Going International
 By 1912, Rotary had arrived in the British Isles. Then the organisation became truly global, crossing national boundaries, race, language, and religion. Clubs mushroomed throughout Europe, South and Central America, Australia, Africa, and Asia. By 1921 Rotary was active on six continents and the following year, the name Rotary International was adopted.
The organisation attracted presidents, prime ministers, and a host of luminaries to its ranks, among them composer Jean Sibelius, humanitarian Albert Schweitzer and author Thomas Mann. “Few there are, who do not recognise the good work which is done by Rotary clubs throughout the free world,” Prime Minister Winston Churchill once declared.
In 1942, looking ahead to the post-war era, Rotarians called a conference to explore international educational and cultural exchanges. This lead to the birth of the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO). Rotary played a significant role in the birth of the United Nations itself, with 50 Rotarians serving as delegates, advisors, and consultants at the UN Charter Conference in 1945. Rotary International remains the only voluntary organisation to have a permanent seat at the UN.
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