Welcome to the Rotary Club of Washington, DC

Rotary Club of Washington D.C. Supports ShelterBox

Help shelter families after the devastating earthquake in Morocco and Floods in Libya.

We urgently need your support. Your donation today will help people who have lost their homes.

100k Grant Awarded. The Rotary Club of Washington, DC today announced that a special Centennial Community Service Grant of $100,000 has been made to the Multicultural Career Intern Program (MCIP).
DC Rotary Foundation Promo Video

Our Club meets every Wednesday, promptly, 12:30pm – 1:30pm at the University Club of Washington D.C. Our meetings are hybrid and available via zoom. To request an invitation to join our weekly meetings, click the button below to send us an email. Be sure to regularly visit our Club Calendar for updates.
Every Wednesday at 12:30 PM

If you are interested in learning more about our events, click the link below to our Club Calendar.  Each and every month, we host and attend numerous insightful, energetic and service-oriented events.  Come and see what we’re all about…roll up your sleeves and help us – help others.

One of the Club’s most popular ways of serving our local community is through Grate Patrol DC.  To learn more about how you can volunteer to help us feed the homeless on the evenings of every 3rd Tuesday and 3rd Friday.  Click the button below to sign up today!

Vision Statement

A world of peace, justice, equity, opportunity, and human well-being within a thriving and sustainable environment.

Mission Statement

To transform lives in the nation’s capital and throughout the world through service, friendship, networking, and fun.

Our latest Instagram Postings

The @dcrotaryclub wishes you and yours a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday!

#dcrotaryclub #dcrotaryfoundation #thanksgiving #happythanksgivng #indigenouspeoplesday
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Our guest speakers this week were Hannah Williams and James Daniels, social activists and content creators in the DC metro area tackling a significant issue: equal pay.  After Hannah discovered she was underpaid due to secretive pay structures, she was inspired to create their viral series: Salary Transparent Street. 
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Through their street interviews, Hannah and James educate their 2M+ community on different careers, market rates, salary negotiation, and workers’ rights to help close persistent pay gaps that marginalize women, minorities, workers with disabilities, and the LGBTQ+ community.
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Our Rotary Club is fortunate to have so many members with wonderful contacts such that we are able to attract a wide variety of newsworthy, sought-after speakers! The diversity of our speakers reflects the diverse interests of our members.
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#DCRotaryClub #hybridmeeting
#clubmeeting #zoommeeting #newsworthy #guestspeaker #RotaryInternational #RI #RotaryDistrict7620 #CreateHopeintheWorld
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This past weekend, we reflected on the sacrifices our veterans have made in service to our country. We celebrate and solute the military service of veterans everywhere and especially Rotarian veterans in our #DCRotaryClub and throughout the country.

#veterans #salute #veteransday2023 #rotaryinternational #ri #Rotary7620
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World Polio Day is October 24th.

No child should suffer from this vaccine-preventable disease. Help us #endpolio for good. endpolio.org @rotaryinternational

#PolioPlus
For more than 30 years, Rotary and our partners have driven the effort to eradicate polio worldwide. Our PolioPlus program was the first initiative to tackle global polio eradication by vaccinating children on a massive scale. As a core partner in the Global Polio Eradication Initiative, Rotary focuses on advocacy, fundraising, volunteer recruitment, and awareness-building.

In this video, our #DCRotaryClub 2021 Polio Plus Ambassador, May O’Brien, explains efforts to #EndPolioNow. https://youtu.be/Q8ZgMiSqVBk

#endpolionow #worldpolioday #dcrotaryclub #dcrotaryfoundation #rotaryinternational #rotary7620
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Our latest YouTube Postings

Alaha Ahrar is the founder and Chief Executive Officer of International Kindness Sharing (IKS), which spreads kindness and helps people in need. IKS advocates for equity, equality, justice and fairness and is anti-poverty, anti-human trafficking, anti-human smuggling.
Prior to founding IKS, Alaha was the Director of Youth for International World Poetry, Canada since 2011 and she has been on the Board of Directors for the Afghan Women’s Writing Project since 2011.

Alaha has a passion for writing and public speaking and has used these skills extensively to advocate for human rights, justice, and peace.  She is an award-winning poet, writer, and social justice and human rights expert.  In 2008, she received the Talent Scholarship of University of Mary Washington (UMW).  In 2011, she was awarded the “Best Poet of the Year for Afghanistan and the United States” by International World Poetry, Canada.  In 2012, she was appointed as the Ambassador of Youth and Peace for Afghanistan and the United States by Canada.  In 2016, she received the “Big Heart” Award by Facets for her tireless efforts to help people in need.  In 2018, she received the Global Goodwill Ambassadors’ award.

In 2018, Alaha initiated a project that won the 2nd Project of the Year Award through Virginia Statewide Neighborhoods Conference 2018.  She won that award for her advocacy and leadership efforts of bringing the entire community together to work on Paradise Park Project at Barros Circle in Centreville, Virginia.

Alaha Ahrar graduated from the University of Mary Washington with a triple major and one certificate. Her majors were Human Rights, Political Science, International Affairs, and her certificate is in Middle Eastern Studies.  
Alaha Ahrar completed her master’s degree in Social Justice and Human Rights programs at George Mason University in December 2020.

Alaha Ahrar is the founder and Chief Executive Officer of International Kindness Sharing (IKS), which spreads kindness and helps people in need. IKS advocates for equity, equality, justice and fairness and is anti-poverty, anti-human trafficking, anti-human smuggling.
Prior to founding IKS, Alaha was the Director of Youth for International World Poetry, Canada since 2011 and she has been on the Board of Directors for the Afghan Women’s Writing Project since 2011.

Alaha has a passion for writing and public speaking and has used these skills extensively to advocate for human rights, justice, and peace. She is an award-winning poet, writer, and social justice and human rights expert. In 2008, she received the Talent Scholarship of University of Mary Washington (UMW). In 2011, she was awarded the “Best Poet of the Year for Afghanistan and the United States” by International World Poetry, Canada. In 2012, she was appointed as the Ambassador of Youth and Peace for Afghanistan and the United States by Canada. In 2016, she received the “Big Heart” Award by Facets for her tireless efforts to help people in need. In 2018, she received the Global Goodwill Ambassadors’ award.

In 2018, Alaha initiated a project that won the 2nd Project of the Year Award through Virginia Statewide Neighborhoods Conference 2018. She won that award for her advocacy and leadership efforts of bringing the entire community together to work on Paradise Park Project at Barros Circle in Centreville, Virginia.

Alaha Ahrar graduated from the University of Mary Washington with a triple major and one certificate. Her majors were Human Rights, Political Science, International Affairs, and her certificate is in Middle Eastern Studies.
Alaha Ahrar completed her master’s degree in Social Justice and Human Rights programs at George Mason University in December 2020.

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YouTube Video VVUzZ3NNSUxRdzR0S1hwZTI4bGZTd1ZBLjgwTUwwRGE0UkJR

Alaha Ahrar | Founder and Chief Executive Officer, International Kindness Sharing | October 4, 2023

Rotary Club Washington DC 9 views October 5, 2023 12:47 am

Jacques Pitteloud was appointed as Ambassador of Switzerland to the United States of America in 2019.  Ambassador Pitteloud was born on November 12th, 1962, in Zurich, Switzerland.  He joined the Swiss Foreign Service in 1987, being first assigned as an Advisor to the Foreign Minister. From 1988 to 1989, he served as a trade attaché at the Swiss Embassy in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.  From 1990-1995, he served in the Swiss Strategic Intelligence Service.  Following his service there, he acted as a personal advisor (General Staff matters and Intelligence) to two successive Defence Ministers until 1999.  In 1999-2000, he served as the Head of a Study Group tasked to develop the future structures of the Swiss Armed Forces. 

After having been a witness of the Rwanda Genocide in 1994, Dr Pitteloud created an organization dedicated to the task of hunting down and bringing to justice the perpetrators and he managed to have several of them prosecuted both by the international as well as by domestic courts.  Dr Pitteloud then served as the first Intelligence Coordinator for the Swiss Government from 2000 to 2005: this function entailed drafting intelligence requirements for the executive, overseeing the drafting of strategic assessments on security-relevant topics, coordinating the work of the various intelligence services as well as of law enforcement and analysis agencies.  He then became the Director, Arms Control, Disarmament, Security Policy and Intelligence at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Bern.  For the duration of his tenure, Ambassador Pitteloud also headed the Swiss Delegation to the Holocaust Remembrance Alliance.

From 2010 to 2015, Jacques Pitteloud was Swiss Ambassador to Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, Somalia and the Seychelles.  He was instrumental in initiating and supporting various civil society initiatives as well as conservation programmes.  Dr Pitteloud was also involved in a series of mediations in the region. 

Jacques Pitteloud was Director General of the Swiss FDFA from September 2015 prior to being appointed as Swiss Ambassador to the United States in September 2019.  As a Director General, he oversaw a budget of USD 3 Billion and was responsible for Human Resources of a 5400-FTE Organization.  His tasks also entailed running IT and communications for the whole Ministry, as well as heading the legal and translation services.  The Director General was also responsible for the management of all FDFA buildings both in Switzerland and abroad. 

Dr Pitteloud earned a Master’s Degree and a Ph.D. from the Law School at the University of Zürich (Master 1986, PhD 1987). Following his assignment in the Middle East, he graduated from the International Training Course in Security Policy (ITC) at Geneva University.  He is a retired lieutenant colonel (General Staff) in the Swiss Armed Forces and was the commander of a Mechanized Infantry Battalion.  A passionate bird photographer, Jacques Pitteloud has published his pictures in several books and publications in Kenya and South Africa.

Jacques Pitteloud was appointed as Ambassador of Switzerland to the United States of America in 2019. Ambassador Pitteloud was born on November 12th, 1962, in Zurich, Switzerland. He joined the Swiss Foreign Service in 1987, being first assigned as an Advisor to the Foreign Minister. From 1988 to 1989, he served as a trade attaché at the Swiss Embassy in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. From 1990-1995, he served in the Swiss Strategic Intelligence Service. Following his service there, he acted as a personal advisor (General Staff matters and Intelligence) to two successive Defence Ministers until 1999. In 1999-2000, he served as the Head of a Study Group tasked to develop the future structures of the Swiss Armed Forces.

After having been a witness of the Rwanda Genocide in 1994, Dr Pitteloud created an organization dedicated to the task of hunting down and bringing to justice the perpetrators and he managed to have several of them prosecuted both by the international as well as by domestic courts. Dr Pitteloud then served as the first Intelligence Coordinator for the Swiss Government from 2000 to 2005: this function entailed drafting intelligence requirements for the executive, overseeing the drafting of strategic assessments on security-relevant topics, coordinating the work of the various intelligence services as well as of law enforcement and analysis agencies. He then became the Director, Arms Control, Disarmament, Security Policy and Intelligence at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Bern. For the duration of his tenure, Ambassador Pitteloud also headed the Swiss Delegation to the Holocaust Remembrance Alliance.

From 2010 to 2015, Jacques Pitteloud was Swiss Ambassador to Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, Somalia and the Seychelles. He was instrumental in initiating and supporting various civil society initiatives as well as conservation programmes. Dr Pitteloud was also involved in a series of mediations in the region.

Jacques Pitteloud was Director General of the Swiss FDFA from September 2015 prior to being appointed as Swiss Ambassador to the United States in September 2019. As a Director General, he oversaw a budget of USD 3 Billion and was responsible for Human Resources of a 5400-FTE Organization. His tasks also entailed running IT and communications for the whole Ministry, as well as heading the legal and translation services. The Director General was also responsible for the management of all FDFA buildings both in Switzerland and abroad.

Dr Pitteloud earned a Master’s Degree and a Ph.D. from the Law School at the University of Zürich (Master 1986, PhD 1987). Following his assignment in the Middle East, he graduated from the International Training Course in Security Policy (ITC) at Geneva University. He is a retired lieutenant colonel (General Staff) in the Swiss Armed Forces and was the commander of a Mechanized Infantry Battalion. A passionate bird photographer, Jacques Pitteloud has published his pictures in several books and publications in Kenya and South Africa.

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YouTube Video VVUzZ3NNSUxRdzR0S1hwZTI4bGZTd1ZBLjVhamNzVDlKVmlr

Ambassador Jacques Pitteloud | Ambassador of Switzerland to the United States | September 27, 2023

Rotary Club Washington DC 146 views September 27, 2023 3:34 pm

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Club Officers & Board of Directors