Our district has a large number of Rotarians who selflessly volunteer to support the work of clubs. The committees produce various materials and organize a wide range of events. Committee members are also happy to answer questions related to their respective areas of responsibility.
Read here about everything the committees do. The work of the committees is important and inspiring. Perhaps you, too, would be interested in taking part in the activities of a committee. Actively contact the committee chairs.
The Rotary Foundation Committee
The Rotary Foundation helps both near and far
The mission of The Rotary Foundation is to enable clubs and Rotarians to serve—to do good—both locally and globally. The Rotary Foundation makes service possible by converting your donations into grants that fund both local (district) grant projects and international Global Grant projects.
Donating to the Foundation is easy and secure and enables Foundation support for club projects. In recognition of your donations, the Foundation awards Paul Harris Fellow (PHF) recognitions upon application. Support for preparing applications is available by contacting our district Rotary Foundation Committee.
The role of the district’s Rotary Foundation Committee is to encourage Rotarians to donate to our Foundation and to ensure that clubs have sufficient knowledge, to provide information about different projects, and to assist clubs in preparing their own projects and grant applications.
The district Rotary Foundation Committee has six (6) members and is chaired by Irmeli Viherluoto-Lindström from the Munkkiniemi-Munksnäs Rotary Club (Helsinki). Members’ areas of responsibility can be found here:
https://rotary.fi/d1420/rotarypiiri-1420/piirin-organisaatio/
Training Committee
Training ensures Rotary knowledge in all clubs
The Training Committee develops and prepares materials for district training events and organizes the annual pre-PELS and PELS events for new presidents and secretaries. The committee also supports clubs and assistant governors by producing general materials on Rotary activities.
Training is a significant part of Rotary. In addition to training, new members joining a Rotary club as well as experienced Rotarians can deepen their Rotary knowledge independently. See tips here:
https://rotary.fi/d1420/mita-teemme/uudet-rotarit/
The committee has seven members and is chaired by Liisa Stjernberg from the Helsinki City West Rotary Club.
Training activities are also carried out by the RLI group, which is responsible for advanced Rotary leadership training.
Youth Exchange Committee
Youth Exchange promotes mutual understanding
Youth Exchange is a central—and perhaps the best-known—part of Rotary activities. Its organization is demanding and highly responsible work carried out in many clubs. The district committee’s task is to support and oversee the application and selection process and to train outgoing exchange students, host families of incoming students, and club Youth Exchange officers.
The committee also organizes various events for inbound students, such as two district camps, a trip to Tallinn, and various visits and joint activities. The committee is also an important support for clubs, especially in resolving possible problem situations.
The committee organizes approximately 15 events annually. It has six members and is chaired this year by Anne Kuusio from the Tammisaari-Ekenäs Rotary Club.
Membership Committee
Members are the core of Rotary
The task of the Membership Committee is to support clubs in maintaining strong and balanced operations by helping with membership recruitment, orientation of new members, and developing ideas to engage existing members. The committee also assists with the establishment of new clubs and with so-called administrative membership matters.
The Membership Committee works in close cooperation with other committees and the District Council. The committee has nine members and is chaired by Sakari Karjalainen from the Kluuvi Rotary Club.
Communications Committee
Good communication is the best support for activities
The Communications Committee is responsible for internal and external communications in our district. This includes maintaining the district website and social media channels and compiling the district monthly newsletter. The newsletter is produced in four languages, sent directly by email to all members, and contains a wide range of information about the activities of our district and clubs.
The committee also frequently supports other committees and the District Council with communication matters, especially in connection with events. Committee members also assist clubs with communication and organize training.
External communication mainly relates to materials used in connection with larger events and some press releases.
The Communications Committee has seven members and is chaired by Tarja Uitti from the Finlandia Hall Rotary Club.
Baltic Sea Forum
We take care of our environment
Rotarians are committed to supporting actions that strengthen the conservation and protection of natural resources, promote ecological sustainability, and balance communities and nature. Our district’s Baltic Sea Forum actively promotes environmental awareness within the district.
Our Rotary district has committed to the Baltic Sea Challenge for the period 2024–2028. The goal of the Baltic Sea Forum is to promote the practical implementation of these commitments in clubs and district activities.
We are committed to:
- Reducing eutrophication
- Reducing harmful substances
- Preventing littering
- Increasing cooperation and participation
In concrete terms, we participate in blue-green algae monitoring, beach litter monitoring, and the distribution of water backpacks to schools, coordinated by the Finnish Environment Institute. Clubs jointly organize the Baltic herring rowing event. We also participate in Baltic Sea Day events in August on all these themes.
The Baltic Herring Rowing and Hike is a fundraising and recreational event organized by seven of our district’s clubs since 2013, in which Rotarians and partners row church boats or hike to raise funds for water protection projects. Over the years, approximately EUR 100,000 has been raised for water protection work.
Even more concrete is participation in the restoration of the Vantaa River watershed through cooperation between eight clubs. The aim is to establish similar cooperation in other water areas with local clubs.
We encourage Rotary clubs to take climate action, for example as part of ESRAG’s Every Club Climate Friendly campaign. Every Rotarian is also encouraged to take the lifestyle tests by Sitra and WWF to identify which personal choices have the greatest impact.
Our district has been involved in BASRAN (Baltic Sea Action Network) from the beginning. We also participate in strategic cooperation between ESRAG, UNEP, and Rotarians called Community Action for Fresh Water.
More information can be found on our website:
https://rotary.fi/d1420/mita-teemme/ymparisto-ja-itameri/
The Baltic Sea Forum has 13 members and is chaired by Kaisu Annala from the Rotary Club of Helsinki Munkkiniemi.
Information Technology Committee
Technology is great when it works
The Information Technology Committee consists of a very small group responsible for the functionality of systems used in our district, such as the membership register. They work closely with the Rotary office and assist all district officers when needed.
The committee is chaired by Matias Castren from the E-Club of Finland.
Finance Committee
The treasurer has an important role
The task of the Finance Committee is to oversee the use of district funds and to assist the Governor and the Rotary office in financial matters.
The committee has four members and is chaired by Markku Stenvall from the Meri-Espoo Rotary Club.
