NGSE ITALY

Rotary is an association of representatives of the most diverse professional activities, who work together worldwide to serve society, encourage compliance with high ethical principles in the practice of all professions, and help building a world of friendship and peace. The first among the service club associations in the world, Rotary was founded in Chicago (Illinois, USA) on the evening of February 23, 1905 by a young lawyer, Paul Harris, and three of his friends. Rotary currently has about 1.2 million members, both men and women, who are senior members in their professional fields and belong to more than 32,000 Rotary clubs in almost every country in the world. Each Rotary Club meets regularly once a week to allow members to discuss together matters of common interest, both local and international. In each club, the membership represents a cross-section of the community's economic life. The Rotary Clubs organize and promote humanitarian and educational projects that benefit the people in their own community and in communities of other countries anywhere in the world. Rotary also means the Rotary Foundation, a solid, universally recognized project-oriented reality that grants over 90 million US Dollars every year in international scholarships, cultural exchanges and humanitarian assistance projects of various dimensions, aimed at improving the quality of life of millions of people. Rotary is widely recognized as the largest private provider of international scholarships. Rotary also means End Polio Now, an ambitious program launched in 1985 and carried out in collaboration with the UN and the Gates foundation to completely eradicate polio. Thanks to the subsidies provided by End Polio Now, over one billion children have been vaccinated so far in developing countries. In addition, Rotary also means the New Generations Service Exchange program and the Youth Exchange, which involve more than ten thousand young people each year from every country in the world, who enrich their culture and knowledge through contacts with different realities.

Located in Northern Italy, on the border with Switzerland, District 2041 are the smallest Rotary District of Italy in land area, but undoubtedly among the most active and with the longest tradition in Rotary. The first Italian Rotary Club was born in Milan and from there, Rotary began to spread throughout the country. The territory includes the city of Milan and the metropolitan area around it. It is a densely populated area of some 9 million inhabitants, very industrialized but with enchanting tourist spots and an intense cultural and artistic life. District 2041 comprise 46 Rotary Clubs with around 2,000 Rotarians and carry out solid activities aimed at New Generations. In fact, the two Districts have 18 Rotaract Clubs and 3 Interact Clubs, which are constantly supported and flanked by Rotary structures. Every year many initiatives specifically dedicated to young people are organized to accompany them first in their cultural and then in their professional growth.