Event Type: WOCO Conferences
Organiser: Round Table Great Britain & Ireland, Apex (Australia), the Kinsmen Clubs (Canada), 20–30 Clubs (USA), and Active International
Main Event Dates: 7–8 April 1945
Held on April 7–8, 1945, at the Palmer House in Chicago, Illinois, this historic meeting marks the founding of the World Council of Young Men’s Service Clubs—an umbrella body aimed at uniting service-minded organizations across continents.
For those of us in the Round Table community, the significance of this meeting cannot be overstated. Though Round Table Great Britain and Ireland was not physically present, it was one of the few organizations acknowledged by name as a contributing force. The records note that representatives from Apex (Australia), the Kinsmen Clubs (Canada), 20–30 Clubs (USA), and Active International were involved in formalizing a shared vision for cooperation, peace-building, and global fellowship—principles closely aligned with our own.
Notably, the document presents a draft constitution that formalizes structures still familiar today: the formation of a Board of Directors, the introduction of per capita fees, procedures for electing officers, and a deep commitment to service, friendship, and international understanding.
For Round Tablers, this is a poignant reminder that our organization was seen early on as a peer and a partner in the effort to build a better post-war world. The aspiration to “tighten the band on the world,” as the document puts it, resonates with our motto, Adopt, Adapt, Improve—a call to action to embrace unity, grow together, and continue striving toward peace and progress.
The 1945 meeting stands not only as a bureaucratic milestone but as a moment of shared purpose among like-minded clubs. It’s a proud chapter in our broader Round Table heritage—one that underscores our role in shaping global cooperation among young men’s service organizations.