Rob.Bates@asuvax.asu.edu (Rob Bates) (05/30/89)
By Tom Worsnop
The central streets of Melbourne (Australia) are to be the location for a Candlelight Rally and Quilt unfolding on Monday May 29. It is part of an international mobilization against AIDS.
This is the third AIDS Candlelight vigil to be held in Melbourne, set up to remember those who are affected by AIDS in any way. It is for people who have been personally affected, for those working on any aspect of it, for medical support teams and social acquaintances, and it is for all others in an act of solidarity.
It is part of AIDS candlelight memorials happening right across the World in more than 170 cities in over thirty countries. It willl include both a candlelight march down Swanston Street and a quilt unfolding ceremony at the Lower Town Hall. All parts of the events are to be wheelchair accessible and there will be a signer for people with hearing impairments.
At the initiative of the Education Working Group of the Victorian AIDS Council, a working party was set up in April to organise the Melbourne leg of the international event. The response has been immediate and enthusiastic, with representatives of virtually all groups affected by or working with HIV, volunteering their services and support. In light of this, the Melbourne rally and candlelight procession promises to be powerful both in numbers and effect.
Ken Hamilton, co-ordinator of the rally, told MSO: "With the current debate raging about medical or gay community control of the fight to control the spread of AIDS, and to find cures, this vigil will offer a chance for all people, no matter what their allegiances to stop and reflect on the human impact of the virus.
I hope that people will forget their differences of opinion about who needs more funding and who has more expertise, and walk side- by-side with each other in solidarity and remembrance of those who've died and for those now living with HIV."
Mobilizations against AIDS have now been going on throughout the World for some years. Candlelight events like the Melbourne one, will now have been held internationally for six years running. This year there will be memorials held in over 170 cities worldwide. In the US almost 100 different cities have already planned events.
Other cities holding events include Buenos Aires, Helsinki, Lima (Peru), Kingali (Rwanda), Amsterdam, Manila, Nicosia (Cyprus), Bangkok and Prague.
In perspective, this really means that there will be a widespread response to the feelings of people living with AIDS. It also illustrates the unselective nature of the pandemic. With all of these people united throughout the World, it promises that more resources and more attention can be forced into action to put an end to the imprint of AIDS.
In Australia alone, all capital cities will be marking the occaision with associated events. Also the smaller cities that have so far confirmed include Townsville and Cairns and, despite no absolute confirmation, other Victorian centres are expected to mark the occaision. For more information regarding these, details can be found by contacting regional AIDS Councils throughout Australia.
In Melbourne the memorial will be completed by a quilt unfolding at the Lower Town Hall. Recent completion of a number of Victorian panels have added to the already numerous contriburion made by Australians remembering their loved or befriended ones who have died due to HIV infection.
As was recorded recently in the National AIDS Bulletin (Vol 3. No 3), over 100 square metres of quilt have now been completed and revealed to the public at a ceremony at Parliament House Canberra. With these Victorian pieces now finished, the effect of the quilt can only be enhanced.
For those who haven't yet had the opportunity to witness a quilt unfolding ceremony, then the Lower Town Hall event will give you the chance to become part of one of the World's most moving events. For those who have been part of the quilt project, then there promises to be a spirit of mass solidarity on that night that comes all too infrequently.
"When talking about the numbers expected to attend the candlelight and quilt event in Melbourne, it is important to remember that there is still a large number of people denying or ignoring the depth of the AIDS epidemic in Australia" - Keith Hamilton.
Organisers wish that all people considering attending the rally consider how the numbers present will reflect the depth of feeling associated with HIV. For there to be an adequate and worldwide response to both those affected and those denying the effect, then the more people attending the better.
We've seen in the past in Melbourne the successful effort put in by People Living With AIDS to respond to the lack of funding for AZT. The March 1988 candlelight rally up Bourke Street was one of the most powerful events people who attended it had witnessed. This is the model the working group has in mind when calling on people to attend this year.
The number of groups supporting the candlelight memorial is expanding almost daily, with all the range of groups you'd expect (or hope to!) as well as others. With the support of the Victorian AIDS Council and its regional group from the Geelong area, the national AIDS Trust and the various clinics are commercial organisations like the Beat Bookshop, and then the Midsumma Festival, Moomba Deaf Association, Positive Women, the ALSO Foundation and the Victorian Aboriginal Health Service.
Local councils and members of Parliament are also expected to take part. Certainly it will remain to be seen who from these groups will attend, but with all their support, there should be plenty of people.
The organisers hope to catch people as they leave their workplaces in the city and begin by assembling at Princes Plaza, on the corner of Swanston and Flinders Streets at 5.30pm. Expected there are performers to begin, followed by a candle- lighting and the transferal of flames to all gathered. Candles will be available on the night but people are also encouraged to bring others if they wish.
A short parade along Swanston Street to Melbourne Town Hall, past the City Square which, unfortunately, will be under redevelopment by then and probably dug up. The quilt unfolding ceremony in remembrance of people who have already died because of the virus will then take place.
An open platform will be a featured part of this time, when anyone who would like to contribute can then speak. Venues that are open will be approached to have candles burning that night to support this international event.
It is hoped that the individual rallies throughout the World will gather strength from each other, so that each person, wherever they live, can be part of a World-united voice. In the past the rallies throughout the day, beginning with our local region, have sent telegrams across to each other as the sun-down events occur throughout the 24-hour period across the globe.
The final (in real time) event of the global sundown occurs in San Francisco, one of the most affected cities, and the crowds gathered in the streets have received solidarity messages from all events. People who have attended this event in the US say that it is one of the never-to-be-bettered feelings to hear messages from all those people gathered across the globe. With all five continents definitely having these events, the final rallies promise to be very moving.
In the end, of course, it is hoped this unity across the Globe will gain control of the pandemic and make these events past symbols of the concerted effort of the community. With this final thought it will be good to see a well-attended event. For those who may feel at all unused to being part of street rallies it should prove to be supportive by its large scale.
( from MELBOURNE STAR OBSERVER #96 (C) 1989 OZ MEDIA LTD )
Rob
(3:634/381.1)
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