HIV360º World AIDS Day 2011 event at the House Of Commons

To support this years World AIDS Day on the 1st December HIV360° team organised a campaign, which allowed students to send in their ‘Calls to Action’ to tell policymakers what should happen next in the fight against HIV and AIDS.  All the Calls to Action were then brought together in a Big Red Ribbon. After votes by young people on Rafi.ki and Mxit s well as the HIV360° team, the 10 best ‘Calls to Action’ were chosen. Some of the winners were given a chance to visit the House of Commons together with the HIV360° team.

All 13 students pose with the the Big Red Ribbon outside the House of Commons 

After many days of preparations it was finally the morning of World AIDS Day and the HIV360° team met up with the students and their teachers in Westminster. As it was a beautiful morning and we had some time before we went to meet the MPs, we decided to have a photo shoot in the park in front of the Houses of Parliament.

Soon it was time to rush to the first event. After very thorough security checks we were able to finally get our first glimpse of the parliamentary building from the inside. During the first event, the young people got a chance to ask questions from Hilary Benn, Shadow Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, and Jim Murphy, Shadow Secretary of State for Defence. The discussion topics varied from future careers to what politicians could do more of to help stop the spread of HIV and AIDS. As it was still quite early in the morning, the discussion was more light-hearted, as you can see from our cheery faces.

All the students seemed to have enjoyed the talk and it helped to liven the mood for the whole day. When Jim Murphy and Hilary Benn finished more and more MPs started arriving. All of them were very interested to talk with the students, sign petitions for them, hear about their World AIDS Day campaigns and take photos with them.

Anna, year 10, Acton High, Ealing commented: “It was very interesting talking to the MPs and finding out their views on HIV360°. I hope we persuaded them to take more action”

The discussion with Hilary Benn and Jim Murphy

After meeting all the MPs, we had a free time so we decided to have lunch at the cafe in the House of Commons. After lunch it was time to join everyone for the panel discussion. After a short confusion everyone was able to find a seat or at least a standing place, and the discussion could start. This year’s discussion was titled “The beginning of the End of AIDS”. Pamela Nash (MP), chairwoman of the All Party Parliamentary Group on HIV and AIDS, chaired the panel. The four speakers who took part were: Alan Duncan, Minister of State for International Development; Marg Mayne, Chief Executive for VSO (Voluntary Service Overseas); Nonkhosi Khumalo, Chairperson for Treatment Action Campaign South Africa; and Alvaro Bermejo, Executive Director of the International HIV/AIDS Alliance. 

Jim Murphy with some of the students

All the four speeches were slightly different but they all agreed that a lot more has to be done, especially in regard to funding various HIV and AIDS projects across the world. With current cutbacks in funding by the Global Fund, there is serious doubt in the viability of some of the HIV and AIDS projects already running and there is also doubt whether without the extra funding there will be any new projects set-up before 2014. At the end of the speeches there was a question and answer session. And this is where all the students realised that they could have once in a lifetime chance to ask a question regarding AIDS and HIV from the four panel members. Issac from Christ’s College, Finchley, was lucky enough to be chosen. You can hear his question and all the four answers here: http://www.v3.rafi.ki/resource/world-aids-day-2011-successes 

 
After very interesting speeches and a Q&A session, the day came to a close.

Matthew Cook, from the International Community School, London commented: “We’re an international school and global issues play a large role in the education of our students, which made Rafi.ki’s HIV360 action project so relevant.  The fight against HIV and AIDs is one of the biggest global health issues there is.  We were particularly honoured to be invited to the House of Commons to voice our opinions and show support for the project, as it emphasises the role education plays in preventing the spread of this epidemic.”

Ivan Lewis, Shadow Secretary of State for International Development, and Pamela Nash (MP) with some of the students from Acton High, London

I think everyone who took part in the event will remember it for years to come and hopefully this will encourage others, who maybe did not have time this year, to take part next year and help to make the event even bigger. A BIG THANK YOU to all the teachers and students from the International Community School (Westminster, London), Upper Shirley High (Southampton, United Kingdom), Acton High (Acton, London), Christ’s College (Finchley, London) and OF COURSE everyone else who sent in their ‘Calls to Action’ but were unable to come to the House of Commons. Everyone else who did something amazing for World AIDS Day with their school, send us your photos or videos, so we can share the fun! 

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