Rotary International District 9350
Media Release
February 22nd 2010
Rotary Auctions One-Off Football
In a unique campaign geared to giving polio 'the boot' in Africa, Rotary International District 9350 will, on
Tuesday evening, Feb 23rd, auction a one-of-a-kind football autographed by Archbishop Emeritus Desmond
Tutu and 22 prominent African champions of polio eradication. The auction will form part of celebrations
marking the 105th Birthday of Rotary International and the proclamation by Mayor Dan Plato, earlier in the
day, of Rotary Day in Cape Town.
In a campaign which will draw attention to Rotary's message to "Kick Polio Out of Africa" the ball will on
Tuesday night, commence a trans-African journey from Cape Town to Cairo crossing 22 polio affected
nations en route. The ball will be signed by the chairperson of each nation's Rotary International PolioPlus
and its journey will conclude at a presentation to Rotary International President John Kenny at the Rotary
International Conference in Montreal in June.
Said prominent Cape Town auctioneer, Jonathan Smiedt, of the ClareMart Auction Group, "This is an
incredible opportunity for football lovers and collectors of sports memorabilia. Something as historic as
this will never come around again. The Archbishop is an iconic figure to South Africans and is well known
and loved around the world and with Rotary's dedication to this campaign it will not be long before polio in
Africa is history. The successful bidder will have acquired a totally unique piece of African football history.
Coming so close to the FIFA 2010 World Cup, what could be more memorable?"
Members of the public are encouraged to attend the Rotary Day celebrations at the V&A Amphitheatre at
19:15 on Tuesday Feb 23rd. The event will be officiated by Deputy Mayor Ian Neilson. The Old Port
Captain's Office will also be lit with the message of Rotary to Kick Polio out of Africa making it one of seven
international landmarks lit for the occasion.
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After the auction, the successful bidder will join auctioneer Jonathan Smiedt, Ajax Goalie Hans Vonk and
Captain Brett Evans on stage, as Vonk sends the ball on its trans-Africa journey.
ENDS
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About Polio
Polio is a crippling and potentially fatal infectious disease. Polio (poliomyelitis) still strikes children, mainly
under the age of five, in countries in Asia, Africa, and the Middle East. Polio can cause paralysis and
sometimes death the paralysis onset advancing within hours and almost always being irreversible. Because
there is no cure for polio, the best protection is prevention. For as little as US$0.60 worth of vaccine, a child
can be protected against this crippling disease for life. Historically, polio has been the world’s greatest
cause of disability. If polio isn’t eradicated more than 10 million children will be paralyzed in the next 40
years.
Polio Related Links World Health Organisation
www.polioeradication.org
Rotary International
www.rotary.org/endpolio
Polio Survivors
http://www.disabled-world.com/artman/publish/famous-polio.shtml
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_poliomyelitis_survivors
http://www.survivorsofpolio.com
World Landmark Lighting Locations Cape Town The Historic Old Port Captain’s Office at the V&A Waterfront with world-famous Table Mountain as the
backdrop
Cairo, Egypt Pyramid of Khafre (Giza)
Taipei, Taiwan Taipei Arena
Galicia, Spain Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela
Buenos Aires, Argentina Obelisk
Marathon, Greece Marathon Memorial Battlefield Dam, overlooking the historic site of the 490BC Battle of Marathon
Caserta, Italy Royal Palace
Chicago, USA Wrigley Building
About Rotary International
Founded in Chicago in 1905, Rotary is a worldwide organization of more than 1.2 million business, professional, and
community leaders. Members of Rotary clubs, known as Rotarians, provide humanitarian service, encourage high
ethical standards in all vocations, and help build goodwill and peace in the world. There are 32,000 Rotary clubs in
more than 200 countries and geographical areas. As signified by the motto ‘Service above Self’, Rotary’s main
objective is service in the community, in the workplace and throughout the world. For further information, visit
www.rotary.org.
About Rotary International District 9350
District 9350, one of the largest of eight Rotary Districts in Southern Africa, covers an area spanning Angola, Namibia
and much of the Cape. Over 60 clubs and more than 1,300 Rotarians enjoy weekly meetings at venues throughout the
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District. Namibian and Angolan Rotarians are regularly involved as volunteers in National Immunisation Day activities
in their regions. For further information visit www.rotary9350.co.za.
Issued By / Media Contact (Rotarian) Janey Ball
Telephone 021 434-9104
Mobile 082 378 7800
Email janey@iafrica.com
“As an international community, we have few opportunities to do something that is
unquestionably good for every country and every child, in perpetuity.
Polio eradication is one of these opportunities.”
Dr Margaret Chan
World Health Organization Director-General
“We are calling on the continent's football players to bring their enormous influence to this campaign. Only unified
efforts which galvanise whole societies towards these goals will succeed in kicking this virus, that looks so much like a
football, out of Africa and eventually, out of the world.”
Former President Nelson Mandela
1996 address to the Organisation for African Unity Summit. Launch of the “Kick Polio out of Africa”.
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