Program

11 - 13 SEPTEMBER 2026

The Summit program will be moderated by two excellent moderators;  
Rianne and Emin, both active Rotarians in The Netherlands. 

👉 Friday September 11, 2026

🌍 SIMULTANEOUS TRANSLATION AVAILABLE →

09.30 - Before the official start of the Summit, three seminars will be offered on the following topics:

▬▬ MEMBERSHIP, ROTARACT and The ROTARY FOUNDATION ▬▬

• 12.00 Lunch and official opening House of Friendship

TOPIC LITERACY

• 

  13.30 Welcome convenor Dr. Harriette Verwey
  Flag Ceremony 

• 

  13.45 Keynote: Mrs Carola Schouten
  Mayor of the City of Rotterdam

• 14.15 Keynote HRH Princess Laurentien of The Netherlands

   

• 14.45 Coffee / Tea break

• 

  15.15 Keynote Yinka Babalola
  President Rotary International

• 

  15.45 Keynote Dr. Theo Kemperman
  Cultural Institution executive

• 

  16.15 Keynote Dârini Vedarattiname
  Connecting Generations through Rotary Action

• 16.35 Anna 'Lucky' Dalena (RC Galileo Galilei - Italy, D2060) in conversation with
  R.I. President Yinka Babalola

• 17.00 Wrap up and closing

19.00 MAJOR DONOR DINNER  

👉 Saturday, 12 September 2026

TOPIC Mental Health

• 09.00 Welcome and introduction to the topic Mental Health

• 

  09.10 Keynote John Hewko  -  Gen. Sec. / CEO of Rotary International and The Rotary Foundation

  Growth and belonging - How expanding our reach can help solve the Loneliness Epidemic

• 

  09.40 Keynote Julien de Wit
  author, columnist, and entrepreneur

• 10.10 Panel discussion

• 10.30 Coffee break / House of Friendship

• 11.15 Break-out sessions:  Literacy / Mental Health / Environment 

• 12.15 LUNCH AND HOUSE OF FRIENDSHIP

TOPIC  Environment

• 14.00 Welcome back

• 

  14.10 Keynote Allard Castelein
  former CEO Port of Rotterdam 

• 

  14.40 Keynote Bernice Notenboom
  polar explorer, survival expert, climate journalist

• 15.10 Panel discussion 

• 15.25 Tea break and House of Friendship

• 15.55 Break-out sessions: Literacy / Mental Health / Environment 

• 16.55 Summary by the moderators Break-out Sessions and take-home message

• 17.10 General remarks and closing

19.00  GALA EVENING 
On the iconic Steamship ss Rotterdam

👉  Sunday, 13 September 

• 09.30 Welcome

• TBD: Timing Summary and feedback from yesterdays breakouts            

• 

  09.40 Introduction Kids Rights 
  and Bana Alabed (15, Syria) winner of the International Children’s Peace Prize 2025

• 

  10.10 R.I. Director Emmanuel Katongole
  Impact of Rotary

• 10.30 R.I. President Yinka Babalola 
  Future perspective

• 11.00 Coffee  / Tea break 

• 11.30 R.I. Financial Review (video)
• 11.40 Presentation of the European Summit 2027, Bari - Italy (RID/convenor Massimo Ballotta)
• 11.50 Presentation of the  2027 International Rotary Convention in Barcelona, Spain (HOC Chair Sergio Aragón) 

• 12.10 Convenor Dr. Harriette Verwey
  Rotary Action Summit Rotterdam

• 12.15 Closing remarks and farewell

• 12.30 Lunch 

• 13.30 END OF SUMMIT

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