UNITED NATIONS NATIONS UNIES
THE SECRETARY-GENERAL
MESSAGE TO DANCE4LIFE Cape Town, 27 November 2004
Delivered by Dr. Nafis Sadik Special Envoy of the Secretary-General for HIV/AIDS in Asia and the Pacific
Young people are the key to the fight against HIV/AIDS. More than half of those newly infected with HIV today are between 15 and 24 years old. The future course of the epidemic depends on how well we can advance effective prevention among them, and ensure that treatment reaches those who are infected.
Already, young people are a driving force in this struggle. Where politicians fail to act, young people continually demonstrate the leadership and integrity needed to put AIDS on the agenda. While many adults seek the refuge of denial, young people have the courage to face the issue head-on. They are the ones who know best how to communicate and join together in a common cause. They are the ones who understand how to harness the power of information technology to a globally interconnected movement against HIV/AIDS.
Dance4Life is a wonderful example of how the talent and strength of young people can energize our struggle. It is in such mobilization of young people that the real heroes and heroines of the war against AIDS are to be found. It is our job to furnish them with knowledge and with hope. Let them move! Let them dance!
Kofi A. Annan
MAY 26 2005 It/' SEP 2 8 2004
JohanAllers To:
PQR-WKKD'lJE'1'^Tn'MrVTncenzo Pueliese> [email protected]
The Secretary General Mr Kofi Annan United Nations New York
Dear Mr Secretary General,
I refer to our telephone contact with Mt Vicenzo Pugliese.
I am writing to you on behalf of DANC4LIFE, a Dutch-based international Aids charity. The charity is supported, among many other local and international organisations, by the World Population Fund (WPF), UNAIDS and STOP AIDS NOW (SAN). Please see www.dance41ife.com for extensive information about the charity.
On the 27th November 2004 Dance4Life will stage a massive event which will bring 30 thousand South African children (in Green Point, Cape Town) together with 30 000 Dutch children in Arnhem, Holland, to simultaneously "dance41ife". The event will culminate in a three-hour live television show which will be hosted by the VARA (one of the biggest television networks here in The Netherlands), in which popular personalities will urge the viewing public to contribute money towards AIDS relief in South Africa. The hope is the children themselves as well as the television show will raise between 10 and 15 million rand for South African Aids charities.
Dance4Life aims to add the voice of the young to the struggle against Hiv-Aids through the international language of dance. Many international and South African and Dutch public personalities have already added their voices to the charity and the planned event, among them Archbishop Desmond Tutu. We would like to request you, as the Secretary General of the United Nations to join this event through a statement to be included in the three hour television programme. We know your commitment in the fight against Aids. You can be sure of ours.
Herwith the proposed statement: Proposed statement by Kofi Annan, Secretary General UNITED NATIONS for broadcast VARA (Dutch public Television) and SABC (South African Broadcasting Corporation) on the 27th November 2004. (25 to 30 seconds):
"We must give young people the tools to guard themselves against HIV and AIDS. To protect their future. There is a tool which is simple but effective: information. It is their right to be taken seriously, so lets support education. Give the future of young people the highest priority, with the power of Dance 4 Life
- text advice by WPF
We hope that the you will share our enthusiasm for this truly tremendous charity and education effort.
Could you please let us know whether this request could be met and/or if you need any more information.
Yours sincerely,
JOHAN ALLERS Producer
Telephone contact: 0931 20 6389202 09316 53346913 (Mobile)
Email [email protected]
Posta Address Nicolaas Anslijstraat 15 1068 WL Amsterdam The Netherlands Vincenzo Pugliese To: Johan Allers
Dear Mr. Allers,
Thank you for your email requesting a video message by the Secretary-General to be broadcast in the VARA television show of 27 November, sponsored by DANC4LIFE, urging the viewing public to contribute money towards AIDS relief in South Africa.
While the Secretary-General is personally committed to mobilising the political will and resources needed for HIV/AIDS awareness, prevention and treatment, I regret to inform you that he will be unable to record such a message owing to the enormous pressures on his time. However, we would be pleased to provide a written message from the Secretary-General, which could be sent to you at a date closer to the event. Please let us know if you would like such a message.
In the meantime, please allow me to wish you every success in the preparations of this important event.
Yours sincerely,
Edward Mortimer Head of the Speechwriting Unit Executive Office of the Secretary-General United Nations
Johan Allers
Johan Allers To:
Dear Mr Pugliese,
I refer to our telephone discussion of earlier today regarding our request for a statement by the Secretary General for the Dance4Life Aids benefit programme (VARA TELEVISION). As I mentioned to you I would like to ad to our request that Dr Nafis Sadik, the United Nation's Ambassador for all matters concerning HIV and AIDS has become the patron of Dance4Life. We would also like to ad that Archbishop Desmond Tutu has also lent his support to Dance4l_ife. Archbishop Tutu has already given us an on-camera statement which will form part of our three hour long Aids benefit programme. We really hope that the Secretary General will be able to do the same. Once again thank you for your kind assistance.
Yours faithfully,
Johan Allers Producer on behalf of Dance4Life www.dance4life.com
Telephone +31 20 6389202 +316 3346913