Thousands of Rotary members from around the globe gathered in Calgary, Canada, for the 2025 Rotary International Convention from June 21st through 25th. Rotary and the Gates Foundation renewed a multimillion-dollar commitment to eradicate polio. The convention also featured notable speakers such as Academy Award winner Geena Davis and Nobel laureate Tawakkol Karman. Rotary International President Stephanie Urchick kicked off the festivities by leading the thousands-strong crowd in a hearty “Yahoo!” – the exuberant greeting traditional in the city known for the annual Calgary Stampede rodeo and festival.
Among other presentations were:
- Announcement of Rotary International’s newest $2 million Programs of Scale grant which will build and sustain peace in Colombia. The Pathways to Peace and Prosperity in Colombia program involves Rotary partnering with the World Food Programme on initiatives that enhance people’s ability to resolve conflicts peacefully and equip local leaders with tools for economic self-reliance.
- Rotary International’s General Secretary John Hewko gave his annual report
- Luanne Newman, President of the 2024-26 Rotary International Fellowship of Genealogoists spoke on the value of joining Fellowships
- Attendees heard an update from the Director-General of the World Health Organization
- The significance and contributions of Canada’s First Nations
- Rotarians’ commitment to protecting our environment and how that commitment meets the Four-Way Test
- Recognition of the 2025 People of Action honorees and the Rotary Alumni Global Service Award
- TRF Chair Mark Daniel Maloney’s keynote on The Rotary Foundation
In addition to Pre-Convention Youth Exchange meetings, and spectacular entertainment options, following General Sessions, there were seventy or more breakout sessions, covering themes aligned with the four priorities of Rotary’s Action Plan (Increase our Impact; Expand our Reach; Enhance Participant Engagement; and Increase our Ability to Adapt).
On Sunday, June 22nd, Rotarians and guests from Zones 30-31 gathered at the Calgary Marriott Downtown for an evening of food, fun, and fellowship. Special thanks to those who planned, organized and hosted this wonderful event which is sometimes our only chance each year to catch up with distant friends. The 2026 Rotary International Convention will be held in Taipei, Taiwan from June 13th to 17th, 2026. If you missed Calgary, register now.
See more 2025 Calgary Convention coverage at: https://www.rotary.org/en/convention-news.