Korean pop star Psy signs on to help Rotary fight polio

Korean pop star Psy signs on to help Rotary fight polio

South Korean pop star Psy is taking part in a worldwide advertising campaign to raise public awareness about the fight against polio.

Psy, whose world renowned "Gangnam Style" video has become the first in the history of the internet to reach one billion views on YouTube is talking part in Rotary’s “this close” campaign by raising his thumb and forefinger in the ad with the tagline "we're this close to ending polio."

He joins an impressive roster of celebrities including Bill Gates, Archbishop Desmond Tutu, movie star Jackie Chan, golf legend Jack Nicklaus, musician Ziggy Marley, and peace advocate Queen Noor of Jordan.

In New Zealand Rotary Clubs have long supported the international campaign, says Rotary’s New Zealand spokesman Howard Tong, “and many clubs have funded immunization programmes in countries such as India which became polio free last year. Clubs have also sent members overseas to take part in immunization campaigns. There are now just three countries - Nigeria, Pakistan and Afghanistan – where polio cases still occur. Hence the “this close” campaign.”

“I grew up in a Rotary family. My grandfather was very passionate and dedicated to Rotary,” Psy said. “He had a big heart and always inspired me to help others.”

In addition to the advertising spots, Psy has also joined Rotary’s innovative campaign to develop the World's Biggest Commercial to raise public awareness about polio eradication. Participants simply upload photos of themselves making the “this close” gesture with their fingers – as in, “We are this close to ending polio” – to the ever-expanding promotional spot at Rotary’s End Polio Now website.

Eradicating polio has been Rotary’s top priority for more than two decades. Rotary has partnered the World Health Organization, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and UNICEF, and in recent times this have been supported by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, which has donated hundreds of millions of dollars to the cause

Rotary club members worldwide have contributed more than $1.2 billion and countless volunteer hours to the polio eradication effort. The incidence of polio infection has plunged from about 350,000 cases in 1988 to 222 reported cases in 2012. More than two billion children have been immunized in 122 countries, preventing five million cases of paralysis and 250,000 paediatric deaths.

Mr Tong said that Rotary Clubs are out in the community this month as the organisation celebrates its 108th year as a service organisation.

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