Each year, Rotary holds a special day at the United Nations headquarters in New York City, and any Rotarian is eligible to participate.

It has been several years since the Southern Rensselaer County Rotary Club has had representatives attend, so this would be an excellent time to resume our participation. Members’ expenses for the trip are paid for by the home club, which includes registration, transportation, and mid-day lunch in the main U.N. cafeteria.

Why the Rotary-U.N. connection? Rotary International’s ongoing efforts to achieve peace in the world have been part of the organization’s fiber since its inception, and RI has been part of the U.N. fiber since it began. In fact, in 1945 it was one of 42 non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in the U.S. invited to serve as consultants to the United Nations Conference on International Organization, the fledgling organization’s effort to write a constitution suitable to nations of differing philosophies, races, religions, and often-conflicting histories.

Today, Rotary holds the highest consultative status offered to an NGO by the U.N.’s Economic and Social Council, which oversees many specialized U.N. agencies. The Rotary Representative Network maintains and furthers its relationship with several U.N. bodies, programs, commissions, and agencies. This network consists of Rotary International representatives to the United Nations and other organizations.

“Rotary Day at the United Nations” each year celebrates the organizations’ shared vision for peace and highlights the critical humanitarian activities that Rotary and the United Nations lead around the world.

And, each year a delegation from District 7190 heads to New York to meet with Rotarians from around the world to participate in seminars and workshops on a myriad of topics of particular concern around the globe.

Click here to visit a site containing the complete history of the Rotary-U.N. connection.