Welcome to Sydney Rotary, one of Australia's longest-serving Rotary Clubs. We are a group of dedicated, passionate individuals who work together to bring about change in our local community and across the world.

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Peacebuilding Group

Join Sydney Rotary's Peacebuilding Group

Today, the globe faces a series of interlocking challenges that are manifesting in violent conflict around the globe. Yet we refuse to accept conflict as a way of life.

Rotary invests in peace education and capacity building, fosters strategic relationships, and integrates peacebuilding into all of Rotary’s programs and service. We believe when people work to create peace in their communities, that change can have a global effect. By carrying out service projects and supporting peace fellowships and scholarships, our members take action to address the underlying causes of conflict, including poverty, discrimination, ethnic tension, lack of access to education, and unequal distribution of resources.

Designated Peacebuilder Club

Sydney Rotary has been formally designated by the Rotary Action Group for Peace (RAGFP) to recognise our club's active prioritising, focus on, and projects promoting peace and conflict resolution within our community and internationally.
 

Click to download the Rotary Peacebuilding brochureWhat is a Peacebuilder Club?

A Formal Commitment:
It is a declaration by a club that it will actively work toward peace, not just as a abstract concept, but through actionable service.

Focus on Positive Peace:
Peacebuilder Clubs focus on the eight pillars of Positive Peace (as defined by the Institute for Economics & Peace), which include low levels of corruption, good relations with neighbors, and free flow of information.

Recognition:
Designated clubs are included on an online Peacebuilder Club map and recognized for their efforts. 

Requirements to Become a Peacebuilder Club

While specific standards can vary slightly by district, they generally require the following to be completed annually: 

Form a Peace Committee:
A team of at least two members dedicated to educating the club on peacebuilding.
 
Conduct Peace Projects:
At least one project per year aimed at peacebuilding, which could include peace poles, anti-bullying programs, or conflict resolution workshops.
Educational Activity:
Hosting at least one club meeting or speaker focused on peace and conflict resolution.
Financial Contribution:
Making a donation to the RAGFP or the Rotary Peace Centers (often a small per-capita amount, e.g., $5). 

What it Means in Practice

Connecting with Peace Fellows:
Clubs often invite Rotary Peace Fellows to speak and partner with them on projects.

Tackling Underlying Causes:
Projects focus on addressing the root causes of conflict, such as poverty, inequality, and lack of resources, rather than just the absence of war.

Community Impact:
Clubs often engage youth in peace education, organize peace conferences, or partner with local organizations for peace-related events. 
 
Being a Peacebuilder Club helps clubs attract new members with peacebuilding values seeking an opportunity to provide impactful service.

The Rotary Club of Sydney Community Peace Award

The Award is awarded to an organisation or an individual whose life and work has demonstrated:

  • Commitment to the advancement of peace with justice or the promotion of non-violence within the community, nationally or internationally.

  • Contribution to the promotion and attainment of human rights
     
  • The philosophy, language and practice of nonviolence
     
  • Evidence of building bridges between different groups to work toward peaceful communities in an increasingly diverse society.

  • Actions as a 'peacemaker' within the local community.

Click here for more information about the Sydney Rotary Community Peace Award

Click here for information about Sydney Rotary's Consular Day Luncheon

Community Peace Award

The Sydney Rotary Community Peace Award


Our vision is a peaceful world, where peace is maintained at local community, regional, national and international levels.

Community Peace Award

The Rotary Club of Sydney Community Peace Award is awarded annually to a community organisation or an individual who have demonstrated working in the community at grass-roots level to create a culture of peace by combating racism, violence, discrimination, bullying, corruption or any other issue that creates disharmony.

The award is presented during the week of the International Peace Day that is on 21 September.

Selection Criteria

The Award is awarded to an organisation or an individual whose life and work has demonstrated:

  • Commitment to the advancement of peace with justice or the promotion of non-violence within the community, nationally or internationally.

  • Contribution to the promotion and attainment of human rights

  • The philosophy, language and practice of nonviolence

  • Evidence of building bridges between different groups to work toward peaceful communities in an increasingly diverse society.

  • Actions as a 'peacemaker' within the local community.

Submitting a Nomination

Everyone can nominate, including members of the public. All are encouraged to make nominations.

The Sydney Rotary Peace Building Group accepts nominations in writing or email. Emails can be addressed c/- Secretary@SydneyRotary.com.

Nominations should be accompanied by an explanation as to merit of the nomination against the criteria for selection (approximately 100 words), together with as much relevant supporting material as possible.

  • Deadline for nominations is 1 September.

In order for nominations to be considered by the selection committee, the nominee/s must give written permission for their name to be put forward.

Overview of Selection Process

The Peacebuilding Group will nominate a selection committee who will review the nominations against the criteria and make recommendation to the Board of Directors of the Rotary Club of Sydney Inc.

Recipients and non-recipients are notified of the outcome shortly after the decision is made in early September. The award will be presented during a luncheon or evening meeting of the Club closest in date to International Peace Day on 21 September. 

Recipients of the Rotary Club of Sydney Community Peace Award

The Rotary Club of Sydney Community Peace Award was inaugurated in 2015 to be awarded annually to a person or organisation working in the community at grass roots level to create a culture of peace by combating racism, violence, discrimination, bullying, corruption or any other issue that creates disharmony.

2015

The Shared Tables Project

2016

Together for Humanity

2017

Tribal Warrior

2018

Cana Farm

2019

Bread & Butter Project

2020

Play for Lives

2021

Turbans4Australia

2026

Nominations now open

NSW Ambulance ECMO Project

Sydney Rotary & NSW Ambulance ECMO Project

Improving Cardiac Arrest Survival Rates in NSW

Sydney Rotary has funded NSW Ambulance with $75,000 to significantly improve survival rates from patients suffering cardiac arrest.
 
A cardiac arrest is when the heart suddenly stops beating. It is the most common cause of sudden death in otherwise healthy adults.
 
When cardiac arrests occur out-side of hospital it is called an “Out of Hospital Cardiac Arrest”. Each year over 25,000 Australians suffer OHCA; approximately 9,000 of which occur in New South Wales.
 
Of all the OHCA in Australia less than 10% survive. If patients don’t get their heart beating again with CPR quickly (i.e. within 15 minutes) less than 3% survive.
 
ECMO stands for Extra-Corporeal Membrane Oxygenation. It is a mini “heart lung bypass machine” which pumps blood around the body during cardiac arrest and protect the body and brain, whilst the heart recovers and/or the cause of the cardiac arrest is treated. ECMO for cardiac arrest is used in select hospital for cardiac arrests with very promising results (30-40% survival) if it is implemented within 1 hour from cardiac arrests.
 
ECMO for OHCA has been offered at a small number of hospitals owing to the technical and resource challenges. Unfortunately, a very small percentage of OHCA that may benefit from ECMO can get to the right hospital in the right time (<5%). This problem has been demonstrated through geospatial analysis and recent trials where they tried to get the patient to hospital quickly.
 
PRECARE is the full name for this trial “Pre-hospital ECMO CPR for Refractory Cardiac Arrest”. The trial is on the leading edge of cardiac arrest management globally.
 
Sydney Rotary has adopted this as a project for the Club in the 2025-26 Presidential year.
 
 
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Double Your Impact: Help Us Feed Children in Need

 

$1 Becomes $2: Support Sydney Food Share

Help the Rotary Club of Sydney fight child food insecurity! We're raising funds for Sydney Food Share to provide weekly food packages to children in need at PCYC Woolloomooloo and Glebe/Balmain.

Thanks to a RAWCS Compassionate Grant, every dollar you donate will be matched, up to $5,000. Double your impact today!

DONATE NOW 

Read more...

LIFE SAVING PARTNERSHIP LAUNCH: EVENT SUMMARY

Thank you to everyone who attended the launch of the Rotary Club of Sydney and Ambulance NSW Partnership.

Guests heard from Dr Brian Burns, emergency physician and clinical professor, and Dr Mark Dennis, cardiologist at Royal Prince Alfred Hospital. They outlined how the pre hospital ECMO CPR program brings advanced heart and lung support directly to cardiac arrest patients. Early intervention and high quality ultrasound equipment are crucial and the program is already showing strong survival outcomes in New South Wales.

Rotary is helping expand this work so more people can receive life saving care when every second counts.

DONATE THIS CHRISTMAS

This festive season, we invite you to make a gift that creates real impact.
Your tax deductible donation supports advanced cardiac arrest treatment and helps give families the greatest gift of all: more time together.

👉 Make a Donation Here

Thank you for supporting this important initiative.

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Sydney Rotary

We meet In Person
Tuesdays at 12:30 pm
Various Sydney Venues & Virtually. See Upcoming Events.
GPO Box 1523
Sydney, NSW 2000
Australia
Our Club meets 1st and 3rd Tuesdays of each month, check Upcoming Events & Rotary News for details & booking links. The Club meets at various Sydney venues and & has a wide range of social events. Contact us: office@sydneyrotary.com
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Venue Map
Meets Significance: Sydney Rotary Networking Evening

Rotarians, friends, and family are invited to join us for a relaxed start to 2026.

📅 Date: Tuesday 18 March
⏰ Time: 5:30 PM to 7:30 PM (drop in anytime)
📍 Location: Castlereagh Boutique Hotel

Enjoy relaxed fellowship, share your holiday highlights, and ease into the new year with good company.
Registration is not essential. If you would like to let us know you plan to come, please do it here.

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