World Understanding and Peace Day observed on February 23

Key facts

• World Understanding and Peace Day is observed annually on February 23 to commemorate the founding of Rotary International (RI).
• The first Rotary Club meeting was held on February 23, 1905, in Chicago by Paul Harris, Gustavus Loehr, Silvester Schiele, and Hiram Shorey.
• The 59th World Day of Peace, celebrated by the Vatican on January 1, 2026, features the theme Peace be with you all: Towards an unarmed and disarming peace.
• RI selects 75 scholars annually for the Rotary Peace and Conflict Resolution Program to study peacebuilding and diplomacy at Rotary Peace Centers.
• The six major humanitarian focus areas of RI include disease prevention and treatment, water and sanitation, maternal and child health, basic education and literacy, economic and community development, and peace and conflict prevention/resolution.