Rotary Club of Shanghai · 2026–27
The Joy of Happy
Rotary Service
Our direction this year
Hands-on service with children and young people, guided by Rotary’s focus on maternal and child health.
President Markus Wiegand shares the personal story behind the slogan and invites members and friends to serve together.
Improving the lives of children and families
Markus Wiegand, President of the Rotary Club of Shanghai for 2026–27, chose The Joy of Happy Rotary Service as this year’s club slogan. It expresses the joy of working together to help children and families.
01 /The starting point
Rotary’s seven areas of focus
Rotary’s areas of focus helped Markus decide what he wanted the club’s 2026–27 year to stand for.
From these seven areas, Markus chose maternal and child health as a key focus for the year.
How the idea began
When I was preparing for my presidential year, my Rotary sponsor, PP Tracy Hua, and my Rotary mentor, PP Andrew Hill encouraged me to choose a slogan. Their suggestion started a conversation about what I wanted our Rotary year to stand for. Looking at Rotary’s seven areas of focus helped me find an answer.
02 /The personal reason
Why children and families?
My wife and I have been fortunate. We have three wonderful daughters who grew up healthy and happy, received a good education in Shanghai, and have now completed their university studies. Watching them find their way in life has made me think about families whose children face much harder circumstances. I want our club to give something back to them.
The hospital visit that stayed with me
My first experience of service with the Rotary Club of Shanghai made this feeling more concrete. In 2023, PP Tiziana Richiardi invited me to join a Christmas visit to children in hospital. At first, I wondered what Christmas cheer could mean to children facing such difficult situations. Then I saw the smiles that Santa Claus and visiting Rotarians could bring. We could not take away every difficulty, but we could give the children a happy moment and show them that people cared.
Why I want to give back
My family’s good fortune motivates me to give back to our community through service for children and young people, guided by Rotary’s focus on maternal and child health.
03 /Bringing the slogan to life
Service, connection, and joy
That experience has stayed with me. This year, I would like us to do more hands-on service for children and young people, supporting families in ways that can make a difference in their lives. The Joy of Happy Rotary Service is an invitation to share in that work.
My Rotary mentor, PP David Smith, designed the heart in our club’s slogan logo. It expresses three ideas:
- Connection through service. The heart brings people together as they help others.
- Paths meeting. Its embracing curves suggest two Rotarians coming together through service.
- Human relationships. The design puts care and personal connection at the centre of Rotary.
I am grateful to my sponsor PP Tracy Hua and PP Andrew Hill for helping me find the direction for this year, to PP Tiziana Richiardi for inviting me to that first hospital visit, and to PP David Smith for creating a symbol that brings the idea together. I hope members and friends will join me in bringing The Joy of Happy Rotary Service to children and families throughout the 2026–27 year.
Join us in hands-on service
Follow the club’s service activities and join us when you can.
rotaryshanghai.org
