AIDS Candlelight Memorial March
On the third sunday in May organisations and groups worldwide arrange candlelight memorials for the victims of Aids and to raise awareness on HIV and protection.
In Yerevan, more than 60 Red Cross youth volunteers marched through the citycenter with candles this sunday. By posters and talking with curious bystanders they managed to get a lot of attention on this important case. Several bystanders also tagged along and followed us to the square by Moscow cinema where we filled an HIV ribbon on the ground with candles.
After the march, volunteers and others went into the cinema and watched the movie Transit.
I hope to write more on this event, meanwhile I hope you will enjoy the pictures.
Trygve, very appropriate and nicely organised action. We need more HIV/AIDS awareness campaigns in Armenia to educate, fight prejudices and contribute to prevention. Thanks for reporting on it. I wrote about your post in my blog too (with your great pictures), and a reader of my blog wondered if Red Cross in Armenia also bans ‘gay blood’ (blood from gay men). As you work there now, I thought you may be able to provide with reliable answer. Thanks.
artmika
May 20, 2008 at 1:07 pm
[...] and Me reports and posts photographs from Sunday's annual HIV Awareness event held in Yerevan. The blog says that over 60 Red Cross youth volunteers marched through the center of the capital [...]
Global Voices Online » Armenia: HIV Awareness
May 20, 2008 at 2:20 pm
Thank you Artmika for the encouragement and your focus on our action. I truly agree that we need more campaings of this sort in Armenia, and they should also be better coordinated between the organisations interested in the matter. I would love to get more input from you on this issue.
Btw, on tuesday the final in the Red Cross Basketball tournament for Hiv will be in Yerevan. I will make a post with more information on this.
About the blood donations: Armenia Red Cross is currently not involved in the blood transfusions in Armenia. As far as I’ve understood this is organized by a sub-body of the Ministry of Health. I honestly can’t answer his question, but I would assume that they do as in most other countries: not accepting blood donations from practising homosexuals. (Not saying that I agree with this practice.)
trygveu
May 21, 2008 at 5:50 pm
Realy touching scene people working to fight AIDS
Ashok@Internet
May 22, 2008 at 8:12 am
Thanks Trygve!
I though so too re blood donation, that it should be like in most countries. It is emerged last night that Russian Ministry of Health has repealed the ban on blood donations by gays which is great news and hopefully will have influence at some point on Armenia too.
Will look forward to your report on Basketball tournament. Btw, do you advertise these events somewhere? Because noone from e.g. PINK Armenia LGBT NGO knew about that march and that tournament too, although they would have liked to get involve. Perhaps, it would be good to get in touch with them too. Contact details are in my blog.
artmika
May 23, 2008 at 7:19 am
overjoy says : I absolutely agree with this !
overjoy
May 29, 2008 at 3:58 am