FROM KAMPALA TO CAIRO: Rotary International President Stephanie Urchick Begins “African Magic Tour 2025”
By PDG Victor P.K. Mensah
Rotary International President Stephanie Urchick is scheduled to arrive in Uganda tonight to commence her much-anticipated African Magic Tour 2025, an extensive visit across five key African nations where Rotary is making enormous impact. This historic tour underscores Rotary’s unwavering commitment to fostering service, fellowship, and sustainable development throughout the continent.
President Stephanie arrives in Uganda, marking the first stop of her journey, which will also take her to Kenya, Senegal, Tunisia, and Egypt before her return to Evanston, USA, Rotary Headquarters on January 27, 2025. With the 2024-2025 Rotary International Theme, “The Magic of Rotary,” President Stephanie’s visit aims to celebrate the transformative power of Rotary while highlighting the critical
role of partnerships in advancing peace, education, healthcare, and community development.
Preliminary Itinerary Highlights:
January 5: Arrival in Uganda. Meetings with Rotary and Rotaract District leaders, site visits to impactful projects addressing maternal health and clean water access. Key highlights of President Stephanie’s visit will be her launch of a Rotary WASH Institute, meeting with all Rotaractors, her participation in the Peace Symposium at Makerere University and the annual Africa Peace Concert on Friday, 10th January. Uganda hosts a Rotary Peace Centre, the first in Africa, at Makerere University. These Centers train change-makers devoted to peace-building and conflict resolution.
January 12: Arrival in Kenya. This visit coincides with the District’s celebration of 100 years of Rotary Service in Kenya. President Stephanie will participate in a medical camp at Pumwani Maternity Hospital as part of the Rotary Family Health Days (RFHD). Similar camps will be held at Kogelo Health Centre (Siaya), Gichuru Dispensary (Kiambu), Transmara West Sub County Hospital (Narok), Embu Level V Hospital (Embu), Mukurweini Hospital (Nyeri), and Makongeni Health Centre (Thika). The President will also host a meeting with Rotaractors in Kenya while addressing Rotarians in Africa on “The Evolving Role of Rotaract in Shaping the Future of Rotary”. She will meet with other District Leaders and officiate at a Rotary Foundation Gala in honour of Major Donors and partners.
January 15: Arrival in Senegal. Showcase of Rotary’s contributions to education and water and sanitation (WASH) will be center stage. The President will visit a number of Rotary Projects and officiate at the handover of newly renovated classrooms and toilets facilities to a number of communities in Senegal. She will meet with families of Rotarians and Rotaractors and present the Charter Certificate to a New Club.
January 18: Arrival in Tunisia. President Stephanie will hold a number of meetings with Senior Rotarians District Leaders of Rotary and Rotaract in Tunisia. She will also meet with Senior Government Officials and participate in engagements with the general themes including “promoting peace and regional collaboration through Rotary initiatives”.
January 23: Arrival in Egypt. Various meetings and engagements with senior government officials and Rotary Leaders will focus on Health especially in touring the impact made by Rotary Programme of Scale – United to end Cervical Cancer in Egypt. She will meet with and call for more partnerships to achieve this goal. The president will also meet with Rotaractors and other Rotary Members, including
the newly chartered members of the Rotary AI Fellowship.
In all countries, the RI President will be received upon arrival by the District Governors (DG) responsible for the respective countries – Anne Nkutu and Agnes Batengas (Uganda), Joe Kamau (Kenya)Sarembere Paulin (Senegal), Khalid Kabbaj (Tunisia) and Sherif Adeeb (Egypt) as well as other Senior Rotary Leaders from across Africa.
Throughout her journey, President Stephanie will meet with Rotarians, government officials, and key stakeholders, emphasizing Rotary’s unique ability to unite people from diverse backgrounds to solve pressing challenges. “Africa’s vibrancy and potential are unmatched. Rotary’s mission to create hope finds its strongest advocates among the people of this great continent,” she remarked ahead of the tour.
Key Objectives of the African Magic Tour 2025:
- Inspire Action: Mobilize Rotarians to deepen their impact in local communities.
- Showcase Success Stories: Highlight innovative projects, including those funded through The Rotary Foundation, that embody this year’s theme.
- Engage Partners: Strengthen collaborations with governments, businesses, and civil society to scale Rotary’s impact.
- Empower Youth: Promote Rotary’s New Generations programs like the Rotary Youth Leadership Academy/Awards (RYLA), Youth Exchange, etc. and to engage young leaders in Rotary. The President will hold special meetings with Rotaractors in each country.
Rotary has long been a partner for community development and peace in Africa, with thousands of club projects addressing polio eradication, education, water and sanitation, and economic development, Rotary in Africa has been making impact, almost magically in the eyes of many stakeholders.
Invitation and Media Accreditations:
Media representatives are invited to cover key events during the tour. Updates, interviews, and multimedia content will be shared throughout the tour via Rotary International’s official platforms. Contact the following Country Media Coordinators for Accreditation and official media content : - PeterG. Mwesige, Uganda, +256 784 471527
- Caroline Njiru, Kenya, +254 722 650978;
- Taieb Zahar, Tunisia, +216 55 312 181;
- Amany El Shennawy, Egypt, +20 122 215 2198.
- More shared media will be posted on Rotary Zone 22 (Africa) Platforms. Fact sheets, high resolution photos and video footage are available for media to download at Rotary’s Press Center.
- PDG Victor P.K. Mensah is the Communications and Media Coordinator for Africa, Rotary Zone 22 (Africa).
ENDS
About the Rotary International President
Stephanie A. Urchick currently serves as the Rotary International (RI) President for 2024-2025 Rotary Year. She was previously an RI director and Rotary Foundation trustee and served Rotary in numerous capacities, including as training leader, regional Rotary Foundation coordinator, and RI president’s representative. In addition, President Stephanie was a representative and member-at-large at three sessions of the Council on Legislation.
A Rotary member since 1991, President Stephanie has participated in a variety of international service projects, including National Immunization Days in India and Nigeria. In Vietnam, she worked with clubs to help build a primary school and travelled to the Dominican Republic to install water filters. A student of several Slavic languages, she has mentored new Rotary members in Ukraine and coordinated a Rotary Foundation grant for mammography equipment and a biopsy unit for a hospital in Poland. In its commemorative book, the Rotary Club of Krakow, Poland, noted President Stephanie as a key figure for helping the rebirth of Rotary in post-Communist Poland. President Stephanie has also helped to pair clubs and districts in the U.S. with Rotary clubs in Albania, Kosovo, and Ukraine for humanitarian and educational services.
President Stephanie’s professional background is in the higher education and consulting industries. She received her doctorate degree in Leadership Studies from Indiana University of Pennsylvania and has been recognized by The Rotary Foundation and numerous community and international organizations.
SOURCE: https://my.rotary.org/en/news-media/office-president/ri-president
About Rotary Zone 22 (Africa)
Rotary Zone 22 encompasses all 20 Districts and all clubs in all countries across Africa. It is an administrative component of Rotary International, a global network of 1.4 million community leaders who come together to
create positive, lasting change in communities around the world. Rotary members provide humanitarian service, promote peace, and advance goodwill, making a real difference in the lives of people both locally and
internationally.
For more information about Rotary International, Rotary Zone 22 (Africa) and its humanitarian efforts, visit www.rotaryinafrica.org. Follow the Rotary Zone 22 🌍 AFRICA Media Channel on WhatsApp for more shared media: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaA748oHgZWZtwPWzZ0r
