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e-Newsletter Article 6 WORLD
AIDS DAY; Twenty-two charities come together at London Eye to campaign against
AIDS By Carolyne Culver 40 million people are living
with HIV/AIDS today: 95 per cent of who live in the
developing world. Six young people become infected with HIV every minute.
The epidemic claims 8,000 lives every day, and has orphaned more than
13 million children world-wide. These are just some of the startling facts
to emerge from events commemorating this year's World AIDS Day. But unity in
the face of the epidemic is the key message to emerge this
year. Under the banner of the
Stop AIDS Campaign 22 charities came together for the Stop AIDS Revolution
on the London Eye on Tuesday, November 26, 2002. The high
profile media event attracted a multitude of celebrities,
politicians and HIV/AIDS activists who made
personal pledges to campaign to Stop
AIDS. R&B diva
Beverley Knight and legendary singer/songwriter Joan Armatrading
were joined by actors
Michelle Collins, Liz Smith and Andrew Lincoln, tap-dancing legend Lionel
Blair, comedian Hugh Dennis and impressionist Faith Brown for the event. Celebrities and
development activists from HIV/AIDS and development charities
were joined by UK and
international politicians, representatives of the United Nations and journalists
on the London Eye to discuss the ongoing fight against AIDS and this
year's World AIDS Day theme: stigma and discrimination. After their
spin on the Eye, celebrities, politicians and activists alike
made personal pledges
about what they will do to Stop AIDS, and stamped hand prints on a giant pledge
board to signify their renewed determination to raise consciousness, overcome
stigma and fight the spread of HIV/AIDS. Actress
Michelle Collins said: "The government needs to do more to raise
awareness of HIV/AIDS
with a massive advertising campaign." Joan Armatrading said: "I
will wear my red ribbon and keep up the message." Liberal
Democrat MP Evan Harris said: "I will volunteer in HIV/AIDS vaccine trials." And Sister
Bliss of acclaimed band Faithless said: "I will look after my
nearest and dearest who
are affected." The Stop AIDS Revolution marked the first
anniversary of the Stop AIDS Campaign
and was the first major awareness-raising event organised by the 22 charities
that make up the campaign. The Campaign is
calling for the UK government to commit at least $1billion
per year to combating HIV/AIDS
internationally, and to champion the cancellation of debt in the
developing world to reduce poverty and allow countries to focus their
spending where it is most needed. The Campaign also wants the UK government to
promote a more transparent approach to treatment access so that developing
countries can pay less for medicines than richer nations do. The Stop AIDS
Revolution has helped push the issue of HIV/AIDS back into the
consciousness of people in the
UK, and the Campaign will continue to fight to overcome complacency about
an epidemic which is killing millions of people - the overwhelming
majority of whom live in the developing world. |
