Ugandan Rotarians head to Calgary for global convention

_________________

Over 100 Ugandan Rotarians are set to join more than 15,000 delegates from around the world in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, for the Rotary International Convention scheduled to take place at Stampede Park from June 21-25, 2025.

This year’s convention is themed Magic All Around, highlighting the transformative impact of Rotary’s global service efforts. The Ugandan delegation comprises professionals, business leaders, and intellectuals from Districts 9213 and 9214.

District 9213 will be led by District Governor Anne Nkutu and incoming governor Geoffrey Kitakule, while incoming district governor Christine Kyeyune Kawoya and assistant governor Daniel Mukasa Ddamulira will represent District 9214. Emmanuel Katongole, Rotary International Director for Zone 22 – Africa, will also be in attendance.

Unlike other international events where the Ugandan delegation wears traditional kanzus and gomesis in national colours during the opening ceremony, this year members will don designer shirts promoting the 2025 Rotary Cancer Run, set for August 31. The run aims to raise $1 million for the ongoing development of the Rotary Cancer Centre at Nsambya Hospital — one of Uganda’s signature Rotary projects.

Uganda is also home to the Rotary Peace Centre at Makerere University, the first such centre in Africa. It focuses on developing leaders in peace and development, offering a postgraduate diploma programme and fellowships for individuals working in or from Africa who are dedicated to addressing challenges to peace and development. This is in addition to the Rotary-supported blood bank at Mengo Hospital.

Rotary International president Stephanie A. Urchick visited Uganda recently, specifically to recognise Ugandan Rotarians for these achievements.

The convention, one of the largest annual gatherings of volunteer leaders, will feature cultural events, service exhibitions, keynote addresses, and breakout sessions on global challenges such as health, education, and peacebuilding.

The city of Calgary has lined up a range of activities to welcome delegates, with organisers anticipating a successful event. However, the sudden resignation of incoming Rotary International president Mário César Martins de Camargo just a week before the convention has stirred concern among some attendees.

Rotary’s global mission

Founded in 1905, Rotary International is a humanitarian service organisation with over 1.2 million members in more than 200 countries and territories. With the guiding motto “Service Above Self,” Rotarians work to create sustainable change in areas such as disease prevention, clean water access, maternal and child health, basic education, and economic development.

Rotary is best known for its global campaign to eradicate polio — a decades-long initiative that has brought the disease to the brink of elimination through strategic partnerships with the World Health Organisation and other agencies.

In Uganda, Rotary continues to play a key role in community development, including the construction of health facilities, scholarships, tree planting campaigns, and the annual Rotary Cancer Run, which has become a major fixture on the national calendar.

As Calgary prepares to host Rotarians from across the globe, Uganda’s delegation is expected to showcase not only national pride but also the country’s commitment to service, innovation, and community transformation.