Guest guest Posted May 17, 2006 Report Share Posted May 17, 2006 `We All Have AIDS' Preeti Raghunath, Tuesday, May 16, 2006 19:19 IST " It is great to be known for your shoes. It is even better to be recognised for your soul, " says renowned American designer and humanitarian, Cole. Not surprisingly, this mantra comes to light in his brand new campaign, the `We All Have AIDS' crusade. One of the first designers to speak out about HIV/AIDS back in 1985, Cole is the driving force behind it. What's unique is the people supporting `We All Have AIDS' – Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Will , , Sharon Stone, Mandela, Dr Suniti , Tom Hanks, Judd, Whoopi Goldberg…the impressive list goes on. " It's an ambitious campaign. It should reach more than one billion people worldwide and become the largest public service announcement addressing this devastating epidemic in its history, " says Cole, who's also the chairman of amfAR (American Foundation for AIDS Research). The spectacular photograph had the activists shot individually by Mark Seliger. " Each checked their ego at the door and came together to unite for this campaign, " Cole avers. The campaign was done in conjunction with Viacom Inc and the Kaiser Family Foundation. When celebs are involved, it attracts more attention and when heavyweights are involved, it more than turns heads. " Their message is a powerful display of the solidarity we share with the 40 million men, women, and children living with the disease around the world. " Talking about the stigma associated with HIV and AIDS, Cole says, " Rather than focus on prevention, care or a cure, we should fight stigma — easily the most solvable of the problems. Unfortunately, yes, it will always be there but hopefully this campaign will bring new awareness. " Cole feels it's time for groups in India to work on certain aspects. " Because of India's population, the country's low HIV prevalence masks a potentially catastrophic epidemic. Groups should focus on preventing HIV transmission, talking openly about how to stay safe, and reducing the stigma that keeps people from testing, care and treatment. " r_preeti@... http://www.dnaindia.com/report.asp?NewsID=1029608 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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