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| Rotary International President Barry Rassin speaks at the Korean Rotary's annual conference at the Haeundae Grand Hotel in Busan, Tuesday. He is visiting Korea to attend the three-day meeting which started Tuesday. Courtesy of Korean Rotary |
By Cho Jae-hyon
Rotary International President Barry Rassin said he will support Korean Rotary's bid to host the 2027 International Rotary Convention in Busan.
Rassin is visiting Korea to attend the Korean Rotary's annual conference at the Haeundae Grand Hotel in Busan, a three-day gathering which opened on Tuesday. It has drawn more than 1,000 Rotarians from Korea and other countries.
At the annual seminar, the members discussed the future of Korean Rotary and new policies of Rotary International. Korean Rotary will celebrate its centenary in 2027.
Rassin said many Rotarians hope Korea will host another major global event, pledging to give a full support if the southern port city of Busan is viewed as the right venue for the 2027 International Rotary Convention.
He said Korea has shown "very strong membership growth" and Korean Rotarians are very active in all kinds of peace, environment and community services programs. "We are very proud of Rotary clubs in Korea."
The Korean Rotary has the fourth largest number of members in the world after the United States, India and Japan, he said. It has about 65,000 members and about 1,600 Rotary clubs here.
Rassin said he came to Korea to thank Korean Rotarians for their untiring services and devotion for positive changes in communities.
He said the organization will play a role in helping its Korean members contribute to achieving peace on the Korean Peninsula.
Under the slogan, "Be the Inspiration," Rassin is leading the international organization which has 1.2 million members worldwide.
He has been committed to reducing the number of children suffering from polio worldwide.
Since 1985 when Rotary International started a campaign to eradicate polio, the number of cases dropped from 350,000 a year in 125 countries to only 25 cases in two countries, Afghanistan and Pakistan.
Rassin said the organization will continue to strive to attain the certified eradication of polio.
The Rotary Club was founded by a young lawyer, Paul Harris, in the United States in 1905.
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