Governor General, Sir Patrick Allen, has been presented with the Rotary International’s Paul Harris Fellowship.

He was one of three persons bestowed with the prestigious honour during the Rotary Club of Kingston’s luncheon held at The Jamaica Pegasus hotel in New Kingston on Thursday.

Two others are Rotarians, Major (Ret’d) Effiom Whyte and Kenneth Wilson.

Named after the founder of Rotary International, the Paul Harris fellowship is conferred on individuals in recognition of their contribution to the work of the Rotary Foundation.

These include an array of projects that are funded, implemented and managed by Rotarians and Rotary Clubs around the world that safeguard and invigorate the lives of people and enhance international friendship and understanding.

The Governor General, in his remarks at the presentation ceremony, said that the Rotary Club in Jamaica has distinguished itself as a premier organisation in nation-building through service and charity.

He noted that Paul Harris had a desire to serve, and as such, spawned an organisation that is known worldwide for promoting peace, fighting diseases, delivering clean water, and saving mothers and children.

He said that the work of the Rotary is reminiscent of his ‘I Believe’ Initiative and congratulated the entity for carrying on the “rich legacy of Paul Harris”, whose work is a reminder that “we all have it in us – the seed of greatness”.

He cited the group’s work in community development and youth engagement as “good examples that we all can do well to emulate”.

Each new Paul Harris Fellow receives a commemorative certificate and a lapel pin.

The certificate states that the person has been named a Paul Harris Fellow in appreciation of tangible and significant assistance given for the furtherance of better understanding and friendly relations among peoples of the world.

The Paul Harris Fellow pin is worn with pride to show that the wearer has contributed either substantial effort or funds to the Rotary Foundation, an organisation that strives to bring peace to the world through the programmes it implements.

In recent years, close to US$60 million a year has been spent on humanitarian programmes, US$17 million for education, and in excess of US$100 million to achieve the Rotary Foundation’s goal of completely eradicating polio worldwide.