RI President-Elect Holger Knaack unveiled the 2020-21 Presidential Theme at the Club's Annual International Assembly held in San Diego, California on January 20, 2020. The theme ‘Rotary Opens Opportunities’, is encouraging Rotarians around the world to seize the many opportunities Rotary offers to enrich their lives and the communities in which they serve.
Knaack noted Rotary isn’t just a club for people to join, but rather “an invitation to endless opportunities,” He emphasized that Rotary creates pathways for members to improve their lives and the lives of those they help through service projects.
Knaack encouraged members to embrace change in order for Rotary to expand and thrive and suggested that Clubs should focus on keeping current members engaged and adding new members who are the right fit for their club. He remarked “we will capture this moment to grow Rotary, making it stronger, more adaptable, and even more aligned with our core values.”
RI PE Holger continued “we need to stop thinking of new members as people we can mark down as statistics and then forget about,” …“every new member changes us a little bit. That person brings a new perspective, new experiences. We need to embrace this constant renewal. We will grow stronger as we learn from new members.”
Knaack also wants to see more women in leadership roles and see Rotaractors play an integral role in how new clubs are formed and run. He said “we have to be open to new approaches, and creating unique clubs for younger people is just part of the solution,” ..“Let Rotaractors decide what kind of Rotary experience works best for them. These young people are bright, energetic, and they get things done.”
PE Holger also stated that “We will not let rapid change defeat us. We will capture this moment to grow Rotary, making it stronger, more adaptable, and even more aligned with our core values.”
Read more: https://www.rotary.org/en/holger-knaack-sees-opportunities-rotary-change-thrive#page-content