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How can one help PolioPlus Ride 2003?

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      PolioPlus Updates 2002 

      Rotary receives 2002 Gates Award

      Rotary Foundation Trustee Chairman Luis Vicente Giay on 30 May received the 2002 Gates Award for Global Health on behalf of The Rotary Foundation.  The US$1 million award from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation was presented in Washington D.C., USA, at a dinner during the Global Health Council's 29th annual international conference.  It recognizes Rotary's leadership and impact in the field of public health, most notably its polio eradication efforts.

      Rotary has contributed more than $462 million toward polio eradication and mobilized 1.2 million Rotarians to help immunize 2 billion children in 122 countries. The award also recognizes Rotary's community service efforts to improve the health and welfare of those in need throughout the world.

      "It is our hope that this award will help raise awareness of the crucial need to eradicate polio now - when we have the opportunity. It has been our pleasure and privilege to be associated with the Gates Foundation in the common mission of improving health care worldwide, especially in the area of polio eradication - a cause so close to every Rotary member's heart, " said Giay.  "I assure you that our commitment to global health will not waver.
      Encouraged and motivated by the tremendous support of the Gates Foundation, our dedication to this cause will only grow and become even stronger."

      "What has been achieved since Rotary International courageously committed to eradicate polio defies description.  Polio cases have declined by 99.8
      percent," said Bill Gates Sr., chairman of the Gates Foundation.   "Rotary gave us a whole new model for what private/public partnerships can achieve and how they best function.  Rotary dramatically lifted our sights regarding the level of funding volunteers could deliver.  They showed us what solid sincere advocates could do to raise funds from governments ... and engage heads of state in global health issues."

      Gates also said that Rotary's global health initiative has forever changed the popular image of service organizations as parochial do-gooders whose efforts only meet the needs down the street.

      The Global Health Council Annual Awards banquet was attended by 800 guests including Rotarians.   Rwanda's First Lady Jeanette Kagame gave the keynote address at the event that was emceed by CNN news anchor Paula Zahn.   Dr. Nils Daulaire, president and CEO of the Global Health  council, made the opening remarks.

      The 2002 Jonathan Mann Award for Global Health and Human Rights, as well as awards in media, photography, and best practices were presented at the three-hour banquet.

      The Gates Foundation - which is dedicated to improving people's lives by sharing advances in health and learning with the global community - established the Gates Award for Global Health to recognize an organization that has made a major and lasting contribution to the field of global health. The Global Health council - the world's largest membership alliance dedicated to advancing policies and programs that improve health around the world - administers the award process.