Call for Participation in the 2000 International AIDS Candlelight Memorial

The Global Health Council welcomes your involvement in the 17th annual International AIDS Candlelight Memorial, Sunday, May 21st, 2000. Any individual or group may coordinate a local observance of the Candlelight. Coordinating a local observance can raise community awareness of the local impact of HIV and AIDS, and of local services and volunteer opportunities. The size and focus of each local observance is determined by the local event coordinator.

The Global Health Council provides materials to all local event coordinators to make their coordination efforts easier and more effective.

The International AIDS Candlelight Memorial honors the memory of those lost to AIDS, shows support for those living with HIV and AIDS, raises community awareness of HIV/AIDS, and mobilizes community involvement in the fight against HIV/AIDS. Last year, the event was observed in over 300 locations in 43 nations on every continent but Antarctica. This year's theme is: "Break the Silence: Honor Every Death, Value Every Life."

The History of the Event

The original International AIDS Candlelight Memorial was held in 1983, when the cause of AIDS was unknown and no more than a few thousand AIDS deaths had been recorded. The organizers wished to honor the memory of those lost to AIDS and to demonstrate support for those living with AIDS. That remains the focus of the event today.

Since 1983 the pandemic has claimed more than 16 million lives, with about 34 million now living with HIV and AIDS. As HIV continues to ravage communities around the world, the Candlelight has increasingly become a way for communities to take action by publicly mourning loved ones lost to AIDS, and by strengthening local and national commitments to fighting the pandemic. In small communities, it can help to increase awareness, understanding, volunteerism, and fundraising. In large cities, it brings together a diverse spectrum of people who care about AIDS. In all cases, the event creates a sense of global solidarity, and generates worldwide media attention.

The Nature of the Event

Each local coordinator has the opportunity to tailor the Candlelight to the particular needs of the local community. In some towns people gather at parks, a civic centers or a places of worship to mourn those...

The Malaysian AIDS Foundation launched a 10-day-long event in Kuala Lumpur, including AIDS awareness exhibitions, forums, performances by nationally famous actors, and outreach in the Central Market, a popular youth hang-out, culminating in a rally in Kuala Lumpur's Independence Square.

In Lansing, Michigan, USA, an AIDS Memorial Grove was dedicated, the Edgewood Sacred Dance Group performed to the African-American spiritual "Sometimes I Feel Like a Motherless Child," and participants sang "Lift Every Voice and Sing" while marching to the edge of the Grand River, where they placed their candles on the water.

In London, England, a coalition of 32 AIDS organizations led several thousand people in an Act of Remembrance in the church of St. Martin-in-the-Fields, followed by a candlelight vigil in Trafalgar Square.

In Portland, Oregon, USA, event participants listened to musical groups including folk singers Lynn Anderson and Richard Columbo and the Portland Gay Men's Chorus. Activities in Portland included the reading of proclamations from the Governor and the Mayor, Taiko drumming, the presentation of AIDS Memorial Quilt panels, the tolling of a bell for those who have died, and a Dixieland-jazz funeral procession led by dancers who draped a casket and performed a symbolic dance for hope.

In Caracas, Venezuela three choruses accompanied a candlelight procession from the Lutheran Church to a public square, where balloons bearing the names of the dead were released. The planning of the event led to the creation of a Network of all HIV/AIDS organizations in the Caracas area.

"La Caminata Nocturna Silenciosa," the Silent Night Walk, proceeded from El Angel de la Independencia to the Plaza de la Constitucion in downtown Mexico City, Mexico. Organizers chose the slogan "With the Voice of Life, Death Silence will be broken." Participating organizations staffed information booths, and the event included theater, dancing, singing and music.

The event may also serve as a fund-raiser for the coordinating organization or for other worthy beneficiaries. Funds may be raised in a variety of ways, such as through sponsorship pledges from local businesses, and through collection baskets and the sale of candles and refreshments at the event itself. The event may also be used to raise awareness of the need for volunteers. The event coordination kit provides suggestions on how to raise both funds and awareness through the event.

Materials and Support

Global Health Council provides Candlelight coordinators in each participating city with a complete event coordination kit. The kit includes full-color posters, graphics for reproduction on letterhead and event programs, flyers for photocopying and distribution, sample press releases and public service announcements for newspapers and radio and television stations, sample invitations to public officials, and a step-by-step guide with suggestions for local event coordination and fundraising. The Global Health Council also stays in contact with local event coordinators by phone, e-mail and fax to answer any questions that come up along the way.

Registration

Groups that can afford it are asked to contribute a registration payment of $100 to cover expenses, but nobody has to pay to participate. Support from organizations who can contribute to the Candlelight allows the Global Health Council to waive this payment for groups with small or non-existent budgets. The Global Health Council is committed to making it possible for local groups to participate in the Candlelight.

Registration is simple. Please print out and complete the attached registration form by February 15th, 2000 to participate in the 17th International AIDS Candlelight Memorial and send by fax: 202-833-0075 or by mail: Candlelight, Global Health Council, 1701 K St., NW, Suite 600, Washington, DC 20006-1503. You can also register online at http://www.hooked.net/~candle. You'll receive prompt confirmation of your registration and a complete event coordination kit. If by any chance your group has a thriving budget, you're invited to also become a Sponsor of the event.

If you would like more information or answers to any specific questions, please contact Meggan Cote, candlelight@globalhealth.org, Tel: 202-833-5900. Please visit the Candlelight website for a complete description of the event.

Note: Even if your organization can't participate as a local event coordinator, perhaps you know a person or organization in your area who might be interested in the opportunity. Please help us bring the benefits of the International AIDS Candlelight Memorial to your area. Thanks!