District 1260 Attends High-Level Diplomatic Summit on Polio Eradication at the Aga Khan Centre

On Thursday, 22nd October 2026, Rotary Great Britain & Ireland convened at the Aga Khan Centre in Central London for a high-level diplomatic summit titled "Polio at a Crossroads: Global Cooperation in a Fragmented World". Held in advance of World Polio Day, the event provided a crucial platform to examine current global progress, geopolitical challenges, and strategic solutions in the fight to eradicate polio worldwide.

The event was co-hosted by His Excellency Iván Romero Martínez, Ambassador of Honduras to the UK and Dean of the Diplomatic Corps, alongside Rotary’s Judith Diment MBE, Vice Chair of the International PolioPlus Committee. The gathering brought together ambassadors and diplomatic representatives from more than 20 nations, including Austria, Bulgaria, Colombia, Cuba, Dominica, Gabon, Haiti, Honduras, Kyrgyzstan, Kenya, Malta, Mauritius, Mexico, Morocco, Nigeria, Paraguay, Senegal, Slovakia, Sri Lanka, Yemen, and Zambia.

District 1260 was proudly represented at the summit by District Governor Dr Kendal Pitt, Cheryl Law Past District Governorand Endowment and Major Gift Advisor, and District Membership Lead Amanda Joseph, with District Governor Elect Claudio Duran playing an instrumental role in  giving birth to the idea and using his extensive contacts to organise the event.

Keynote Address by the World Health Organization

The keynote address was delivered by Sona Bari, Manager of External Relations for the Global Polio Eradication Initiative at the World Health Organization (WHO). Ms Bari shared moving personal accounts alongside current global epidemiological data, praising Rotary members worldwide for their steadfast commitment to fundraising, public education, and advocacy.

During her address, Ms Bari commended creative fundraising initiatives from District 1260, highlighting the efforts of District Membership Lead Amanda Joseph, who organised a sponsored wing walk involving 12 participants to raise vital funds for PolioPlus.

Panel Discussion: Addressing the Path to 100% Eradication

Judith Diment moderated an expert panel featuring Bob Maskall (Rotary Great Britain & Ireland Chair), His Excellency Luis Bermúdez (Ambassador of Uruguay), His Excellency Iván Romero Martínez, Sona Bari, and Dr Chris O’Callaghan (UCL Hospital).

The panellists engaged in a rigorous discussion regarding the complex multi-faceted barriers that remain in achieving total eradication, including:

• Digital Misinformation: Countering anti-vaccine narrative campaigns across social media channels.

• Geopolitical Instability: Navigating conflict zones, border restrictions, and regional instability.

• Hard-to-Reach Communities: Accessing remote populations while respecting local cultural and religious sensitivities.

• Surveillance and Reporting: Maintaining robust global disease monitoring, field surveillance, and immediate reporting systems to detect and contain potential outbreaks.

A Continued Commitment to Global Health

Delegates from District 1260 departed the Aga Khan Centre reaffirmed in their determination to maintain momentum in the fight against polio. While global poliovirus cases have been reduced by over 99.9% since 1988, Rotary remains committed to ensuring immunisation, disease surveillance, and funding continue uninterrupted until every child in every country is safe from the disease.

For more information about District 1260 initiatives or to support the End Polio Now campaign, please visit our campaign pages or contact your local Rotary club.