Institutes of International Understanding
The International Understanding Institutes are among the most ambitious—and now largely forgotten—initiatives in Rotary's history. Born from a local idea in Tennessee, they grew into a vast global educational program reaching nearly five million people, before evolving into an international program responding to postwar challenges, while remaining aligned with Rotary's Fourth Aim: To advance international understanding, goodwill, and peace through a worldwide fellowship of professionals united in the ideal of service.
1934: The Nashville Experiment
It all began in 1934, against a backdrop of global uncertainty. In Nashville, Tennessee, a visionary named Will R. Manier Jr. (future president of Rotary International) made a clear observation: the prevailing isolationism was dangerous. He was convinced that in order to maintain peace, ordinary citizens needed to understand what was happening beyond their borders. His club then launched a novel concept: transforming the local Rotary club into a temporary university open to the entire city, rather than one reserved for its members alone. What began as the Institute of International Relations was fundamentally different from traditional academic conferences in that it was rooted in the community.
1936: towards official recognition
The success of Nashville did not go unnoticed. In 1936, thirteen American clubs tested this format on a larger scale. Each participating club agreed to invite four experts for four consecutive weeks. These speakers had a dual daily mission: to address high school and college students during the day, then hold a large public lecture in the evening, followed by open debates. This organization made it possible to reach all generations within the same community.
The experiment proved so successful that Rotary International officially adopted the program that same year. A rigorous system was put in place, developed by the Rotary Secretariat.
1937 : Recognition in Nice, France
The initiative took on historic significance the following year at the International Convention in Nice, France. There, Will R. Manier Jr., now international president, officially presented the Institutes as a practical way for Rotarians to contribute to global understanding. He theorized the program's goal: to forge "enlightened public opinion" in every home, which is essential to supporting the diplomatic efforts of democracies.
This Convention will also see the election of Frenchman Maurice Duperrey as international president.
1937–1944: A Golden Age in Wartime
Despite the outbreak of World War II, the program grew exponentially, and there are now hundreds of institutes. The Rotary Foundation provides grants to help clubs engage "prominent authors, economists, scientists, politicians, and commentators." The topics covered were far from abstract: they focused on the burning issues of the war and postwar period to help the public understand the conflict and envision the future together. This approach is reminiscent of the preamble to the UNESCO Charter: "Since wars begin in the minds of men, it is in the minds of men that the defenses of peace must be constructed."
The year 1944 marked the peak of the Institutes. Herbert W. Hines, the program director, reported impressive figures in the October issue of The Rotarian magazine: more than 400 Institutes were scheduled that year, totaling 3,200 public meetings. The cumulative audience exceeded one million people across the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
Prominent lawyers and intellectuals travel to many countries. When asked, they compare these assemblies to true exercises in direct democracy. Hines emphasizes that Rotary's genius lies in its ability to mobilize "practical businessmen" to attract a diverse audience, far beyond the usual intellectual circles who hardly needed convincing.
1944-1945 : From Dumbarton Oaks to San Francisco
Highly regarded by the governments of allied countries, the Institutes were one of the reasons why Rotary International and its members were asked to help draft the charter of the United Nations.
In 1944, the Allies met at Dumbarton Oaks to draft what would become the UN. But the participants feared failure, well aware that the League of Nations had collapsed due to a lack of popular support after 1918.
When US President Franklin Roosevelt and British Prime Minister Winston Churchill came up with the idea of holding these meetings to establish the UN, they wanted to involve Rotary: recognizing that through the success of the Institutes and other Rotary events, Rotary was already accomplishing much of what the UN's mission was to be, and that it already had the perfect network for "creating informed public opinion."
Rotary then published brochures such as Timely Questions on Dumbarton Oaks and What Can Rotarians Do Following Dumbarton Oaks? These documents, which analyzed the complex proposals of the future charter (Security Council, role of NGOs, human rights), were widely distributed and debated extensively within the Institutes and clubs around the world.
In April 1945, at the opening of the San Francisco conference to finalize the United Nations Charter, the groundwork had already been laid: Rotarians had raised awareness among diplomats and statesmen around the world about the importance of the initiative. Rotary was invited as an official consultant by the U.S. Department of State, sending 11 official delegates. A total of 49 Rotarians participated, many representing their own countries. They helped draft key sections of the charter.
Just before the meetings began, Rotary International published and distributed a brochure entitled "Pattern for the San Francisco Conference." The document stated: "This is an exceptional opportunity for every Rotarian to fulfill the goal of international service by taking part in the debate on this global governance project." As soon as the United Nations Charter was finalized, Rotary published another brochure, "From Here On!", which presented all the articles of the charter in detail, serving as a means of quickly disseminating its contents throughout the world.
«The invitation to Rotary International to participate in the United Nations Conference as consultant to the United States delegation was not merely a gesture of goodwill and respect toward a great organization. It was a simple recognition of the practical part Rotary’s members have played and will continue to play in the development of understanding among nations. The representatives of Rotary were needed at San Francisco, and as you well know, they made a considerable contribution to the Charter itself, and particularly to the framing of provisions for the Economic and Social Council.»
Edward R. Stettinius Jr. – US Secretary of State, The Rotarian, August 1945.
1947 : Transitioning to scholarship grants
The Institutes continued after the war, but the end of the war and the death of founder Paul Harris in 1947 marked a strategic turning point. As the world entered a phase of reconstruction, Rotary International believed that the time for conferences was over: to build lasting peace, it was now necessary to focus on immersion rather than theory.
The funds and energy devoted to the Institutes were then gradually redirected to a new visionary program: the Ambassadorial Scholarships, the forerunners of the current World Scholarships. Rotary decided to send young people to study abroad to experience international understanding firsthand, thus closing the chapter on the Institutes and opening a new one on cultural exchange — which continues today, with several hundred scholarships awarded each year. It could also be said that the Institutes were the precursors to the Rotary Peace Fellowships.
1950 : Les Comités Inter-Pays, une suite logique ?
Alors que les Instituts cessent d’exister sous leur forme originelle, des Rotariens de nombreux pays concrétisent alors un autre projet, également initié dans les années 30 : les Comités Inter-pays. Ils ont pour but de faciliter le rapprochement entre pays et cultures grâce à une approche très opérationnelle. Aujourd’hui, ils constituent un réseau de rotariens engagés dans le monde entier.
Épilogue
Between 1936 and 1947, nearly 1,000 clubs worldwide organized these institutes, which attracted a total of 5 million participants (3.5 million students and 1.5 million evening conference attendees). The Institutes and their spirit of peace education remain one of the finest chapters in Rotary's heritage, notably mentioned by Paul Harris in his autobiography.
Although Rotary International has not continued this program, many clubs still organize meetings with the aim of promoting dialogue and understanding between peoples and cultures. The Peace Symposiums, initiated by Jean-Philippe Baur (DG 22-23) and Alain Krief (DG 27-28), are among them: in 2023 and 2025, the first two editions brought together hundreds of people to discuss secularism, interfaith relations, and living together.
On peut également mentionner deux grand événements : Le Long Chemin vers la Paix, avec 1200 participants à Lille en 2022 (compte-rendu ici), et le Forum pour la Paix avec 2200 participants à Nice en 1988 (programme ici).
Article author: Pierre-Marie Achart Rotary Paris Agora (2025)
Original publication: link
Published in December 2025 under Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0.
Bibliography: My Road to Rotary – Paul P. Harris, The Rotarian – October 1944 – Herbert W. Hines (Rotary IIU Director), Le Rotary International 120 ans d’histoire – Arnaud Berthonnet.
Other sources: Rotary International website, Douglas Vincent – D7080 (Former Rotary UN Representative), Rotary Global History Fellowship, Herbert K. Lau.