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The government of Guatemala awarded the Order of the Quetzal, the country's highest honor, to The Rotary Foundation last month, in recognition of Rotary's humanitarian work in Guatemala and its contributions to the campaign to eradicate polio.

During a ceremony on 2 September held in Guatemala, Minister of Foreign Affairs Luis Fernando Carrera Castro presented the award to Rotary International President-elect Gary C.K. Huang.

The Order of the Quetzal, established in 1936, recognizes officials and organizations from Guatemala and elsewhere for their work in the arts, sciences, politics, and humanitarian service. The Rotary Foundation received a badge on a sash necklace designating its rank of Grand Officer, one of six ranks. The badge, a ten-pointed cross with five branches and a medallion, represents the coat of arms of Guatemala.

"On behalf of all Rotarians and Rotary, we are honored by this award from the Guatemalan government," Huang says. "We want to share this with all Rotarians."

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(Editor's note: Our District has also been working in Guatemala through a Global Grant which has helped fund Semilla Nueva)