Dial 082 1 46664 or connect to www.46664.com or www.tiscali.co.za/46664 NOW and join the global petition. Nelson Mandela and musicians join forces in the fight against AIDS in SA.
Concert event to be broadcast on the Internet live on 29 November by Tiscali and on MTV globally on World AIDS Day and offered rights free at no cost to all TV, radio broadcasters and Internet partners.
"A tragedy of unprecedented proportions is unfolding in Africa. AIDS today in Africa is claiming more lives than the sum total of all wars, famines and floods and the ravages of such deadly diseases as Malaria. We must act now for the sake of the world. AIDS is no longer a disease, it is a human rights issue." Nelson Mandela - International Aids Conference - Paris 2003.
Nelson Mandela today in London launched a worldwide music-led campaign to raise awareness of the devastating impact of AIDS in Africa, and call on citizens around the world to take action by pressurising 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, contribute directly to the fight against AIDS in Africa, and be directed to the 46664 Web site to hear more music; purchase exclusive 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 fight AIDS, and the global community should strive to get 3 million people living with AIDS on lifesaving antiretrovirals 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 SA then was apartheid. The issue today across the continent is AIDS. 30 million people in Africa are currently imprisoned by the HIV virus, a death sentence among the poor due to lack of affordable medicines - since the start of the pandemic two decades ago, 17 million Africans have died.
The 46664 - `Give one minute of your life to Stop AIDS` campaign combines a ground-breaking music launch on the Web and phone networks around the world, an all star concert in SA, followed 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 N`Dour, Abdel and Dave Stewart is released today - and in a music industry first, will only be available throughout the world via telephone lines, then subsequently on the Web at www.46664.com powered by Tiscali. Audiences can listen by dialling different numbers throughout the world, which will in most countries incorporate the five digits 46664.
Telephone networks around the globe are also joining in the campaign, with AT&T providing the service in the US. 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 campaign Web site where they will be able to register and give their e-mail address adding their support to the call urging governments 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 SA where 25% of the population has HIV.
46664 - The Concert in association with MTV`s Staying Alive takes place at Greenpoint Stadium in Cape Town on 29 November, the weekend before World AIDS Day. 40 000 people will attend the three-hour show, which will be broadcast free to hundreds of millions around the world via TV, Webcast and radio. In SA, 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 artists include Anastacia, Baaba Maal, Beyonce, Bono, Johnny Clegg, The Corrs, Eurythmics, Moloko, Paul Oakenfold featuring Shifty Shell Shock and TC, Ladysmith Black Mombaza, Queen, and Zucchero.
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.
The 46664 campaign was conceived by Dave Stewart and put into place in partnership with the Mandela Foundation and Brian May and Roger Taylor of Queen. Global media partners include Tiscali and MTV Staying Alive, industry partners include Coca-Cola, BBC World Service, Virgin Atlantic, SABC, Fedex and The Fleming Media Group.
Dave Stewart says: "We have a wonderful opportunity to raise money and awareness through global telephone networks and the Internet. It is so simple."
Brian May says: "We are aiming to lay the foundation for a campaign that will achieve a massive kick in awareness. It`s early days - nothing of this is guaranteed to be within our power to achieve. But we are all excited and hopeful."
Roger Taylor says: "46664 is a very exciting and rather noble project. AIDS is the most important issue facing Africa today and through awareness we can do something about it. Give one minute of your life to stop AIDS and add to the snowball of awareness."
Give one minute of your life to stop AIDS. Dial 082 1 46664 NOW and join the global petition and go online to make a donation at www.46664.com.
HIV/AIDS in Africa:
* There are currently 11 million AIDS orphans in Africa - unless we take urgent action now, there will be at least 25 million by the end of the decade.
* Of the 30 million Africans affected, 4.1 million are going to die in the near-term unless they get access to affordable treatment. Only 50 000 Africans are currently on antiretroviral drugs (ARVs).
* Kofi Annan, Secretary General of the United Nations, has called for at least $10 billion a year to fight Global AIDS - last year, the international community spent under half of this. By 2005, at least $15 billion will be needed.
* The World Health Organisation has called for 3 million people in the poorest countries to be put on life-saving ARVs by 2005. This will be impossible unless much more money, and much cheaper medicines are both made available on an emergency basis.
* The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB and Malaria needs $3 billion for next year to fund life-saving programmes in Africa and other poor regions. Currently, there is less than $900 million in pledges from donor countries.
* Last year, Europe and America spent in the region of $3.6 billion on global AIDS. Europe spent $11 billion on ice cream. America spent $8 billion on cosmetics.
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