Ceremonial anniversary: ​​Rotary Club Vienna celebrates 100 years with prominent guests

Ceremonial anniversary: ​​Rotary Club Vienna celebrates 100 years with prominent guests

Gartenpalais Liechtenstein, Wien, Österreich - On June 5, 2025, the Rotary Club Vienna (RC Vienna) celebrated a very special event in the Gartenpalais Liechtenstein: the 100th anniversary of the club. Around 300 invited guests from the areas of business, science, diplomacy and culture took part in the celebration. Club President Andreas Blaschke welcomed those present and thus initiated a festive review of the one hundred years of history of the club, which was shaped by strong international cooperation and numerous humanitarian projects.

The keynote speaker, Erika Krenn-Neuwirth, governor of the Rotary District 1910, emphasized the challenges and successes of the past hundred years. Other words of the appreciation came from Helga Rabl-Stadler, the long-time President of the Salzburg Festival, which emphasized the importance of the Rotary Club as a network. Leadersnet reports that also Johann Fellinger, a survivor of the polio-illness, spoke to the initiative "End Polio now" To point out Rotary to combat this disease worldwide.

Review and outlook

The commemorative publication "100 years Rotary Club Vienna", presented by Oliver Rathkolb, is based on a newly discovered clubarchive and gives a comprehensive insight into the history of the club. "100 years - 100 projects", a campaign initiated by Thomas Gangl, aims to become active in the areas of education, health and social participation in the future and relies on a strong commitment of young Rotarians: Inside, the ideas for the future.

The evening was not only a celebration of the past, but also a look into the future in which the Rotary Club Vienna would like to continue to play an important role in the international community. Prominent guests, including Jan von Arnim, Ewald Aschauer and Michael Artaker, underlined the range and influence of the club, whose members are also active for international Rotary initiatives.

historical context of Rotary

Rotary was founded on February 23, 1905 by Paul P. Harris in Chicago and is the first service club in the world. The name "Rotary" refers to practice to meet in the rotation process in the members' offices. In the past 100 years, Rotary has developed into a network that is global to solve major social problems. The story of Rotary shows that Rotarians were not only involved in the establishment of the United Nations, but also contributed decisively to the reconstruction of the affected countries after the Second World War.

A particularly distinctive Rotary project is the worldwide fight against Polio, which began in 1979. Six million children were vaccinated in the Philippines within a very short time, with the disease being spread in 125 countries at that time. Today there are only two countries in which the polio virus still occurs. Rotary's Engagement in this regard remains strong, and new initiatives are continuously launched to combat the disease.

With such a rich inheritance and a clear focus on the future, the Rotary Club Vienna is optimistic about the coming years. The projects initiated and international cooperation are a strong sign that the club will continue to play an important role in society.