Rotary was a key force in the men’s shed movement.There are now more than 1,000 men’s sheds across Australia. This video premiered at the Rotary International Convention in Sydney, Australia.

There’s plenty on the agenda for the final day of the 2014 Rotary Convention in Sydney.

Here are a few highlights:

• The fourth plenary session at 10 a.m. will preview next year’s convention in Sao Paulo, Brazil, and will include speeches from 2015-16 RI President K.R. “Ravi” Ravindran, Renee Saunders, senior public health advisor for the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and Ronald S. Kawadda, who will talk about New Generations.
• The convention will come to a close during the final plenary session at 4 p.m. 2014-15 RI President Gary C.K. Huang will outline his upcoming year as Rotary president, while President Ron Burton gives his closing remarks on his term in office. The TEN Tenors will entertain with their repertoire of rock opera.
• As the sun sets, make your way to the Sydney Showground for an Australian Bush Dance at 6 p.m.

Day 3 of the convention featured inspiring speeches by Paralympian and polio survivor Ade Adepitan, Foundation Alumni Award winner Maya Ajmera, and former Rotary Peace Fellow Mwila Chigaga. We got an update on where we stand with eradicating polio by Assistant Director-General of WHO Bruce Aylward. Plus a surprise announcement from Sir Emeka Offor who committed $1 million to PolioPlus.

Here are a few reactions outside the Allphones Arena after the third plenary:

I liked hearing from Ade. His speech was very good. I felt it was very off the cuff and genuine. I thought that was the most inspirational piece of the program. I learned a lot about where we are at with polio eradication. — Matthew Rich, Rotary Club of Northfield, Minnesota

It [third plenary] was extremely good with speakers who inspired us to keep our commitment to eradicating polio strong. It showed us that our great commitment to eradicating polio. We should be able to achieve this. All of the speakers were very, very good. I couldn’t identify any one speaker that was my favorite. They were all incredible. – Godfrey Egwau, Rotary Club of Soroti, Uganda

My favorite was Ade. His determination to do something and change his life was inspirational. He was really great. I learned a lot about the progress we’re making with polio eradication. I am a foundation alumni, so I really enjoyed hearing from the scholar recipient speakers. [Maya Ajmera; Mwila Chigaga]. And what they were able to accomplish with the little investment we [Rotary] were able to give them. – Alicia Cerruti, former Rotary Foundation Ambassadorial Scholar and member of the Rotary Club of Petaluma, California

Today, all the speakers were very good. But particularly Ade [Adepitan], he was just brilliant. His message was that polio eradication is possible. Bruce Aylward gave us a clear picture of what we have to do in Afghanistan, Nigeria, and Pakistan. I was happy to hear about the progress made in Nigeria. — Dr. R. Bharat, governor-nominee of District 3250 in India.

If you were there, share your thoughts about today’s speakers in the comments section.

Local primary school children listened this morning as RI Past President Bill Boyd, his wife, Lorna, and Australian author Nicole S. Kelly read children’s story books in Rotary’s Labyrinth for Literacy. The children, from Jarjum College and Mount Carmel in Sydney, were delighted when they learned they would also receive a book of their own to take home. The Literacy Rotarian Action Group organized the event as part of Rotary’s convention.