technical Experts.

Find out more

The Secretariat’s subject matter experts on the Rotary Representative Network are:

External Relations Specialist, Public Relations, Bryant Brownlee

To connect directly with a member of the Rotary Representative Network, contact RotarySupportCenter@rotary.org.