Rotary celebrates 100 years of service in Australia and New Zealand

During the one-hour event, the Governor-General and Mrs Hurley took part in the ‘Passing the Baton’ ceremony and the audience enjoyed musical performances by Josh Piterman, Nick Jones and Leo Sayer.

To celebrate 100 years of Rotary in Australia and New Zealand, Rotary is reflecting and celebrating the past, but more importantly looking into the future, with many new projects that deliver real, long-term solutions to the world’s most persistent issues.

Two major projects launched at the event were End Trachoma and Rotary Give Every Child A Future.

Australia is the world’s only developed country with trachoma, an infectious eye disease that can be prevented with good hygiene practices. Rotary wants a trachoma-free Australia by 2021, Rotary’s 100th year in Australia.

Rotary Give Every Child A Future will give life-saving vaccines to 100,000 children across the Pacific and ensure generations of children and women are protected against cervical cancer, rotavirus and pneumococcal disease.
National Centenary of Rotary Committee Chair Garry Browne AM, who addressed the audience, believes we are all committed to the values and spirit of Rotary… values in action that transcend political and cultural boundaries and foster global understanding and respect.