1999

Rotary establishes the Rotary Centers for International Studies in peace and conflict resolution to help prepare future leaders and diplomats. The program offers coursework in international relations, public administration, sustainable development, peace studies, and conflict resolution at several partner universities throughout the world.

Read about the Rotary Centers

2002

Europe is declared polio-free at the RI Convention in Barcelona, Spain. By the end of the year, only seven countries remain polio-endemic. Rotary announces a new US$80 million campaign to support polio eradication. Rotarians respond by raising over $129 million.

2003

The Rotary Club of Kabul, Kabul, Afghanistan is chartered. Jonathan Majiyagbe, of Kano, Nigeria, becomes Rotary International's first president from Africa.

Five Rotary Centennial bells begin their journey to Rotary clubs around the globe in honor of the organization's 100th anniversary in 2005. The bells embark in June from the RI Convention in Brisbane, Australia.

2004

RI hosts its largest convention to date in Osaka, Japan. A record 45,381 paid registrants from 113 countries and geographical areas attend, surpassing the attendance record set by the Tokyo convention in 1978.

The inaugural class of 66 Rotary World Peace Fellows graduates.

View Rotary Centers students, past and present

2005

Rotary celebrates its 100th anniversary at the centennial convention in Chicago. Clubs commemorate the centennial by launching hundreds of community service projects and contributing thousands of volunteer hours.

2006

Only four countries remain polio-endemic: Afghanistan, India, Nigeria, and Pakistan. Polio cases worldwide have dropped by 99 percent since 1985.

2007

The Rotary Foundation celebrates the millionth Paul Harris Fellow by recognizing 34 individuals – one from each Rotary zone. The donors receive plaques and certificates honoring their contributions.

2008

Rotary officially launches its effort to match a US$100 million challenge grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to help eradicate polio.

In 2009, Rotary receives another grant of $255 million from the Gates Foundation and launches Rotary's US$200 Million Challenge to match a portion of the grants and further support efforts to End Polio Now.

Watch a video of Bill Gates speaking to Rotary leaders

2009

Rotary celebrates the 100th RI Convention in Birmingham, England. The event welcomes guest speakers Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, actress and UNICEF goodwill ambassador Mia Farrow, and renowned primatologist and humanitarian Dr. Jane Goodall.