District 2240 Newsletter
(2/25/2026)

Nigerian engineer, business leader, and dedicated Rotarian Olayinka Hakeem Babalola will lead Rotary International in 2026–27.

On Friday 13 February 2026, representatives of the association Míša & Míša received a gift from the Rotary Club of Třebíč in the form of materials for ceramic-making. The Třebíč Rotarians purchased these materials with the support of the endowment fund NADACE ROTARY.

“Thank you all for your help — we are absolutely thrilled and we can’t wait to get started on making ceramics!” says Ms Hana Nejedlá, Chair of the association.

The Míša & Míša association helps people with disabilities to integrate into everyday life. It recently reopened its little shop on Karlovo náměstí in Třebíč, where people with disabilities are employed.

“We are in frequent contact with Ms Nejedlá, and the club has been working with the association for a long time. We supported the association’s activities recently as part of the celebrations marking the 30th anniversary of the club’s re-establishment,” adds Marie Smrčková, the club President.

You can support  Míša & Míša as well — for example, by purchasing their products.

RC Třebíč

If someone had told me that a single trip could change the way I see the world—and, above all, the people in it—I probably would have just laughed. But then came a trip through South India. Twenty-three students from different corners of the world, a slightly crazy itinerary, mountains, oceans, overnight trains, early-morning flights, and plenty of unplanned moments that ended up being the best part. And that’s exactly what this blog is about.

This month I changed my host family, which was difficult at first. I had to get used to a new environment and new people, and I was nervous. Gradually, though, everything got better. My new host family is wonderful—they support me and try to make me feel comfortable. Even though the change was challenging, I’m happy to be here.

And here comes another blog post — this time, something truly amazing. At the end of November, I set off on a trip to the Pantanal and Bonito, home to the world’s largest inland wetlands — a place teeming with animals and plants.

Join an exceptional jubilee gathering of Rotarian golfers from across Europe and celebrate 50 years of tradition, fellowship, and sporting spirit at the prestigious European Championship, taking place on June 22–26, 2026, in Lyon, France, under the auspices of International Golf Fellowship of Rotarians Europe.

I am also enclosing with this letter a call for entries for a secondary school students’ competition announced by Turkey’s District 2420, based in Istanbul. Pupils and students aged 14 to 19 are invited to write a 500-word essay on the topic of maintaining peace—naturally in English.

The top three entries will receive cash prizes (USD 3,000, 2,000 and 1,000) and the winners will be invited to a peace conference organised by RC Istanbul in Antalya on 16-19 May 2026, where their certificates will be presented in a ceremony on 18 May 2026. All expenses will be covered by the organising RC Istanbul.

Nothing is required from you as clubs other than to pass this call on to the headteachers of the secondary schools within your reach. After that, everything will run on its own initiative by the participants.

Please note: the deadline is already 8 March 2026, so please do not delay.

Honza

Jan Bílek
DG 2025-26
District 2240 Czech Republic & Slovak Republic

Dear Rotary friends,

We are delighted to invite you to take part in the Rotary Exchange Programme 2026 - an international programme of friendship and cultural exchange dedicated to India.

The exchange programme is intended for groups of 4 to 12 people (with at least 1-2 Rotarians per group).
The planned duration is 8-10 days, and the content will depend primarily on the length of stay and the participants’ individual preferences.

A sightseeing journey full of history, wine, mountains, and powerful stories. From ancient Urartu to Lake Sevan – discover Armenia with all your senses. This 11-day tour of Armenia, from April 28 to May 8, 2026, will take you from the ancient Erebuni Fortress through UNESCO monasteries to tastings of ARARAT brandy and wine in the Ararat Valley.

Experience the magic of Armenia in June 2026 with history, UNESCO treasures, stunning landscapes, and the lively “Yerevan Wine Days” festival. A short but immersive 3-day journey to Armenia’s cultural and natural highlights, including ancient temples, UNESCO sites, and a festive celebration of local wines.

Dear Rotary friends,

We would like to remind you that the deadline for submitting nominations for the Paul Harris Fellow (PHF) award is 28 February. Please send your nominations via your respective Assistant Governor (ADG), together with the completed form.

 Pravidla ocenovania D 2240 : please complete this form to confirm that your club meets the rules set out below.

For clarity, we include the key rules for District 2240:  Pravidla ocenovania D 2240 

• Clubs with up to 20 members may nominate 1 PHF in the given Rotary year.
• For each additional commenced 20 members, the club may nominate one further PHF (i.e., 2 or more depending on club size).
• The club must have all obligations settled with the District, Rotary International, and The Rotary Foundation, and must have paid its contribution to the Foundation.
• A PHF cannot be awarded to the same person in two consecutive years from district resources. A person who received a PHF last year may be recognised again only if the club uses exclusively its own club recognition points, with no link to the District.

Thank you for using this opportunity to recognise outstanding individuals who, through their approach and work, embody Rotary values and inspire others.

Kind regards,
Irena Brichta
on behalf of the Rotary Foundation team

Dear Presidents-elect of Rotary clubs for the year 2026/2027,

Dear Secretaries-elect of Rotary clubs for the year 2026/2027,

Dear Members of the District Team,

Dear Trainers,

First and foremost, I would like to congratulate you on your election to the roles of club President and Secretary for the Rotary year 2026/2027. A prerequisite for successfully taking up these positions from 1 July 2026 is the completion of PELS (President Elect Learning Seminar) and the District Training Assembly.

As you have already been informed in previous communication, PELS and the District Training Assembly will, as is customary, take place at Hotel Flóra in Olomouc on 20 and 21 March 2026.

President / Secretary / Executive Secretary

• Elect the club committees and their officers for the new Rotary year.
• Ensure participation in PELS/DŠS.
• Submit proposals for District Grants 2026/27 by 31 March 2026.
• Contributions for the RGN and NL.

The online meeting will take place on the 26th of March from 18:00 to 21:00.

PRELIMINARY PROGRAM: Hosting a foreign student - advice and recommendations, experiences of host parents; instructions for the exchange stay - travel, visas, exchange rules, adaptation to a new environment, etc. Discussion on all topics covered.

We would like to remind all representatives of clubs in District 2240 that have received grants for the implementation of district projects during the 2024/2025 financial year, that they are required to prepare and submit their final report by 30th April 2026.

Rotary Club Karlovy Vary will mark its 100th anniversary with a special charity golf tournament on May 15, 2026, at Cihelny.

Rotary Club Valtice - Břeclav would like to invite you to the 21st edition of the social, sporting and sightseeing event “By bicycle or on foot around the LVA” (LVA = the Lednice-Valtice Cultural Landscape).

The event will take place on 22-24 May 2026 in the beautiful surroundings of the Lednice-Valtice Cultural Landscape (LVA) and the Modré Hory (Blue Mountains) area, along wine cycling routes in the vicinity of Velké Pavlovice and—new this year—within the framework of the “3rd edition of the district project CYKLOTOUR 2025 Rotary Club.”

Dear friends of golf and goodwill,

We are delighted to invite you to the 10th anniversary edition of our charity golf tournament, taking place on May 29, 2026, at the beautiful Royal Golf Club Beroun.

The tournament is organized by Rotary Golf Club Prague NGW in support of the non-profit organization ICTUS – Institut pomoci mozku, dedicated to helping people with acquired brain injuries.

Registration is now open:
https://www.cgf.cz/cz/turnaje/