Rotary convention kicks off at Stampede Park with House of Friendship grand opening
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Thousands of Rotarians from around the world gathered at Stampede Park on Saturday to kick off their annual convention.
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Rotary International, a worldwide service organization, boasts more than a million volunteer members with a common goal of making change both within their communities and globally. More than 15,000 Rotary members, visiting from more than 120 countries, are expected to gather in Calgary for this year's convention, which runs June 21-25.
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The convention's scheduled sessions and events officially begin on Sunday, but thousands gathered for the grand opening of its House of Friendship — a gathering place for attendees throughout the conference — on Saturday morning. Hundreds of booths display Rotary's many humanitarian projects, partner organizations and fellowship opportunities for members to get involved with.
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Rotary International's core priority, the eradication of polio, was a featured exhibit at the House of Friendship. Over the last 35 years, Rotary has helped to reduce polio cases by 99.9 per cent globally.
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'We've made tremendous progress, but we're not quite there,' said Carol Pandak, director of Rotary's PolioPlus program.
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'We need to continue to fundraise, raise awareness and advocate with governments, both those affected by polio and the donor governments, to make polio eradication a priority,' Pandak said.
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This year's convention also saw the instalment of a permanent peace pole — Rotary's symbol of peace and unity — at the Hilton Garden Inn in downtown Calgary.
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'It brings people with the same values together,' she said. 'When you come to an event like this, you know that you're meeting with people who are just like you and who want to make the world better.'
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