The Rotary movement is the first international service organisation, founded 106 years ago. It has 33,000 clubs world over with over 1.2 million Rotarians. The first Rotary Club in Sri Lanka was formed in Colombo in 1929. Currently there are 65 Rotary Clubs in Sri Lanka, with nearly 1,800 Rotarians. Rotary International has an observer status in the United Nations.
Rotarians serve the community by implementing educational and humanitarian projects. One of the major projects implemented worldwide by The Rotary Foundation is the Polio Eradication Project, which began in 1985. The deadly polio virus exists in only four countries, due to the untiring efforts of the Rotary movement, along with the support of UNICEF and WHO.
The Rotary Foundation spent over US$ 700 million to purchase oral polio vaccine for this project. Sri Lanka has been polio free since 1995.
There are 52 Rotary Clubs in Sri Lanka.