Lions are an international network of 1.3 million men and women in 202 countries and geographic areas who work together to answer the needs that challenge communities around the world.
Known for working to end preventable blindness, Lions participate in a vast variety of projects important to their communities. These projects range from cleaning up local parks to providing supplies to victims of natural disasters.
Beginning in 1917, the association of Lions clubs has provided millions of people with the opportunity to give something back to their communities. View LQ (Lions Quarterly Video Magazine) on the Lions News Network to see how Lions continue to make a difference everyday and everywhere.
Top
Lions Clubs International History
The International Association of Lions Clubs began as the dream of Chicago businessman Melvin Jones. He believed that local business clubs should expand their horizons from purely professional concerns to the betterment of their communities and the world at large.
Jones' group, the Business Circle of Chicago, agreed. After contacting similar groups around the United States, an organizational meeting was held on June 7, 1917 in Chicago, Illinois, USA. The new group took the name of one of the invited groups, the "Association of Lions Clubs," and a national convention was held in Dallas, Texas, USA in October of that year. A constitution, by-laws, objects and code of ethics were approved.
Among the objects adopted in those early years was one that read, "No club shall hold out the financial betterment of its members as its object." This call for unselfish service to others remains one of the association's main tenets.
Just three years after its formation, the association became international when the first club in Canada was established in 1920. Major international expansion continued as clubs were established, particularly throughout Europe, Asia and Africa during the 1950s and 1960s.
In 1925, Helen Keller addressed the Lions international convention in Cedar Point, Ohio, USA. She challenged Lions to become "knights of the blind in the crusade against darkness." From this time, Lions clubs have been actively involved in service to the blind and visually impaired.
Broadening its international role, Lions Clubs International helped the United Nations form the Non-Governmental Organizations sections in 1945 and continues to hold consultative status with the U.N.
In 1990, Lions launched its most aggressive sight preservation effort, Sight First. The US$202 million program strives to rid the world of preventable and reversible blindness by supporting desperately needed health care services. Lions have launched Campaign Sight First II to raise at least US$150 million to continue and expand the extraordinary work of Sight First.
In addition to sight programs, Lions Clubs International is committed to providing services for youth. Lions clubs also work to improve the environment, build homes for the disabled, support diabetes education, conduct hearing programs and, through their foundation, provide disaster relief around the world. Lions have launched Campaign Sight First II to raise at least US$150 million to continue and expand the extraordinary work of Sight First.
Lions Clubs International has grown to include 1.3 million men and women in approximately 45,000 clubs located in 202 countries and geographic areas.
View a multimedia presentation on The History of Lions Clubs International, learn about the history of the association name and symbol or visit the Lions Learning Center to view more presentations.
Top
Lions Clubs International Vision & Mission Statements
Vision Statement
To be the global leader in community and humanitarian service.
Mission Statement
To empower volunteers to serve their communities, meet humanitarian needs, encourage peace and promote international understanding through Lions clubs.
Top
Countries Approved for Lions Clubs
Lions Clubs International is the largest service club organization with nearly 1.3 million members in 202 countries.
ALAND ISLANDS
ALBANIA
ALGERIA
AMERICAN SAMOA
ANGOLA
ANGUILLA
ANTIGUA and BARBUDA
ARGENTINA
ARMENIA
ARUBA
AUSTRALIA
AUSTRIA
BAHAMAS
BAHRAIN
BANGLADESH, REPUBLIC OF
BARBADOS
BELARUS REPUBLIC
BELGIUM
BELIZE
BENIN, PEOPLE’S REPUBLIC OF
BERMUDA
BOLIVIA
BONAIRE
BOSNIA & HERZEGOVINA
BOTSWANA
BRAZIL
BRITISH VIRGIN ISLANDS
BRUNEI
BULGARIA
BURKINA FASO
BURUNDI, REPUBLIC OF
CAMBODIA, KINGDOM OF
CAMEROON, REPUBLIC OF
CANADA
CAPE VERDE
CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC
CHAD, REPUBLIC OF
CHANNEL ISLANDS |
CHILE
CHINA GUANGDONG
CHINA SHENZHEN
CHINA HONG KONG
CHINA MACAU
COLOMBIA
COMORO ISLANDS
CONGO, DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE
CONGO, PEOPLE’S REPUBLIC OF
COOK ISLANDS
COSTA RICA
CROATIA
CYPRUS
CZECH REPUBLIC
DENMARK
DJIBOUTI, REPUBLIC OF
DOMINICA
DOMINICAN REPUBLIC
ECUADOR
EGYPT, ARAB REPUBLIC OF
EL SALVADOR
ENGLAND
EQUATORIAL GUINEA, REP. OF
ESTONIA
ETHIOPIA
FAROE ISLANDS
FIJI ISLANDS
FINLAND
FRANCE
FRENCH GUIANA
GABON REPUBLIC
GAMBIA, REPUBLIC OF
GEORGIA, REPUBLIC OF
GERMANY
GHANA, REP. OF
GIBRALTAR
GRAND CAYMAN B.W.I. |
GREECE
GREENLAND
GRENADA
GUADELOUPE
GUAM
GUATEMALA
GUINEA, REPUBLIC OF
GUYANA
HAITI
HONDURAS
HUNGARY
ICELAND
INDIA
INDONESIA
IRELAND, REPUBLIC OF
ISLE OF MAN
ISRAEL
ITALY
IVORY COAST, REPUBLIC OF THE
JAMAICA
JAPAN
JORDAN
KAZAKHSTAN, REPUBLIC OF
KENYA
KOREA, REPUBLIC OF
KYRGHYZSTAN, REPUBLIC OF LAOS
LATVIA
LEBANON
LESOTHO
LIBERIA
LIECHTENSTEIN
LITHUANIA
LUXEMBOURG
MACEDONIA, REPUBLIC OF MADAGASGAR
MALAWI
MALAYSIA
MALDIVES, REPUBLIC OF
MALI, REPUBLIC OF MALTA
MARTINIQUE
MAURITANIA
MAURITIUS
MEXICO
MICRONESIA, FEDERATED STATES OF SOMALIA SOUTH AFRICA, REPUBLIC OF SPAIN
SRI LANKA, REPUBLIC OF
ST. CHRISTOPHER—NEVIS
ST. LUCIA
ST. PIERRE & MIQUELON ISLANDS
ST. VINCENT
STATE OF VATICAN CITY
SUDAN, REPUBLIC OF THE
SURINAM
SWAZILAND
SWEDEN
SWITZERLAND
TAHITI
TAIWAN, MD 300
TANZANIA
THAILAND
TIMOR LESTE
TOGO |
MOLDOVA
MONACO, PRINCIPALITY OF MONGOLIA
MONTENEGRO
MONTSERRAT, BVI, WI
MOROCCO
MOZAMBIQUE
NAMIBIA
NEPAL
NETHERLANDS
NETHERLANDS ANTILLES
NEW CALEDONIA
NEW ZEALAND
NICARAGUA
NIGER, REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA
NORFOLK ISLAND
NORTHERN IRELAND
NORTHERN MARIANA ISLANDS SAIPAN, COMMONWEALTH OF THE NORWAY
PAKISTAN
PALAU ISLAND
PANAMA
PAPUA NEW GUINEA
PARAGUAY
PERU
PHILIPPINES
POLAND
PORTUGAL
PRINCIPAT D’ANDORRA
PUERTO RICO
REPUBLIQUE DE MADAGASCAR
REUNION
ROMANIA
RUSSIA, REPUBLIC OF
RWANDA, REPUBLIC OF
SAN MARINO, REPUBLIC OF SCOTLAND
SENEGAL, REPUBLIC OF SERBIA
SEYCHELLES
SIERRA LEONE
SINGAPORE
SLOVAKIA
SLOVENIA
TONGA, KINGDOM OF
TRINIDAD and TOBAGO, REPUBLIC OF TUNISIA
TURKEY
UGANDA
UKRAINE
UNITED ARAB EMIRATES
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
URUGUAY
VANUATU
VENEZUELA
VIRGIN ISLANDS
WALES
WESTERN SAMOA
ZAMBIA
ZIMBABWE |
Top
