On 23 February, 1905, the Rotary wheel of friendship, understanding, good will and peace in the world was put into movement by Paul Harris, a well-known lawyer from Chicago, together with his close friends, by establishing the first service-club in the world.

Probably, Paul Harris himself did not believe in that moment that his idea would get such a big support among the people who had a similar opinion, in the USA and throughout the world. This support has led to the most influential, appreciated and highly respected international organization, known to everybody as the Rotary.

For only a few years, clubs have been founded in many places in the USA and Canada. In the period of ten years, Rotary clubs have been founded in a lot of European cities, too. With the foundation of the first Rotary clubs in England and Ireland, since 1911, this organization has been known as ROTARY INTERNATIONAL.

Its fast, safe and unceasing growth has made this organization the largest servicing organization all over the world, today. Nowadays, ROTARY is about 1.2 million men and women who are ready to help, organized in more than 30.000 Rotary clubs, in 168 countries in the world.

The definition about the Rotary movement appeared in 1976. It consists of one sentence and 34 words. Rotary is an organization of professionals and businessmen united all over the world, people who provide humanitarian aid, induce high moral standards in all professions and help the building of good will and peace in the world.

Rotarians are professionals who work as volunteers for the betterment of the quality of life, all over the world. Its members reflect a widespread spectrum of representatives in the society.

The Rotary clubs are neither political nor religious. They are open for all cultures, races and religions.

The Rotary Emblem is the same for all the Rotarians, everywhere in the world. It can be found on all memorandums ,flags and badges. It is presented by the wheel which is rotating round about itself. The emblem is in the possession of the ROTARY INTERNATIONAL and can not be used for any commercial, political and other purposes.

The main subject in the ROTARY is the service (support) in the society, at work and everywhere in the world. Rotarians build confidence and peace, they provide humanitarian aid and of the modern life. Initiate social projects which are in connection with many activities.

Rotary clubs are independent and they determine projects for help based on local needs.

During the last 100 years, the Rotary has left visible tracks in all the spheres of acting throughout the world. In that way, at the International conference organized by the English Rotarians in 1943, visited by a great number of ministers of education from the entire world, the way for the UNESCO foundation was traced.

Rotary keeps close contacts with many UN organizations. The Rotary members participated in the signing of UNO charters in the 1945 and 1949, and every year they are hosts of the Rotary day of the United Nations by which they celebrate the peace partnership.

In 1947, the Rotary Foundation was established which, since its establishment provides about 19 million dollars for international scholarships, cultural exchange and humanitarian projects for the improvement of the life of millions of people, every year. For the last fifty years, the Rotary Foundation has given more than 1.6 billion of American dollars for different programs.

A significant support has been given for different fields of education: about 40.000 ambassador scholarships have been granted to the students from 110 countries in the world.

Rotary provided more than 1000 million children in the developing countries to be immunized against polio through the Polio Plus grants.

There are other kinds of grants the most popular of which is the support named ‘Health, Famine, and Humanity’.

The essential Rotary motto, ‘To serve and help unselfishly’ was accepted in 1999 because it expresses the philosophy of voluntary work of the Rotarians, in the best way. The older ‘4 question test’ was accepted in 1943 which meant that whatever one thought, spoke or worked, it was necessary to make the following questions: 1. Is that the truth?; 2. Is it honest for everybody?; 3. Will that lead us to a good will and better friendship?; 4. Is it useful for everybody?. The expression ‘the 4 avenues for acting’ is reflection of 4 elements which form the principles of the Rotary: Service in the club, service in one’s profession, service in the community and international service.

The purpose of the Rotarians is being ready to help in the ordinary life through many forms of action: nurturing friendship as a possibility to be useful for the others, recognition of high moral principles in the private and professional life, giving responsible and conscious support to the Rotarians in all the spheres of living, nurturing a good will for mutual understanding among the nations, men and women, united in the ideal for the support of the others.

The initiative for the establishment of the Rotary club in Prilep was given in 2004, by the President of the sponsoring Rotary club in Bitola – the experienced Rotarian Dragan Damjanovski. The contractual meetings were intensified during the spring and autumn, in 2007.

On the 17^th October 2007, the date for the initiative meeting was determined. On the 21^st November 2007, the initiative board was established. The Inaugural Meeting was held in the end of 2007, and, in the beginning of 2008, an association of citizens ‘Rotary Club – Prilep’ was registered. After having completed the necessary documentation, on the 15^th April 2008, in the Register of the Rotary International, The Rotary Club – Prilep was registered. The day of the charter celebration is 27^th June 2008.