Gibraltar set to mark World Polio Day with local event and purple lighting of Moorish Castle

Gibraltar will join the global observance of World Polio Day on Thursday, October 24, in support of international efforts to eradicate the disease.

The day is led by Rotary International to raise awareness of polio, a virus that once paralysed hundreds of thousands of children annually. Significant progress has been made towards eradication, with support from the Rotary Foundation and its global partners. The Foundation has invested more than $4 billion in projects aimed at protecting children and transforming communities worldwide.

Locally, the Rotary Club of Gibraltar will host a community event on Saturday, October 25, from 11.30am to 1.30pm outside The Wine Shop on Main Street. The public are invited to take part by enjoying a glass of wine and having one fingernail painted purple, the colour symbolising the global fight to end polio. The activity will be supported by Claire from C&R Beauty Studio.

As part of the awareness campaign, the Moorish Castle will be illuminated in purple from October 24 to 26, representing Gibraltar’s solidarity with the international movement to end polio.

The event will also feature local polio survivor Eric Rowbottom, who continues to support Rotary’s mission and share his personal story to inspire others.

According to Rotary, a donation of just 45 pence can provide a lifetime of protection against polio for one child.