Thousands of events are being held around the world to mark World AIDS day, December 1st, as religious leaders and organisers of the event join hand-in-hand to call for bold leadership to deal with this 'grave' challenge confronting the globe.
Archbishop Emeritus Desmond M Tutu issued a press statement saying now was not the time for the world to be complacent and apathetic about AIDS, even though the United Nation had recently slashed its estimates of people with AIDS from 40 million to 33 million. Despite the fall, Archbishop Tutu said 70 percent of those infected with the virus cannot get access to treatment for it.
"Yet, today still 70% of infected people don't have access to life saving therapies," said Archbishop Tutu. "This is not the time for complacency nor apathy."
Instead, Archbishop Tutu continued, now is the time for compassionate leaders to arise and recognise the voiceless who suffer the most from this pandemic.
"It is the time for compassionate leadership that recognises that the voiceless are often those who suffer most-who can they turn to if their leaders do not listen and heed their cries," he said.
The Ecumenical Advocacy Alliance, a network of 100 churches and church-related organisations, described HIV as the 'gravest' challenge to global health. In response to the disease, the Alliance had launched a campaign, known as 'Keep the Promise', which holds individuals, religious leaders, faith organisations, governments, and intergovernmental organizations accountable for the commitments they have made to combat it.
The Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr. Rowan Williams, also participated in the World AIDS day launch with a video presentation that will be seen on the Internet. In it, he extolled the effort of the churches in responding to AIDS but was critical in the limited access to drugs in some of the poorest countries in the world.