The Student Global AIDS Campaign (SGAC) has planned a series of fundraising, advocacy and awareness-raising events for World AIDS Week, set to begin today. The week will culminate with a vigil and concert on Thursday, which is World AIDS day.
The week's theme — "Keep the promise, fight AIDS" — points to the failure of the U.S. to fulfill past pledges of financial support to the Global AIDS Fund, SGAC president Zahir Kanjee '06 said.
"The Fund is an unbelievable organization that does unbelievable work, but it's really cash-strapped," he said. "We'll be selling T-shirts, collecting change and having a raffle, all at the Frist tables. We're also hoping to do advocacy and have people sign letters to send to senators."
Screenings of two documentaries— "Ithuteng" ("Never Stop Learning") and "The Orphans of Nkandla" — will focus attention on the experience of teenagers and children affected by the AIDS epidemic in South Africa.
Guest speakers and panels throughout the week will discuss the current situation in Africa, as well as the experience of HIV-positive individuals in the United States.
Thursday, which marks World AIDS day, will feature a memorial vigil at the University Chapel, and a benefit concert with rock band Lovedrug at Colonial Club with a suggested donation of $5 at the door.
Beyond the week
The SGAC has been planning the events since the beginning of the year, but members stress that World AIDS Week is only part of its mission.
"We don't want to be just a 'one week' organization," Kanjee said. "AIDS is a problem every week of the year, and we are involved before and after trying to bring the issues to the campus' attention."
Last week, SGAC organized an advocacy campaign in front of Frist Campus Center, encouraging almost 200 students to call Sen. Bill Frist '74 (R-Tenn.) from their cell phones. It was part of a nationwide movement pressuring the federal government to use emergency allocation funds for AIDS-fighting measures across the globe.
"The Senate right now is discussing funding allocation for the global fund for AIDS, TB and malaria," Kanjee said. "The U.S. has consistently said it would fund one-third of the global fund need, but looking at the numbers this year, we're coming up quite short. We need another $150 million."
The SGAC is also planning an AIDS science conference in the spring in conjunction with the Wilson School's Princeton AIDS Initiative.
"Students should care because this is to a great extent the moral crisis and challenge of our generation," Kanjee said.
"We're going to be judged on how we respond to it, and I hope that when we look back, we'll realize we did something when there was a lot of need."
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