International Aids Candlelight Memorial in Penang

Community AIDS Service Penang (Casp) is organising a public awareness event on May 7 and a fundraising dinner on May 14, in conjunction with the International Aids Candlelight Memorial.

On May 15, tens of thousands of people worldwide will light a candle to commemorate 28^th International Aids Candlelight Memorial.

The International Aids Candlelight Memorial is an event by community-based organizations in over 75 countries to: remember those who have lost their lives to Aids; to support those living with HIV and affected by its impact, and to spur calls to action for greater awareness.

With the theme “Touching Lives” the International Candlelight Memorial wishes to highlight how HIV has touched the lives of many people.

“Touching Lives” also refers to how an improved HIV response with more treatment access, better prevention methods and respect for human rights and dignity touches the lives of people living with and affected by HIV.

Chairperson of Casp, PR Selvarajan said that we need to fight the virus and not the people who carry the virus.

“With the right information about HIV you can keep the virus away,” said Selvarajan(right).

According to Selvarajan, by organizing this fundraising dinner and a public awareness event, Casp hopes to remember the lives of those affected by Aids, and who have died from it.

“We also hope to promote respect and inclusiveness, and give voice to those infected and affected by HIV, particularly women and children, to demonstrate the leadership of civil society and its critical partnership with government in the fight against HIV,” said Rajan.

This event will also serve as an occasion for community dialogue, services and education, sharing of best practices, commitment and creative expression and to advance public policy addressing HIV, and related health and social conditions at all levels of government.

Casp’s twin celebration for the International Aids candlelight Memorial, will kick off with a walkathon, followed by a Human Red Ribbon Candlelight on May 7 at the Penang Municipal Park from 5.30pm to 8pm, and ends with a charity dinner on May 14 at Bayview Beach Resort, Penang. The ticket for the dinner is RM70 a person.

“We are appealing to your kind selves to help us in any way you can.  You can purchase a dinner table RM700.00 (10 pax) you get a tax-exempt receipt.  You and your friends can participate in the public awareness event and help make a difference in the HIV/AIDS situation in our country,” said Selvarajan.

The International AIDS candlelight memorial is a program by the Global Health Council. This was the first public event for AIDS awareness which started in 1983 and one of today’s largest grassroots movements against the disease, spreading hope, developing leaders, and uniting communities.

Global reports from UNAIDS and others show that increasing access to HIV treatment is working to slow down the HIV epidemic. HIV treatment keeps people living with HIV healthy, more productive and lowers the risk of transmitting HIV to others.

Over 6 million of the estimated 33 million people living with HIV are receiving treatment, but grave injustices remain. For example, annually 370,000 children are born with HIV in low and middle income countries, while parent to child transmission has been virtually eliminated in high income countries.

(CASP) is a non-profit grass root NGO, established in 1989.  It is also affiliated to the Malaysian AIDS Council and works in close collaboration with the Ministry of Health.

CASP is involved in public education, counseling, training of volunteers, and outreach work with marginalized communities, providing emotional/psychological support to people living with HIV and AIDS.

For more information please call the office : 04-539 9510 / 04-539 8510

P.R.Selvarajan : 012-451 1762

Elizabeth Thomas : 012-596 4150