K.R. Ravindran
RI President, 2015-2016
 
Dear fellow Rotarians:
 
It is our pleasure to announce Rotary’s annual World Polio Day kickoff event on 23 October in New York City. We'll use this occasion to shine a light on Rotary’s leadership in the fight that has brought us This Close to ending polio.
The Livestream event, co-sponsored by UNICEF, will bring together our partners in the Global Polio Eradication Initiative, government officials, and global health leaders from nongovernmental organizations and will mobilize more than 30,000 supporters.
 
July and August brought great milestones in the polio eradication effort. For the first time in history, Nigeria -- then all of Africa -- marked one year with no new polio cases caused by the wild virus.
 
We are closer to making good on our promise to end polio forever, but there's still work to be done. As we protect the progress made in Africa, we focus even more sharply on Afghanistan and Pakistan.
 
Our World Polio Day kickoff event is our opportunity to update participants around the world on our progress and next steps and inspire them to share their voices, donate, or advocate for eradication as we near the finish line.
 
We invite you to join us and watch the event live, starting at 18:30 New York time (UTC-4) or later -- a recording will be made available. We also ask you to raise awareness of our polio eradication effort in your own community and build a local audience for our World Polio Day event. Visit the End Polio Now website to download resources that can help you raise awareness and funds. Share this information with your Rotary clubs, districts, communities, and elected officials.
 
Thirty years ago, we told the world what Rotary believes: that we can achieve the eradication of polio. Our dream is becoming reality. For every child, on World Polio Day, let’s push ahead to the reality of a polio-free world.
 
Warm regards,

 
Rotary International President K.R. Ravindran
Rotary Foundation Chair Ray Klinginsmith