Rotary International President-Elect, Olayinka Hakeem Babalola, has challenged Rotarians across the world to intensify membership growth and retention efforts, setting an ambitious target of 1.25 million Rotarians and 125,000 Rotaractors globally by 2030.
Babalola issued the charge while outlining his vision for the organisation, urging members to surpass previous achievements and strengthen Rotary’s capacity to create lasting impact in communities.
“As Larry said, we have a goal of 1.25 million Rotarians and 125,000 Rotaractors by 2030. Each new member represents a person who has not yet had their Rotary story. They are out there. And they are waiting for us to welcome them,” he said.
The incoming Rotary International President challenged clubs to exceed their historical performance in membership recruitment and retention.
“So here is my challenge to you: Look back at the last five to seven years in your club. Find your best year for membership growth and retention. Then do better than your best,” he declared.
Babalola described Rotary as a transformative movement that changes lives through service, fellowship and leadership, urging members to share their personal experiences to attract new generations into the organisation.
“Every Rotary member has a story, a moment when fellowship and service stopped being what you did and became who you are,” he said.
“I want us to tell more stories about how Rotary has changed each and every one of us. Because when we do, we show the world that Rotary is more than a service organisation. It is a transformative experience.”
Drawing from his personal journey of more than 40 years in Rotary, Babalola recounted how a literacy project he participated in as a young Rotaractor shaped his lifelong commitment to service.
“My club took on a literacy project when I was a young Rotaractor. We were helping adults in my community learn to read and write. During that project, I watched a woman hold a piece of paper and read her own name for the first time.
“That moment redirected me. I was not simply a young man with opportunities anymore. I was a young man with a responsibility to extend those opportunities to others,” he said.
Babalola unveiled “Create Lasting Impact” as the theme that will guide his presidency, stressing that Rotary must focus on sustainable change rather than short-term achievements.
“In Rotary, we give members a place to belong. We help keep students in school. We organise vaccination campaigns that protect children. These results are real, and they matter deeply. But to create lasting impact asks a harder question: What happens next?” he said.
According to him, Rotary’s future growth must be anchored on meaningful service, peacebuilding and community transformation.
“Peace must be deliberately pursued. It must be built into the design of what we do, not assumed as a by-product,” he stated.
He cited Rotary’s peacebuilding efforts in Colombia as an example of how the organisation is helping communities recover from conflict through leadership development, economic empowerment and reconciliation initiatives.
Babalola also paid tribute to past Rotary leaders, particularly his late friend and mentor, SangKoo Yun, whose philosophy of leadership as “one link in a strong, unbroken chain” he said continues to inspire the organisation.
“Together, we are an unbroken chain, and to grow, we must forge new links in that chain,” he said.
As he prepares to assume office, Babalola called on Rotarians worldwide to seize the opportunity to expand Rotary’s reach and deepen its impact.
“This year is our turn to forge the next link in that chain. Our turn to be changed by Rotary. To build the future we wish to see. To pursue peace deliberately. To Create Lasting Impact — across the globe, in our communities, and in ourselves,” he said.
