AFRO-NETS> Nelson Mandela and musicians join forces in the fight against AIDS

[Dieter Neuvians MD <neuvians@mweb.co.za>]

Nelson Mandela and musicians join forces in the fight against AIDS
------------------------------------------------------------------
 
A tragedy of unprecedented proportions is unfolding in Africa. 
AIDS today in Africa is claiming more lives than the sum total of 
all wars, famine s and floods and the ravages of such deadly dis-
eases as Malaria. We must act now for the sake of the world
 
On 21 October 2003 Nelson Mandela launched a worldwide music-led 
campaign in London to raise awareness of the devastating impact 
of AIDS in Africa, and call on citizens around the world to take 
action by pressurizing their governments to respond to AIDS as an 
international emergency.
 
The 46664 campaign is calling for:
 
- people to join a global petition via local call-in numbers on 
which they can hear songs written by contributing artists, con-
tribute directly to the fight against AIDS in Africa, and be di-
rected to the 46664 website to hear more music; purchase exclu-
sive 46664 tracks; download ringtones; make donations and leave 
their e-mail addresses.
 
- all governments to declare a global AIDS emergency. This means 
developed country governments must give much more money to the 
Global Fund to fig ht AIDS, and the global community should 
strive to get 3 million people living with AIDS on lifesaving 
anti-retrovirals by 2005.
 
46664 was the prison number of Nelson Mandela on Robben Island, 
Cape Town where he was held in captivity for 18 years. The issue 
in South Africa then was Apartheid. The issue today across the 
continent is AIDS. 30 million people in Africa are currently im-
prisoned by the HIV virus, a death sentence among the poor due to 
lack of affordable medicines - since the start of the pandemic 2 
decades ago, 17 million Africans have died.
 
The "46664 Give 1 minute of your life to Stop AIDS" campaign com-
bines a ground-breaking music launch on the web and phone net-
works around the world, an all star concert in South Africa, fol-
lowed by a CD and DVD.
 
The first track 46664 (Long Walk to Freedom) written by Bono, 
Dave Stewart and the late Joe Strummer and performed by Bono, 
Youssou Dour, Abdel and Dave Stewart has been released and in a 
music industry first and will only be available throughout the 
world via telephone lines, then subsequently on the web at 
http://www.46664.com . Audiences can listen by dialling different 
numbers throughout the world, which will in most countries incor-
porate the five digits 46664.
 
Telephone networks around the globe are also joining in the cam-
paign, with AT&T providing the service in the USA. Additional to 
the music, callers will hear messages from celebrities such as 
Beyonce, Robert De Niro, Britney Spears, Pink and David Bowie. 
Simply by phoning the appropriate number callers will join a 
global petition. They will further be invited to visit the cam-
paign website where they will be able to register and give their 
e-mail address adding their support to the call urging govern-
ments to fully fund AIDS.
 
In the UK all telephone users can call a premium line using the 
number 09060-1-46664. The fund raising element will vary from 
country to country, with the Nelson Mandela Foundation being the 
ultimate beneficiary. The Foundation will apply funds raised in 
its work which provides key services on AIDS in South Africa 
where 25 per cent of the population has HIV.
 
46664 The Concert in association with MTVs Staying Alive takes 
place at Greenpoint Stadium in Cape Town on November 29th, the 
weekend before World AIDS Day. 40,000 people will attend the 4-
hour show, which will be broadcast free to hundreds of millions 
around the world via TV, webcast and radio. In South Africa, SABC 
will broadcast the entire show live. Highlights will premiere on 
MTV channels globally on World AIDS Day - 1st December - and will 
be made available rights free at no cost to all TV and radio 
broadcasters worldwide to a potential audience of more than two 
billion people. The European Broadcasting Union and the Asian 
Broadcasting Union will distribute the programme to its member 
broadcasters. The internet webcast will be distributed worldwide 
by Tiscali to the world's most important portals and ISPs, making 
it the biggest music web event in history.
 
As well as stars from the world of music, 46664 is supported by 
such international figures as Bill Clinton and Oprah Winfrey.
 
To date those who have committed to joining leading African art-
ists inc lude Anastacia, Baaba Maal, Beyonce, Bono, Johnny Clegg, 
The Corrs, Eurythmi cs, Moloko, Paul Oakenfold featuring Shifty 
Shell Shock and TC, Ladysmith B lack Mombaza, Queen, and Zuc-
chero.
 
46664 The CD and 46664 The DVD are planned for release early 
2004. Proceeds will benefit the global fight against AIDS, and 
will encourage customers to join the global petition.

--
To send a message to AFRO-NETS, write to: afro-nets@healthnet.org
To subscribe or unsubscribe, write to: majordomo@healthnet.org
in the body of the message type: subscribe afro-nets OR unsubscribe afro-nets
To contact a person, send a message to: afro-nets-help@healthnet.org
Information and archives: http://www.afronets.org