You are not the leader of your district… the most important person in the Rotary world is always and only the club president,” said RI President Francesco Arezzo to the governors-elect at the valedictory of Rotary’s annual training programme organised on the sidelines of the Rotary Zone Institute.
“The heart of Rotary lies not in offices but in clubs. It is the club president who has to go in his community to find new members, raise funds, identify community’s needs and plan the projects that can transform it. Our job, your main job, is to support your club presidents,” he said, and urged the incoming governors to invest time in knowing, meeting and befriending every president. “If you support the presidents well, it will be a great year for all of us. Leadership in Rotary is not about power; it is about purpose, people and principled action.”
Arezzo reminded delegates that Rotary’s five core values — service, diversity, integrity, leadership and fellowship — must never be lived in isolation. “Service without integrity is not good service. Service without fellowship, without the joy to work together, is not Rotary service.”
Recounting his visit to Pakistan, he delivered an emotional plea for finishing Rotary’s 35-year struggle to end polio. He recalled seeing a wall of photographs — portraits of 68 health workers killed while vaccinating children — and learning that over 1,000 workers worldwide may have lost their lives in the campaign. “We have 1,000 martyrs. In their memory, we are obliged to finish this campaign.”
What moved him even more was the paralysed three-year-old girl he met in Rawalpindi. “Her smile was a scream. It asked me, ‘Why didn’t you finish your campaign earlier? I would have been running with my friends.’ I cannot see another child paralysed by polio.”
Calling peace the third goal of his year, Arezzo said, “We have to work for world peace not just with our peace centres or youth exchange programmes, but also with our projects. If we want our projects to create peace, we must do something different.” He urged Indian districts to take Rotary beyond their borders. “Ninety-nine per cent of your global grants are in India. India has grown. Now it is time to work abroad, in Africa, even in Pakistan, to create peace,” he said.
He ended with a personal metaphor about leadership as a climb up a mountain, only to realise the true work remained at the base. “To be a great leader, I had to come down again and stay with Rotarians. That great white light at the top? It was only the flashlight of the photographers,” he smiled.
Past RI President K R Ravindran reflected on the four values that shape a “superior president”: integrity, humility, compassion and courage. Speaking about integrity, he recalled visiting the Lego factory founded by Ole Kirk Christensen, a carpenter who once specialised in making wooden toys. Christensen insisted that every toy receive three coats of varnish, not because customers would notice, but because he would. “He believed only the best was good enough. That is why Lego remains one of the world’s most trusted brands; its true legacy lies in integrity, in excellence without shortcuts.”
He urged the incoming leaders to remember that spirit: “Don’t forget the third coat — whether in the accuracy of your reports, the transparency of your accounts, or the promises you make. Integrity is not what we say; it is what we do when no one is watching.”
Humility, he said, is equally critical. He narrated the story of US Supreme Court Judge Sandra Day O’Connor, who lovingly accepted her Alzheimer-stricken husband’s newfound bond with another patient. “That is humility at its highest, excellence without ego.”
Compassion often comes from unexpected places, said Ravindran, as he spoke of his granddaughter Tessa, who befriended a neighbour’s medically fragile child without seeing illness or limitation. “Where adults see limitations, children see possibilities.”
But compassion must be balanced with courage. Ravindran recounted the tense moment during Rotary’s post-tsunami school-building project in Sri Lanka when militants demanded a 10 per cent cut. He refused, despite threats. “I was trembling… but courage is not lack of fear; it is choosing to do the right thing despite it.” He reminded governors-elect that leadership tests come quietly, often when compromise feels easier.
“Integrity tells you to do it right. Humility tells you it’s not about you. Compassion urges you to see the person, not the problem. And courage tells you to stand firm even when your voice is trembling,” he summed up.
RI director M Muruganandam stressed accountability, ambition and disciplined execution. “You are the representatives of your districts. There are expectations from your clubs, from all clubs, and from regional leaders. You are the torchbearers.”
He urged the DGEs to set audacious, measurable goals, recalling his own ambitious milestones as governor (2016–17) — from $1 million to TRF to 10,000 organ donations and 14 Guinness World Records. “Take your assignment seriously. For you, 2026–27 is your year. Spend your time, energy and resources for that year.”
He reminded them that leadership, is never about comparison with others. “Compare only with yourself — yesterday’s version and today’s version.” Calling communication the governor’s most powerful tool, he advised leaders to consult the college of governors and build a strong team spirit. “Aim high. Be a multimillion-dollar district. Bring more AKS members. And let’s reach 300,000 members by 2030, that is Mission 2030,” he said.
PRID Raju Subramanian, the general trainer for the incoming leaders, reminded them that focus should never be on personal visibility. “The Rotary Wheel, its beneficiaries, and the service it delivers, matter the most. This is particularly important during your public image activities.”
RID 3192 DGE Ravishankar Dakoju appealed to his co-governors to join for three pan-India projects: to plant one crore saplings across the country, to get government support to make it mandatory for residential societies to provide water facilities for birds and animals, and to urge Rotary clubs in every district to adopt and transform tribal schools.