Manuel Cordeiro’s This Close picture for the World’s Biggest Commercial.

By Manuel Cordeiro, member of the Rotary Club of Vila Real, Portugal

In January, I took on the responsibility of coordinating Portugal’s participation in the World´s Biggest Commercial video. After hearing from some fellow Rotarians, we followed a very simple strategy: involve the entire family of Rotary in this task.

I spoke with the representatives of Portugal’s Rotaract and Interact district and asked them for their collaboration. From the first minute, their commitment was total. I added my own photo, at the time the sixth from Portugal. I uploaded pictures from my family, photos of club members, their spouses, past governors, their spouses, students at my university, and so on.

We began to take pictures during all Rotary events. We took pictures at the district conference, Rotaract conference, Interact conference. We also carried on our campaign for participants during work and non-Rotarian events we took part in. At my college, our district governor joined Rotaractors and Interactors in giving a presentation to more than 800 students about Rotary and the polio eradication campaign. A video of the presentation was televised at the University. Getting youth involved was the key to our success.

You can learn more about our project at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=79O5p7rva6s&feature=share. The result of the campaign has been outstanding. Portugal now ranks as the country with the second most entries to the World’s Biggest Commercial, behind only Spain. Together we have uploaded more than 13,400 pictures. Help us make the world polio-free.

• Join the effort to make the World’s Biggest Commercial.
• Learn more about Rotary’s efforts to eradicate polio.
• Find ways you can help Rotary advocate for a polio free world.
• Contribute to End Polio Now.