Conflict seems to be increasing around the world. Using examples of everyday Rotarian life, this session will demonstrate how to identify and solve ethical dilemmas using The Four- Way Test. Explore how to foster friendly communication and interaction in and between Rotary clubs.

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 – TMGes@t-online.de
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.