DISCURSOS - Rotary International

This recognition stems from the trust our friends place in us, and it is those friends who support
many of our projects through donations and other means. Further, our volunteers contribute
countless hours to our projects and need to receive some form of recognition as a token of appreciation.
People are the assets of our movement. And since our purpose is to create and maintain social
relations, internal communication becomes vital.
But we do not operate in a vacuum. Around us, we have many important stakeholders. We need
to identify our audiences and develop a communication policy for each one. We need to reflect
on the ways we communicate with each group and the tools we use to reach each audience. For
several years, Rotary has been offering grants to help districts develop communication strategies
and improve the name recognition of our organization. This financial support helps develop an
awareness campaign. You will learn more about these grants during the breakout session following
this plenary session.
In order to ensure the future of our movement, we need a development strategy that includes a
vital piece, a communication strategy.
Our development relies on how well we communicate with youth, so we need to adapt our communication
to this audience. Social media are part of it. They have enjoyed a formidable expansion
since 2005, and they are in constant evolution. Corporations understand the importance of
social media; in 2011, 84 of the top 100 corporations in the world had a presence on at least one
social network, and 25 were on four of them. But having a presence on social media is not a goal
in itself. We need to know what we are going to say and then decide what impact we are going
to have through each network.
We have websites. We also have blogs that we can control. This control becomes more difficult
with Facebook and is impossible with Twitter.
At first, corporations used these networks as a loudspeaker, but today they understand that it
is necessary to actively engage in a dialogue. These networks now constitute a large marketing
outlet that has the advantages of being free and being immediate. But how can an organization
like ours use these tools? How do we decide whether we should take part or not? Which one
to choose? According to a recent study conducted by Havas Media, we are witnessing a digital
transformation of our society. The mode of communication between a brand and its audience has
changed. Today, interaction prevails; the public wants to share and exchange rather than to simply
get information. Mass media, including social media, are playing an increasingly significant role.
Ignoring social media can be costly. Today, the goal is to increase visibility and manage one’s
e-reputation.
Steering clear of social media is not a viable strategy.
Internet users are on the lookout for news. They like to participate, to express their opinions, to
follow, and to be involved. They hold the power as far as communication is concerned. It is a
revolution, and it presents an opportunity for us, because exchanging, sharing, and community
building are part of our DNA. In fact, Rotary operates like a social network.
With social media, we can increase our visibility and be better known among the public, organizations,
and partners. We can create and organize events, and find partners.
Partners and sponsors are key to our projects.
Please allow me to illustrate this topic with a story — a beautiful and true story.
In France, since 2005, we have established a partnership with movie theater operators. Those
past four years, we have reinforced this partnership with the Walt Disney Company.
34 International Assembly Speeches 2013