Rotary Zone 22 (Africa) has officially launched its 2025 Regional Team Learning Seminar (RTLS) in Accra, Ghana.
The opening ceremony took place on Thursday, 8 May, at the Tang Palace Hotel and brought together Rotary leaders from across the continent in preparation for the new Rotary year.
The three-day seminar is the premier leadership and certification programme for incoming Rotary regional and zone officers, with representation from all three regions of Zone 22 Francophone Africa, West and North Africa, and East and Southern Africa.
This year’s seminar is especially significant as it coincides with the visit of Rotary International President-Elect Mário César Martins de Camargo to Ghana.
Lead Facilitator and Past District Governor Ahmed Saada gave an overview of the training structure and expressed enthusiasm for the days ahead. He took the participants through what to expect during the learning seminar.
“It’s always great to be here, a fantastic venue. Thank you so much for this opportunity. This is our great zone and great continent of Africa.”
“Altogether, if we add them all up, we have 22 districts and 54 countries.”
“It’s going to be a hands-on workshop to learn about the online tools and online resources, how to find our way and navigate the website of Rotary International.”
Mr Saada also noted that the seminar will include 10 general sessions and 15 breakout sessions covering Rotary’s action plan, regional goals, and practical tools for club development.
Rotary District 9104 Governor Maame Hagan extended warm greetings to participants in her welcoming remarks.
“On behalf of Rotary District 9104, I’m absolutely delighted to welcome you to Accra, which is the gateway to Africa.
“We are a family of change makers, drawn from every corner of Africa, brought together not by borders, but by practice,” she said.
“This learning seminar is not just a seminar. It’s a Rotary fellowship. It’s a celebration of leadership, of unity, and of the incredible things we can do when Africa rises together.”
She encouraged delegates to embrace the full experience, not just the learning, but also the culture, community, and energy of Ghana.
Trustee of the Rotary Foundation, Ijeoma Pearl Okoro, delivered her opening speech that stressed the relevance of Rotary’s work in the current global context.
“The world has President-Elect Mario to unite for good… It couldn’t have been more apt in a world so divided, in a world so separated by religion, colour, and race. Never in the history of the world would Rotarians be so desperately needed. If we finish our training, get all the knowledge, and we are not united in one purpose, it would have been an effortless utility,” she said.
She also praised the energy of the programme and noted that learning must be engaging and joyful.
“Find opportunity to make new friends… Lots of music at intervals, that people like us can shake our bodies so that whatever we learn really sinks into our brains,” she said.
Zone 22 Director Daniel Tanese commended the organisers and participants, reminding them that the success of the seminar depends on how its lessons are applied.
“This seminar has been carefully designed to give you the tools, insights, and energy to lead effectively in your districts.
“All the efforts are made for you to have a great learning experience… to build our team. The real success will be if we achieve objectives ambitious objectives, if we increase membership, if we work more effectively with the Rotary Foundation.”
Mr Tanese also thanked Rotary President-Elect Mario for his commitment to Africa, noting his one-month tour of the continent and efforts to engage directly with regional leaders.
The seminar continues through the weekend with interactive sessions, leadership development, and cross-regional networking, all aimed at preparing African Rotary leaders to step into the 2025–2026 Rotary year with renewed focus and collaboration.
Delivering the keynote address as Guest of Honour, Rotary International President-Elect Mário César Martins de Camargo urged African Rotary leaders to take bold steps to grow membership and lead with purpose.
“Why am I doing this? Because one year in Rotary flies… So the only way to get some results from your year is you start playing earlier. Start thinking about it, focusing, elaborating your targets, results and your legacy. What kind of legacy do you want to leave after you go?”
He reflected on Rotary’s longstanding struggle with membership decline.
“It always bothered me… that we just touched the subject of membership. But we assumed that membership was a given… That’s outsourcing the problem. The membership problem is our biggest problem, our biggest challenge and paradoxically, our biggest asset.”
He didn’t shy away from tough truths, warning that complacency is costing Rotary dearly.
“We are not even 1.2 million anymore… We’re becoming complacent with the idea that we’re losing 10,000 to 18,000 Rotarians every single year. That’s not acceptable. We must react. We must do something.”
He stressed that the fight to grow Rotary must be intentional, global, and immediate.
“So people ask me, ‘Mario, what’s your priority?’ And everybody knows it’s number one, number two, number three: membership, membership, membership.”
Beyond numbers, his message focused on values of Rotary as whole.
“In a divided world, we don’t divide. We unite. That’s our job from 1905. That’s the essence of Service Above Self. It’s about unity, about working together, about thinking of the other before you think of yourself.”
As he concluded, de Camargo left participants with both a charge and a challenge about Rotary.
“You are the most important asset of Rotary. If you are not here, the Rotary building collapses. So I want you to bring more Rotarians… But more than that, I want you to keep them happy. Because if we keep Rotarians happy, they will bring more Rotarians and more resources for the work we do.”
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