THE TOWER of Refuge in Douglas Bay has been transformed and is bathed in purple light as part of a Rotary Club campaign to highlight the eradication of polio.
The purple lighting has been switched on earlier than expected to publicise a series of fund-raising events on the Island during this week.
It is part of Rotary International's ‘Thanks For Life’ campaign with the colour purple chosen because medical teams stain children's little fingers with a purple dye to show they have been immunised.
The campaign is the final push in the club's plan to remove polio from the four countries where it is prevalent. At the same time Rotary clubs around the world will be carrying out similar projects by lighting up buildings in the colour purple to bring worldwide attention to the polio problem. New York’s Stock Exchange, Rome’s Trevi Fountain and India’s Charminar monument in Hyderabad will all be lit up in purple as part of this week’s campaign.
Over the last 20 years, polio cases have been cut by 99%, and the condition is close to being eradicated. Rotary International has been campaigning for 20 years to eradicate polio and say they are “on the brink” of success. “However, a strong push is needed now to root it out once and for all. It is a window of opportunity of historic proportions.”
Rotary is planning to raise $200 million to match the $355 million donated by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation with all the money going to directly support an immunisation programme in developing countries such as Afghanistan, India, Nigeria and Pakistan where the disease is still endemic.
In addition to the landmark light displays, the public can join global celebrities online including Microsoft chairman Bill Gates, Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Desmond Tutu, violinist Itzhak Perlman, Queen Noor of Jordan, actor Jackie Chan, Grammy Award-winning singers Angelique Kidjo and Ziggy Marley, golfer Jack Nicklaus, and environmentalist Dr. Jane Goodall as part of Rotary’s "This Close" advertising campaign at www.thisclose.net.
photo: Bill Dale www.isleofmanphotos.com
