Dear Rotary friends!
The Rotary year has gained real momentum. August brought us meetings, sport, new ideas and shared plans, and once again confirmed that Rotary’s strength comes above all from people and cooperation.
My first official governor’s visit took me to my own home club, the Saaremaa Rotary Club, together with Assistant Governor Veiko Viigipuu. From September, after the meetings in Palanga, the club visits will begin in earnest: next up are the Tallinn Vanalinn, Haapsalu, Viljandi, Tallinn Hansa, Reval and Rae clubs. I look forward to these meetings very much, because the most important part of a governor’s job is not reports or meetings, but the chance to hear what clubs are really doing and where they need the district’s support.
In August, Saaremaa was in many ways the Rotary centre of our district. On 20 August, the Rotary Golf 1420 open tournament took place with 42 players. Among the men, Mart Kutsar (Tallinn Vanalinn) won, followed by Urmas Isok (Tallinn Club) in second place and Tõnu Toompuu (Saaremaa) in third. Among the women, Mona Antas (Loviisa) won, with Anne Kuusio (Tammisaari) in second place. Best club went to the Tallinn Vanalinn Rotary Club. At the celebratory dinner that closed the day, a charity auction was held, with hotel gift cards, Rotary caps and Polio scarves as prizes, raising 640 euros for charity. Many thanks to everyone who took part and supported it!
Saaremaa also hosted, for the fifth time, the roundtable meeting of Estonian Rotary club presidents, attended by 21 club presidents. We talked about the joys and challenges facing our clubs, and about how we as a district can support one another better.
Together with Irmeli Viherluoto-Lindström, we presented the preparations for Rotary’s 100th anniversary in Finland: our goal is 100 new Rotarians and 100 new Paul Harris Fellows.
Assistant Governors Marit Mikson, Erkki Leego and Veiko Viigipuu spoke about how the district leadership can work more closely with clubs, reaching not just presidents but all Rotary members. Tiit Rahkema brought teamwork and club leadership into the discussion.
The roundtable also saw the launch of the Estonian Rotary 100th anniversary working group, led by Rein Lang. We already have good reason to think now about what kind of Rotary we want to pass on to future generations for Estonian Rotary’s centenary.
One of the most exciting new initiatives is a Rotary and artificial intelligence project, led by Pert Lomp. Pert Lomp, Kaspar Allese, Marit Mikson and Heldur Allese are preparing a programme that explores the practical uses of AI and offers training to Rotary members on the topic. The project will be presented more widely already this coming weekend, on 28 to 29 August in Tammisaari, where district council members, committee chairs and assistant governors will meet on Friday, joined on Saturday by the presidents of the Finnish clubs.
The anniversary years are approaching fast. Rotary in Finland marks its 100th birthday on 26 January 2027, and the year’s highlight takes place on 10 April in Helsinki: a daytime programme at Ritarihuone and an evening gala at the Hilton Kalastajatorppa. These are not celebrations for Finnish Rotary alone: in our shared district, this is an anniversary for all of us.
Autumn will also be full of events: the Baltic Sea Conference on Saaremaa on 19 to 20 September, Silakkasoutu in Helsinki on 4 October, and the D1420 Autumn Meeting at the Nordic Hotel Forum in Tallinn on 17 October, followed by a charity Polio lunch or dinner. There are also several RLI training opportunities: the advanced RLI course in Vantaa, at the Skyline Airport Hotel, taking place on 10 October, 24 October and 14 November, and RLI training in Pärnu, at the Wasa Spa Hotel, on 14 to 15 November. I encourage every club’s current and future leaders to put one of these dates in their calendar already now. The Rotary Foundation seminars will take place on 17 November in Helsinki and 18 November in Tallinn.
Rotary is calling for new members. For Finland’s 100th anniversary, we have set ourselves the goal of 100 new members. That will not come from a campaign, but from each of us looking around and asking: who could I invite to join Rotary? A new member brings new experience, perspective and contacts to the club.
During the new members’ month, I invite every club to take one simple step: tell people whose values match ours about Rotary, and invite them in. Because Rotary’s future begins with a single invitation.
See you in the clubs and at this autumn’s Rotary events!
Heldur Allese
Governor, District 1420
2026/2027
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