Rotary International Convention draws 37,000 to a ‘magical island’

Members from around the world gather in Taiwan to forge and renew friendships

By Etelka Lehoczky

A thunder of drums opened the 2026 Rotary International Convention’s first general session in Taipei, Taiwan. The rhythmic beats launched a vivid pageant that blended traditional and modern elements to evoke the city’s cosmopolitan nature and Rotary’s global spirit.

As RI President Francesco Arezzo took the stage on 14 June to welcome attendees, he described the experience of meeting Rotary members throughout his term: “Everywhere I went, I found the same spirit. Different languages, different food, different ways of welcoming a guest — but always the same Rotary heart.”

“As we begin this convention, enjoy this city and this magical island. Enjoy the rain. Enjoy this fellowship. Celebrate what we have done. And dream of what Rotary can still become,” said Arezzo, a member of the Rotary Club of Ragusa, Italy.

In addition to forging and renewing relationships with Rotary and Rotaract club members, program participants, alumni, and guests from around the globe, convention attendees will hear from an array of thought-provoking leaders. Keynote speaker Malala Yousafzai is the youngest-ever Nobel Peace Prize laureate and an advocate for girls’ education. Rotary Peace Fellow Natalie Emery works with the World Food Programme to offer guidance and strategic support to countries experiencing humanitarian emergencies. Salome Agbaroji, a Nigerian-American spoken-word poet, was the U.S. National Youth Poet Laureate in 2023-24.

In addressing the opening session, Taiwan’s President Lai Ching-te described the event as a truly momentous occasion. “Special thanks go to Taiwan’s Rotary members for bringing the world to Taiwan, and to Rotary International leaders for their support,” he said. 

Beyond the general sessions, convention-goers will have the opportunity to choose from dozens of breakout sessions. Many of them will highlight how clubs are working in Rotary’s areas of focus: promoting peace, fighting disease, providing clean water and sanitation, improving maternal and child health, supporting education, growing local economies, and protecting the environment.

Fighting disease remains in the thoughts of many attendees as Rotary grapples with the difficult final stage of the fight against polio. The paralyzing disease has been eliminated in most of the world, but the goal of eradication has yet to be reached.

“This year was difficult,” Arezzo said in his opening remarks. “Funding became harder. Governments faced new pressures. But our efforts on polio do not disappear because the world grows tired of hearing about it. We have to keep our promise to the world’s children.”

Arezzo described visiting Pakistan to observe Rotary’s immunization efforts and seeing a child about three years old who had been paralyzed by polio. She used her hands to pull herself to join a group of children.

“That little girl is why we cannot stop,” Arezzo said. “We must finish because the next child is still waiting.”

Besides providing updates on our top causes, convention breakout sessions will cover many other ways that Rotary members are making a difference in the world. Planned sessions include Rotary Rising: Engaging the Next Generation, Anime Environmental Education: Inspiring Zero‑Waste Action, and AI for Good: Empowering Rotary’s Mission With AI.

Using technology to bring attendees together was a particular focus for members of the convention’s volunteer committee. They created an interpretation app to help attendees who don’t speak Taiwanese Mandarin or Taiwanese Hokkien, the nation’s primary languages. If attendees need help finding their way around or communicating with a convention volunteer, they can use the app to instantly start a video call with an interpreter. The interpreters speak English, Japanese, and Korean.

“We designed the app for attendees who have language barriers and need to find where their hotel is, get to the convention center, get medical services — even get to one of the city’s night markets or find a good restaurant,” said Volunteer Committee Chair Michael Tseng, a member of the Rotary Club of Taipei Prosperity, Taipei.

While some committee members were designing the app, others began recruiting Rotary members from all over the country to serve as interpreters. The HOC GO! app is available in major app stores. 

The 2026 Rotary International Convention continues through 17 June.

— June 2026