Education and Avoiding Intercultural Conflict Using Rotarian Ethics
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The document discusses the challenges facing Rotary International, emphasizing the decline in membership and public reputation due to a shift away from its founding values of community and professional ethics. It argues that Rotary should return to its original purpose as a community of values, focusing on moral integrity and social responsibility, to regain relevance and attract new members. Recommendations include enhancing educational initiatives and establishing ethical awards and institutes to reinforce this focus on professional ethics.
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Education and Avoiding Intercultural Conflict Using Rotarian Ethics
- 1. Value Discussion and Professional Positioning of Rotary Rotary International Convention 1-5 June 2019 – Hamburg, Germany Break-out-Session – 4 June 2019 Education and avoiding intercultural conflicts using Rotarian ethics President – Ties Möckelmann – Rotary Club Lüneburg – [email protected] Preliminary note In 2007, the German council of governors declared: "Rotary is a community of values". At conferences, in the Rotary Magazine, but above all in the clubs themselves, the importance of moral values for the self-understanding, the togetherness and the activities of the Rotarian community has been intensively discussed ever since. RC Lüneburg has also set up a value committee that deals with the ethical foundations of Rotary and that in this paper inspires a return to the ideas that led to the founding of Rotary. The challenge Rotary can look back on a unique track record. More than 1.2 million people from different professions are involved in more than 30,000 clubs around the world; a lively exchange in the clubs, districts and in the international organization creates friendship and promotes international understanding; Diverse local and international community service projects strengthen educational projects and cultural infrastructure, help those in need or support medical care worldwide. However, this success concept has been copied so frequently that Rotary is barely different from many other interest groups and clubs, all of whom strive equally to interest the personalities of our society and to attract new members.
- 2. As a consequence of this • Rotary is losing more and more members in core countries. The organization no longer seems attractive enough to inspire people for their goals and to gather their friends once a week at the Rotary table; • removes the identification with the organization. Fewer and fewer members proudly wear the Rotary Needle or publicly recognize themselves as Rotarians; • talented young people are increasingly reluctant to question organizations such as Rotary and question what is the guiding idea of an organization for which they are committed; • increasingly suffers Rotary togetherness. The presence in the weekly meetings is steadily decreasing, which permanently undermines the Rotarian friendship; • gaining membership becomes more difficult. In the past, it was a great privilege to be addressed by Rotary, but now the cancellations are piling up; • the reputation of Rotary - unlike that of organizations with a clear focus on content such as Unicef, Greenpeace or Amnesty International - is low in the public; • In its national donation ranking, Rotary is not even among the top one hundred nonprofit organizations. Hardly any member today would get the idea to override Rotary's personal estate. (for example, see "Strategic Plan 2014 Survey" at: my.rotary.org/en/document/strategic-plan-survey-results-2017) Causes for this development When Paul Harris and his associates founded the first Rotary Club in Chicago in 1905, they immediately saw the excesses of rampant capitalism. Unrestrained egoism and stormy growth threatened to disrupt the normative bond of society. Against this background, the founding fathers of Rotary developed the idea to assemble morally integrity personalities from different professional groups who want to serve the common good in mutual solidarity. The daily actions of the Rotarians should be based on the values in their profession and society, which were formulated in 1932 by Herbert Taylor in the Four-Question-Trial. After the Second World War, however, the founding idea of Rotary was increasingly understood as a "charity". Now, donations and active assistance should be used to fund projects primarily in the social and educational fields. By contrast, the original idea that Rotarians serve the common good by orienting their daily work and social life to moral values and thus acting exemplary in society has taken a back seat.
- 3. The fact that Rotary is losing its radiance today, getting bogged down in countless unspecific support projects, having difficulties in gaining interesting new members and scarcely motivating its current members for its Rotary goals, seems to have its roots here. Opportunities for Rotary By contrast, the founding idea of Rotary has lost nothing of its relevance. On the contrary, in a world where income and wealth inequalities are growing, national and international conflicts are increasing, and mutual consideration is dwindling, it is more relevant than ever. A look at the four-question test, which is obligatory for all Rotarians, makes it clear that Rotary was not originally great A look at the four-sample test, which is obligatory for all Rotarians, makes it clear that Rotary was originally not designed primarily as a service club, but as a community of values. The problems that Rotary was once founded to tackle have by no means diminished but have been increasingly lost sight of. Therefore, Rotary does not have to reinvent itself, but instead has to revert to its founding idea as a community of values. Rotarian friendship should not remain a mere phrase, but should rest on an ethical foundation. The common good orientation must not be confused in any sponsored projects, but must be recognizable in the daily actions of each Rotarian. If Rotary wants to regain its unmistakable position, the organization must therefore focus on what it was once founded for: professional ethics. As a union of leaders from the diverse professions of our society, Rotary is predestined to do so like no other organization in the world. Recommendations A concentration of Rotary on its original core competency, professional ethics, would have practical consequences. The topics that are already being dealt with in various funding projects - education, development and health - would have to be more focused on the Rotary core competence of the profession. The following examples of professionally oriented Rotary projects show the potential: Rotary should • offer local schools to use the expertise of Rotarians as part of their vocational orientation and professional ethics in teaching or in teaching-intensive projects;
- 4. • in youth exchanges, continue to prepare pupils and students for the role of ambassadors of the Rotarian idea of fighting against selfishness, greed and corruption through decent work and daily life; • Organize Ryla seminars with a different understanding of leadership: "Conduct decency"; • award a Rotary Award, which is awarded for ethically exemplary behavior in different professions; • substantiate the intended return by establishing a scientific "Rotary Institute for Business and Professional Ethics", anchor it in the long term in society and stage it in publicity. • All Rotarians are invited to submit further suggestions for the practical implementation of the ethical refocusing of the organization and the club life. Result To increase its attractiveness, to help its members to understand themselves more clearly, and to better focus their use of resources, Rotary should reflect on its origins as a community of values. Professional ethics, as a link between diverse cultures, could help Rotarians to look back on their community with pride and make the world a little more decent.