Rotary honors President Emmanuel Macron in recognition of France’s commitment to a polio-free world
Paris (May 4, 2024) — Rotary International presented its Polio Eradication Champion Award to French President Emmanuel Macron in recognition of France’s important role in international polio eradication efforts. The ceremony was part of Rotary Day at UNESCO, focusing on education and peace.
Under the leadership of the President, France notably pledged 50 million euros to the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI) in October 2022. This commitment was complemented by an important partnership announcement in December 2023 between the Gates Foundation and the French Development Agency (AFD), which included a loan of up to €55 million to support the World Health Organization’s polio efforts in Pakistan, bearing the country’s total commitment to polio eradication at €105 million. France has also been a strong advocate for this cause within the G-20 and G-7, urging other nations to continue supporting a polio-free world.
“I am delighted to honor President Emmanuel Macron and the French government for their exceptional commitment to a polio-free world,” said Gordon McInally, president of Rotary International. Our more than thirty years of experience fighting polio has shown us what we can achieve when we work together. As part of the global team committed to this initiative, we are committed to vaccinating all children and eradicating polio, even in the most challenging environments.”
Rotary has contributed more than $2.7 billion to the fight against polio, including matching funds from the Gates Foundation, and countless volunteer hours since launching its PolioPlus program in 1985. 1,000 Rotary clubs in France have contributed a total of 24.64 million dollars (approximately 23.17 million euros) to end polio. Rotary was a founding member of the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI) in 1988, a partnership with the World Health Organization, UNICEF and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention , and, more recently, the Gates Foundation and GAVI, the vaccine alliance. When the initiative was launched, there were more than 350,000 annual cases of polio. Today, the number of polio cases has fallen by more than 99.9 percent.
About Rotary: Rotary is a global network of supportive decision-makers tackling the world’s most pressing humanitarian challenges. It brings together 1.4 million members from more than 46,000 Rotary clubs in almost every country in the world. Their actions help improve the living conditions of populations, help the most deprived and eradicate polio throughout the world. Visit Rotary.org for more information.
About the Polio Eradication Champion Award: Established by Rotary in 1995, this award honors individuals who have made significant contributions to the global eradication effort. Emmanuel Macron is the first French president to receive this award and joins other prominent recipients, including Justin Trudeau, Prime Minister of Canada, Xavier Bettel, Prime Minister of Luxembourg, and Prince Albert II of Monaco. Former leaders who have been honored include former British Prime Minister Theresa May, former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, former German Chancellor Angela Merkel, former Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari and former United Nations Secretary-General United Ban Ki-moon.
Contact : Claudia Brunner, +41.44.387.7116, [email protected]
