This is what it's about
Rotating Rotary Camp is a camp that changes location and resembles a cultural exchange to be held in Finland in August-September 2026. It lasts 2 weeks. 8-10 young people aged 18-24 from Chiang Mai Thailand will participate in it. The campers will travel by minibus across Finland to experience a one-day camp program planned for them by local Rotary clubs. Each day includes easy-to-understand basic education on a significant global theme as well as relaxed / experiential and memorable moments. The camp is in English.
This camp, conceived at the Kyrösjärvi Rotary Club, is completely new and a pilot of its kind. It is worth utilizing the opportunities provided by the camp, especially in terms of media visibility. Let's make Rotary known and interesting in our own communities!
At the bottom of this site is a Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) section where you can find additional information on specific questions.
Rotating Rotary Camp 2026
Teaching sessions
Each day includes a 1-2 hour teaching session on a globally significant theme. The Rotary club responsible for the day's program determines the topic of the teaching and acquires the necessary framework for that purpose. This may include a teacher familiar with the topic, teaching facilities and props, etc. The teaching can take place at a local educational institution and students from that educational institution can participate in the event. The teaching can also be an excursion or a performance at a local company or cultural site. The day should also include reflection on the topic.
Teaching themes
Clubs choose a topic of global significance for the day's teaching. Examples could be climate change, artificial intelligence, the encounter of different cultures, peacebuilding, stopping global pollution, combating epidemics, global overpopulation, drugs, healthy nutrition and overweight people, aid work/charity, the future of democracy, Rotary, etc. Whatever the theme, it would be good to reflect on it in light of the "what could I do" question.
The idea is that the campers will find their own interests in terms of their future studies and professional choices. The goal of the camp is to be the "Next step on their journey"
Competition between clubs
The campers evaluate the outcome of each camp day using a questionnaire. It uses a few questions to assess the success of the teaching session, the smoothness of the arrangements, the impact of the experiences during the day, and the relaxed atmosphere. The Rotary clubs responsible for the arrangements can build their own program in a positive competitive spirit, hoping to receive good feedback from the campers.
Selection of campers
Some of the campers are orphans. They are girls and boys aged 18-24. They share a lack of resources that would make it impossible for them to attend such a camp without external assistance. The aim is to complete the selection of the campers by the end of this year.
Rotarians can offer them a springboard and spark for a future where they can act in a spirit of service similar to the Rotary ideal.
Dr. Beatrice 'Bea' Loesch is responsible for selecting the campers in cooperation with local Rotary Club in Chiang Mai. Bea was born in Chiang Mai as an orphan. She moved to Germany at the age of 14 when she was adopted by a German family. She studied mechanical engineering and business administration in Germany. She currently works in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industry in Switzerland. She completed her PhD in Organizational Behavior (Economics) in the spring of 2025.
Bea will be leaving Thailand with the campers and will be with them throughout the camp.
Costs
Flights between Thailand and Finland are the most significant cost item and traveling by minibus from one camp site to another is a cost item too. For these costs, we have to rely on the support of sponsors. During the spring of 2026, we will be campaigning to get sponsors, but we have already received support for the project and it seems that there is already certainty that the project will be implemented in this regard. Still, it would be very desirable if the participating clubs could still find sponsor candidates.
The costs related to individual camp days are covered by the responsible Rotary club for each day. The costs of the camp day include accommodation and meals as well as costs related to teaching and camp day activities. The costs of an individual participating club are therefore completely dependent on how the clubs implement their responsibility day. The clubs independently decide on the facilities for the day and their costs.
The nature of camping does not include expensive splurging.
Example program
The one-day program described below is not a program planned by the Rotary Club of Kyrösjärvi, but a creation of the thoughts of the writer of the texts on this site.
The minibus arrives at the Kauppila tourist farm in the evening. The host couple in Kauppila takes the group to an evening campfire where an evening snack is also provided. Sleep at 10 p.m.
After breakfast, the bus takes the group to the Ikaalinen high school auditorium where 2-3 high school students give a presentation on the topic "Microplastics and plastic recycling as a global challenge". Discussion and examples. A tour of the school and lunch provided by the school.
Transfer to Villa Vihta where a sauna-themed video documentary is shown. The Soukko sauna raft takes the group to Kyrösjärvi. Oh, the joy!
Dinner conjured up by a catering entrepreneur in an idyllic ancient farmhouse. Transfer to the next campsite.
Media visibility
Exceptional media visibility is a key goal of this camp. Each participating Rotary club should advertise in their local newspaper and also invite a newspaper reporter to follow the events of the camp day. Each club should think about which media outlets might be interested in our camp. Of course, our ulterior motive is to gain new members, that should not be denied. But spreading the Rotary ideal as an intrinsic value is also important to us.
Service above self and Unite for Good fit perfectly with our camp's motto. "Bull's eye"
Traveling in Finland
We need a minibus that has room for ten campers, their assistant (=Bea), a video blogger and one rotating rotary in addition to the driver. The luggage of the above also requires its own space.
Does anyone know a transport company that could offer a transport service for two weeks in August-September 2026? The driver may have to (?) change once or twice during those two weeks, but this is under the control of the transport company, not us.
We want to offer campers a variety of experiences. Therefore, in these transfers between campsites, it is good to choose the driving routes so that the beautiful Finnish landscape and villages and cities can be seen from the bus windows during the journeys. Main roads are used only as necessary.
Activities for the camp day
Let the sky and the earth be the limits to what the participating Rotary clubs come up with. Campfires, guided mushroom and/or berry picking, fishing, nature trails, national parks, getting to know different types of saunas, swimming, concerts, theater, museum presentations, planting trees in the Rotary Park, etc.
In Thailand, this camp has been "sold" as relaxed and, in a positive sense, memorable, so why not build the image of Finland on this basis.
The label of the happiest nation in the world is already on our foreheads, whether we want it or not. One way or another.... we have the opportunity to provide cover for that image.
Video blog
A video blog will be produced about the camp. The author of the blog will follow the campers throughout the tour and edit data from his video footage for this blog under the rrc.camp domain, if not daily, then almost daily.
The video blog will be visible all over the world. Our own interest is to get the Finnish media, and especially the local media operators of the clubs, interested in our camp and to report on it as effectively as possible. Clubs should inform the media as actively as possible
Contact the RRC 2026 team
Frequently Asked Questions
What budget will cover the campers' flights from Thailand to Finland to Thailand? What about the minibus costs in Finland?
We are trying to find a sponsor or sponsors. We may not receive any assistance from the Rotary district for the trips. Finding sponsors to cover the travel costs is our common challenge, so we can join forces on this issue. The prerequisite for receiving funding is often to receive some kind of benefit. This camp aims to receive significant media attention, so I wonder if that is exactly why we will find donors who need attention to receive a return for the sponsorship money.
Is there any information about who will come to the camp yet?
Bea has received the green light from us to start selecting campers. She has travelledwill to Chiang Mai on November and December and started selecting there. Now we have eight campers selected and Bea will meet them in February. Information about those who have been selected will be published on this website once the selections have been made.
Do campers have travel insurance?
Passports, visas, insurance, etc. are handled from Thailand. Campers are required to take out insurance. Rotarians will provide information on the required insurance coverage and also the insurance company we recommend.
Are there any previous experiences with implementing a similar cultural exchange camp?
I am not aware of any such camp being previously organized by Rotarians, at least not in Finland. This camp is a pilot from which the experiences gained can be used in the future. A successful pilot will likely lead to new similar camps.
Is the creator of the video block already known?
No. We hope that a search will be conducted in all the partner clubs for this. We could also consider whether an educational institution would be willing to take on this video block as an internship. The photographer could change every two or three days and the editing would be done at the school. The filmed videos can be sent to the school via the internet as the data is generated. As a researcher (emeritus) in vocational education, I see this kind of internship as downright "delicious" for IT students.
Are the dates of the camp already known?
The dates will only be confirmed when booking flights. Flight prices vary depending on the time of day and different days of the week have different prices. The exact date of the camp can still be changed if necessary.
Are host families needed for campers?
Host families are not needed, but there is nothing stopping a club participating in the camp from arranging overnight accommodation for campers with host families. In my experience, finding host families is usually really difficult, even in situations where there is a short-term accommodation need. But if a club wants to arrange accommodation this way and manages to find families, that is fine.
Is the daily change of location too tiring? Should the number of camps be reduced to allow for longer rest breaks?
The author of this text has personal experience ofa Finnish 17-18 year old campers touring Thailand in the spring of 2012. These Nokian high school students (7 girls and 1 boy) especially enjoyed seeing the ever-changing landscapes and villages and cities. Their luggage fit into one backpack and settling into their accommodations took minutes. I would imagine this would be even easier for Thai youth. Of course, the Finnish climate requires carrying warm clothes, but not to the point of being a problem.
Our RRC camp is also a cultural exchange trip. You can get a lot of cultural experiences in a two-week package if you use that time effectively. A camp consisting of refreshing experiences does not necessarily have to be tiring and strenuous, especially for such young campers. I understand that this may seem surprising to us older people.
In two weeks, there will also be laundry. How will this matter be handled?
We can discuss this issue together. One option I see is that some accommodation is prepared to accept the laundry bag collected by the campers when the minibus arrives and return the laundry in the morning washed and tumble dried. Some ABC service stations along the way are also equipped with washing machines and dryers. One of the tasks of the assistant (=Bea) who accompanies us on the trip is to take care of such practical measures.
Thais are incredibly shy compared to us. Can they only be taken to the sauna in their swimsuits?
This is a question I have asked myself. I have been to Thailand 15 times and have backpacked in other countries in Southeast Asia. That shyness is a fact and it really made me suspicious. I have researched the matter and was surprised by what I heard. I have understood it so that this issue can be discussed in advance among those who are going and they will adapt to the situation without any complications. One of my daughters-in-law is a native Thai, currently lives in Finland, and she is currently a "sauna freak". She also confirms the information that we can take Thai campers to the sauna