A Part of Our History of
Rotary in BRAZIL,
South America
PORT
Prepared by the district and not verified
by Rotary Global History
Our district is now made up of the Rotary clubs located in the states of North Rio Grande, Paraiba and
Pernambuco.
Today, we are the largest district in number of Brazilian clubs (91) and Rotarians (more than 2,300 members).
The territory of the district 4500 has the following limits:
District 4390 which includes the state of Alagoas, part of Bahia and Sergipe.
District 4490 comprises the states of Ceara, Piaui and Maranhao and to the Atlantic coast.
Speaking of the origins of the 4500 district is talking about the great journey of the rotary club of Recife,
affectionately called Rotarians of "Recife Centre" or "Recifão."
This club, which in 2008 completed 77 years of existence, was founded on May 16, 1931, came to be the leader of Rotary
throughout northern and northeastern Brazil.
The journey of the Rotary Club of Recife had its beginning as a member of the only district that covered the
whole country at the time of its founding, numbered District 72, founded in the year 1929/30.
The RC Recife participated in this district for eight years.
After four years, RC Recife gave the Rotary movement in Brazil its first governor, Borba Lauro who was an engineer
and teacher.
When Brazil was integrated as a single District, we can say that the Lauro Borba was a Governor General.
Later he was appointed to the post of Director of Rotary International during the year 1947/49.
In the year 1938/39 our District was dissected into four new administrative units which compose of 26 clubs located in
the states of Bahia, Sergipe, Alagoas, Ceara, Piaui and Maranhao.
This administration lasted for 6 years when the RC Recife was involved again in the administration for a mere 26 days,
via the appointment of the District Governor Luiz Lins in the year 1938/39. In the year 1941/42, that club provided
our district with the Governor Hippolytus Pedro de Melo Cahú.
New redistributions again happened in 1944/45 and clubs of our current territory become part of District 43
for a period of 5 years.
Again the "Recifão" gace us a Governor, Joao Alfredo da Costa Lima in the year 1946/47.
In 1948/49 is the turn of Rio Grande North to have its governor of District 43 with the election of Tarcisio Maia
from RC Mossoró.
Another territorial change occurred in 1949/50 when our district changes its number to District 123 that
lasted 8 years.
In 1957/58 new amendments declared that our territory will compose the District 455 for 13 years.
At this time remained together the clubs of the states of Pernambuco, Paraiba, Rio Grande do Norte, Bahia, Sergipe,
Alagoas and Ceara.
In the year 1970/71, the Rotary International District 450 was created with the states of Pernambuco, Paraiba,
Rio Grande do Norte, Ceara.
In 1980/81 the State of Ceara is extracted from our district that is harboring the states of Rio Grande do Norte,
Paraiba, Pernambuco.
This number (450), was maintained for 18 years and was modified in the year 1987/88, when Braz Alexandre de Lira from
the Rotary Club of Joao Pessoa-South was appointed governor .
In 1988/89, Rotary International finally changed the numbering of all districts by adding a "0"
giving us the new number, District 4500, without any change in its territorial space.
This year, the governor was Tercio companion Jose F. Caldas of the Rotary Club Olinda.
District 4500 has contributed largely to Brazilian Rotary with illustrious companions and dignitaries that were held
in high esteem in the world of Rotary.
The participation of companion Ignatius RC Cavalcanti of Recife representing the Districts of South America
at the meeting where they defined the New Horizons of Rotary International in Lake Placid 1981, and from there became
the first Global Plan of Rotary directed to the fight against Poliomyelitis in the world .
A pride for our district.
The Rotary Club Recife Square of Peace, the companion Mario Antonio de Oliveira who participated in the
Board of Directors of RI. In the year 1986/87, Eudes Leon de Souza Pinto from the Rotary Club Recife, received from the
RI award of "Rotariano Copy" and occupied the post of President in Brazil of the victorious Polio Plus
Program where he developed a proficient work.
An example of detachment and dedication can be remembered indicating the youngest Governor of all time in our district,
Heriberto Bezerra of the Rotary Club of Christmas in the year 1959/1960 at the age of only 34 years.
There is today in the District 4500, a move aimed at further redistributions of the current territory, but be a two
districts with the clubs located in the state of Pernambuco, the other with clubs located in the state of Paraiba and
Rio Grande do Norte.
Justifying this claim this is the extensive land area of the district today the largest district of Rotary Brazil in
number of clubs and members thus impeding the administration of the same territory with the participation of governor's
assistants arising Plan of leadership established by Rotary International District.
Today the 91 clubs that make up the District 4500, are located in 55 cities in the states that make up our territory,
and the city of Recife to champion a number of clubs with 18 clubs operating there, followed by Christmas (7 clubs) and
John Person with 6 clubs.
In 74 years of Rotary in the Northeast, the companions of the 4500 district developed numerous ventures in favour
of children, the elderly and projects involving various resolutions to minimise problems of health, education and
others, working in partnership with the Rotary Foundation, the financial arm of RI.
