In the Rotary year 2020/21 under the motto “Rotary opens opportunities!”, on January 25, 2021, the Rotary International Charter on the Establishment of the Rotary Club Zagreb Gornji Grad (Zagreb Upper Town) was received, thus beginning twenty Rotarian journeys from various spheres of business life, all connected by a common desire to create new values in society. As one of the youngest club of the District in 1913, at that time, gathered in the mission of nurturing and developing the basic principles of Rotarianism, humanitarian action and fellowship stand out in the first place.

Club membership is represented through a well-balanced balance, starting with the share of new Rotarians over existing ones, a wider age range, and a heterogeneous vocational structure. Our diversity at the same time represents our strengths, and the mission driven by the desire to nurture and develop the fundamental values of Rotarianism through the humanitarian work of our members before the founding of the club, and today all members of the new, young club is our guiding star. Vibrantly different, united in ideas, we create a better future.

Since its founding, the club has been caught in a network of complex pandemic times (COVID), and in that spirit the activities were carried out in accordance with the paradigm of the new normal, ie reducing live meetings in favor of holding meetings online. All this did not prevent the club from holding its founding assembly in the presence of Governor Hrvoje Kenfelj. On October 21, 2021, the Rotary Club Zagreb Gornji Grad solemnly celebrated its founding with a Charter ceremony that brought together 200 Rotarians, Rotarians and other distinguished guests. The ceremony was attended by representatives of 35 different Rotary / Rotaract clubs. The aim of this gathering was to raise funds to combat polio (Polio). All funds raised are donated to the Rotary Foundation established solely for this purpose on the occasion of Polio Day on October 24th.

With the actions of Rotarians around the world, 19 million people who would be paralyzed are walking today. For the ninth year in a row, Rotary International is organizing World Polio Day on October 24, 2021, to further concentrate all activities in completing the great noble mission of the Rotary movement. The club wants to show by example how united we can be with all the differences and personalities, since service is the basis of the RC Zagreb Gornji Grad. And that is why all the collected money was donated to the Polio Fund. The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation have had tripled collected amount.

As members, we are especially motivated to contribute to the sustainable development and strengthening of our home district in 1913, but at the same time, as a ‘small drop’, we participate in the weaving of the global Rotary community. We look forward to working together, socializing and serving in a vibrant environment, and we are ready for the new challenges that these upcoming no less challenging times pose before us. Vibrantly different, united in ideas, we create a better future.