Gates Foundation and Partners Mark 2011 World Polio Day | Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation

SEATTLE -- On this year’s World Polio Day (October 24, 2011), the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and a global community of partners are calling for increased commitment and greater accountability from political leaders to end polio, and for supporters around the world to lend their voices to the fight. 

“We have an extraordinary opportunity to eradicate polio but we need greater global commitment, leadership, and funding,” said Bill Gates, co-chair of the Gates Foundation. “We work with exceptional partners like Rotary, FC Barcelona and the Global Poverty Project to help keep polio a priority.”

Two decades ago, polio killed or paralyzed 350,000 children a year worldwide. Since then, lifesaving vaccines have dramatically reduced the spread of polio. They are one of the best long-term investments to prevent disease and give children a healthy start to life.

Today, the world is 99 percent of the way there.  But recent outbreaks in places like China and Chad, as well as persistent challenges in Nigeria and Pakistan, remind us that if there is polio anywhere, there is a risk of polio everywhere.

Note to Editors:
Activities will take place around the world in recognition of World Polio Day and the importance of polio eradication.

High-resolution still photography and footage will be available here: www.gatesfoundation.org/press-room/Pages/news-market.aspx.

Follow these links to find out more about how the foundation and partners are calling attention to polio:

October 22, Barcelona, Spain
FC Barcelona will run a series of activities during their match against Sevilla. FCB players will wear “End Polio” jerseys in honor of World Polio Day.

October 24, Tokyo, Japan
Gates Foundation and local partners will conduct numerous polio-related activities surrounding the Asia-Pacific dialogue for health strategy alignment including the illumination of the Tokyo Tower.

October 24, Washington, D.C.
Bill Gates and representatives from Rotary International will gather to encourage US leaders to continue their support for polio eradication efforts.

October 24, Seattle, Washington
Gates Foundation encourages supporters around the world to join the fight against polio.

October 28-30, Perth, Australia
The End of Polio concert headlined by John Legend in Perth, Australia will be the first of many polio-related activities on the agenda in the lead up to the 2011 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting.