Singapore: Internationally-renowned Hong Kong action star Mr Donnie Yen has joined the growing roster of public figures and celebrities to participate in Rotary's 'This Close' public awareness campaign for polio eradication.

Mr Yen, an Asian superstar who gained world fame with Ip Man, Wu Xia and many other classics, will help Rotary achieve its goal of a polio-free world by raising his thumb and forefinger in the 'this close' gesture in the ad with the tagline "we're this close to ending polio".

Mr Yen said, "I decided to become a Rotary ambassador for polio eradication because polio kills or paralyzes young children and Rotary is committed to ending this terrible disease worldwide. I also learned that the world has never been so close to eradication of polio since the mid 80's thanks to the vigorous efforts of Rotary International and its partners."

Rotary club has partnered with Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation in the campaign for polio eradication. The Gates Foundation will match two-to-one, up to $35 million per year for every dollar that Rotary commits, in order to reduce the funding shortfall for polio eradication through 2018. It will help provide world's governments with the $5.5 billion needed to finish the job and end polio forever.

The Rotary awareness campaign also features public figures and celebrities including Bill Gates, co-chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Nobel Peace Prize laureate Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu, action movie star Jackie Chan, boxing great Manny Pacquiao, Korean pop star Psy, golf legend Jack Nicklaus, conservationist Jane Goodall, premier violinist Itzhak Perlman, Grammy Award winners AR Rahman, Angelique Kidjo and Ziggy Marley, and peace advocate Queen Noor of Jordan.