Discover What ICCs Can Do for You, Your Club and Your District

This post is part 9 of 23 in the newsletter of October 2026

By Evelina Knowlton and James Onions, ICC Executive Council, Learning and Development Workgroup

Are you a District Governor looking for stronger international partnerships? A Club President searching for new service opportunities? An ICC Chair looking to build a more active, sustainable committee? Or a Rotarian or Rotaractor interested in working across borders?

The ICC Learning and Development Workgroup is launching a new programme to help you understand Intercountry Committees, use their networks and turn international friendship into practical action. The programme offers three ways to participate: articles in The Bridge, one-hour learning webinars, and monthly online drop-in sessions.

Who is this programme for?

District Governors and Governor teams

ICCs can help a district develop reliable international relationships, connect clubs with overseas partners and support projects involving several countries. The webinars will explain:

How ICCs can contribute to district priorities
How a district can establish and support an ICC
How ICC networks can help clubs find international partners
How ICCs can strengthen international service, peacebuilding and cultural understanding
How District International Service Committees can work with ICCs

For Governors, District Governors-Elect and district officers, this programme will show how ICCs can become a practical resource for the whole district.

Club Presidents and club leaders

Many clubs want to work internationally but do not know how best to begin or how to find trustworthy partners. The programme will show Club Presidents and project leaders how ICCs can help them:

Identify clubs and partners in other countries
Develop international service projects
Find expertise, local knowledge and contacts
Build relationships that can continue beyond a single project
Connect members with international Rotary opportunities

A club does not need to manage a large Global Grant to benefit from an ICC. Cooperation can begin with a modest project, a professional connection, a youth initiative or an exchange of ideas.

National and District ICC Chairs

National and District Chairs have an important responsibility: helping Section Chairs and members understand what ICCs can achieve and how they should operate. Dedicated webinars will cover the essential information they need to:

Support existing ICC Sections
Help establish new ICC relationships
Equip ICC Section Chairs and members
Encourage cooperation between districts and countries
Keep ICCs active, relevant and sustainable
Explain the value of ICCs to Governors, clubs, Rotarians and Rotaractors

These sessions will combine practical guidance with examples from successful ICC activities.

ICC Section Chairs and members

Section Chairs are often the people who transform an international relationship into real activity. The webinars will help them understand how to:

Establish and organise an ICC Section
Develop a realistic programme of activities
Engage clubs and districts
Maintain communication with partners
Identify opportunities for projects and exchanges
Sustain an ICC beyond the enthusiasm of its founding members

The first practical guide in The Bridge already provides ten clear steps for establishing an ICC. Future articles and webinars will build on this foundation.

Rotarians and Rotaractors

Rotarians and Rotaractors (and their partners) interested in international service, innovative projects, peacebuilding, professional networking, or cultural exchange will discover how ICCs can connect them with people and opportunities in countries worldwide.

Rotaractors can bring new ideas, digital skills, international experience and valuable energy to ICC activities. We should aim to bring Rotaractors into every ICC Section.

LEARN FROM ICC PROJECTS THAT TURNED OPPORTUNITY INTO IMPACT

Articles in The Bridge will include stories showing what ICC cooperation can achieve.

A story in The Bridge, September 2026, described how a connection beginning with a dentist in Trinidad went through the Caribbean–Great Britain and Ireland ICC and then through the Ukraine–Great Britain and Ireland ICC. Mobile dental equipment left Trinidad ultimately reaching the area around Zaporizhzhia, in Ukraine where it could support a mobile dental surgery organised by the then DGE, in the war zone. There was no major cost. Success came from trusted contacts, cooperation and the willingness of people in each country to act.

In The Bridge, October 2026, another story explores a potentially revolutionary stem-cell spray treatment for young people suffering serious burns. Districts connected through ICCs helped finance the initiative through a Global Grant. This demonstrates how ICC networks can bring together districts, resources and innovative ideas to address serious needs.

These examples show two different strengths of ICCs: they can make simple cooperation possible, and they can also help build ambitious international projects.

Join the learning webinars

The one-hour webinars begin with pilots in October and continue into 2027. Experience indicates needs differ by area. If you want to join an October pilot please contact us.

Different sessions will address the needs of Governors and district leaders, National and District ICC Chairs, ICC Section Chairs, club leaders, Rotarians and Rotaractors. Participants will receive practical information they can apply in their districts, clubs and ICC Sections. Sessions will be offered at different times and across several time zones, giving participants around the world opportunities to attend.

Bring your questions to the monthly drop-ins

The monthly online drop-in sessions will be informal and interactive. You might want to ask:

How do we start an ICC?
How can we reactivate an inactive ICC Section?
Where can our club find an international partner?
Can an ICC help us develop a Global Grant?
How can Rotaractors become involved?
How do we encourage clubs to participate?
What should an ICC Section Chair do during the first year?

Experienced members of the ICC team will be available to answer questions, discuss ideas and help participants identify practical next steps.

There is something here for every Rotary leader

If you are a Governor, the programme will show how ICCs can support your district.
If you are a Club President, it will introduce new partners and service opportunities.
If an ICC Section Chair, it will help you build a stronger and more sustainable team.
If a Rotarian or Rotaractor, it will show you a way to take international action.

Follow The Bridge for the latest stories and guides and look out for the dates of the forthcoming webinars and monthly drop-in sessions.

Whatever your role, join us and discover what ICCs can make possible—for you, your club, your district and communities around the world.