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n the short walk between Francesco
Arezzo’s makeshift office in the BMO
Centre at the Rotary International
Convention in Calgary and a patio
outside it, enthusiastic Rotarians stop
him no fewer than a dozen times.
With a warm smile, Italy’s Arezzo thanks two
sergeants-at-arms from India, hugs and
jokes with a past RI director, and poses for a
selfie with a group of Rotarians from Korea.
It’s the day before the start of the
convention, and while all Rotary presidents
draw well-wishers, there’s another reason
why everybody is clamoring to meet Arezzo
and his wife, Anna Maria Arezzo-Criscione:
He’d been selected to be the 2025-26 Rotary
president less than a week earlier.
On the night of 14 June, Arezzo, a member
of the Rotary Club of Ragusa in Sicily, was Clockwise from left: RI
sitting with his Rotary friends at his district President Francesco Arezzo
and his wife, Anna Maria
conference when he learned of his new role. Arezzo-Criscione, at the
2025 Rotary International
Rotary’s Board of Directors had reached Convention in Calgary,
the decision at a special session after the Canada, in June; a holiday
photo with grandchildren
unexpected resignation of Mário César ̸ৎනࣛ০˙Σjყҧቃٟڗࣦ̿Г߅hڛ
Francesco and Anna Maria
and (standing, from left)
Martins de Camargo due to personal reasons РʿՉ˃ɛτࢆhီԭhдᘆࡌʫdᙲ
daughter Elena, son-in-
Clockwise from left: RI
law Magnus, and daughter
and business obligations at home in Brazil. 6 ˜ί̋ࣅɽ̔̋ͭᑘБٙ 2025 ϋყҧቃϋ
President Francesco Arezzo
Raffaela; aide to the president
Since the news hadn’t been officially ึiၾɿࣦ̿Г߅ʿɾτࢆhီԭd˸ʿ
and his wife, Anna Maria
John de Giorgio (right, with
partner Monique Chambers)
Arezzo-Criscione, at the
announced, Arezzo couldn’t tell anyone. But ͭ٫̸ৎɾՅЎࢆ (Elena)eɾథ৵ࣸр
has worked closely with
2025 Rotary International
Arezzo through Rotary since
soon, he noticed phones coming out all over (Magnus)eɾՅזجז (Raffaela) ίܓࣛΥᅂi
2009. “Francesco is the right
Convention in Calgary,
the room. “When the news arrived on social ٟڗतпߒጫhӭఐطᆄ (John de Giorgio)̛dԒ
president because he is a
Canada, in June; a holiday
force for unity and stability,
media at about 11 p.m., we were in the middle ࣙ݊ྫМдh፺Ь (Monique Chambers)d
representing strong Rotary
of the gala dinner,” he says. “You can imagine “Rotary faced an emergency photo with grandchildren
values while also being open
Francesco and Anna Maria
І 2009 ϋ˸ԸீཀҧቃၾڛРʲΥЪf˼ڌ
to the innovation that Rotary
and I’m ready to step up.
more than 400 Rotarians all finding out on ҧቃࠦᑗၡܢًرdҢʊ௪λ and (standing, from left)
must apply,” he says.
their phones. It was quite an unforgettable ͪjࣦ̿Г߅ቇΥዄٟڗdΪމ˼˾ڌഹྠ
daughter Elena, son-in-
I’m very lucky to have ഐʿᖢ֛ٙɢඎdςҧቃٙ੶ɽᄆ࠽ᝈdΝࣛɰ
moment. All of a sudden, they all lined up to ࣎ԒϾ̈fҢܘֱ༶ϞϤዚึf law Magnus, and daughter
Raffaela; aide to the president
kiss me and offer their congratulations.” the opportunity.” ᆀટॶҧቃ̀પБٙ௴อf
Two days later, he was on a plane to John de Giorgio (right, with
Canada to accept his role in front of the partner Monique Chambers)
convention’s 16,000 attendees from some The Rotary world rallied around him. His has worked closely with
Arezzo through Rotary since
140 countries. “I didn’t even have time to touching personal stories, his humble nature, 2009. “Francesco is the right
have a haircut,” he says, pointing to his and the unadorned but powerful messages president because he is a
robust head of gray hair. in his acceptance speech won him ebullient force for unity and stability,
But, he says, he was ready for this applause and a standing ovation. representing strong Rotary
moment. Having been part of Rotary for more While Arezzo was in great demand at the “Rotary faced an emergency values while also being open
than three decades, Arezzo has served as convention, we caught up with him in the to the innovation that Rotary
RI director and chair of the 2023 Melbourne hallway during breaks, inside a minibus en (FAMILY) COURTESY OF AREZZO; (AIDE) ED ZIRKLE and I’m ready to step up. must apply,” he says.
Convention Committee, among other route to a Rotary event, and at his makeshift PHOTOGRAPHS: (STADIUM) MONIKA LOZINSKA; I’m very lucky to have
leadership roles. He had applied for the RI office to find out more about the new
president’s role in 2023 and was short-listed. president. Read on for the key takeaways. the opportunity.”
24 ROTARY SEPTEMBER 2025 SEPTEMBER 2025 ROTARY 25
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PHOTOGRAPHS: (STADIUM) MONIKA LOZINSKA; (FAMILY) COURTESY OF AREZZO; (AIDE) ED ZIRKLE
SEPTEMBER 2025 ROTARY 25
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