A message of hope for World AIDS Day 2013 from Canon Gideon Byamugisha, co-founder of African Network of Religious Leaders Living with and Personally Affected HIV and AIDS (ANERELA+) and the SAVE campaign www.savecampaign.org

1. A message for
World AIDS Day 2013
From Rev Canon Prof Gideon Byamugisha
Convener of the Global Working Group on Faith, SSDDIM & HIV

2. We are beginning to see the mountain top
Photo: Allen McGregor under Creative Commons license

3. Every World AIDS Day we commemorate
brings us closer to realizing
our global dream.

4. The dream of a world with
“Zero New HIV Infections,
Zero Stigma and Discrimination and
Zero AIDS Related Deaths”
UNAIDS Strategy 2011-2015

5. This global dream used to seem
like the proverbial case of a
‘glass three quarters empty’
of hope
Photo: Matt Rudge under Creative Commons License

6. Now with better science,
greater country leadership commitment and
more faith community ownership…

7. …to reduce
Shame
Stigma
Denial
Discrimination
Inaction
and Mis-action

8. …and to multiply
S
Safer practices, not just sexual, but also medical and social

9. …and to multiply
S A
Access to treatment and nutrition

10. …and to multiply
S AV
Voluntary, routine and stigma-sensitive counseling and testing

11. …and to multiply
S AV E
Empowerment and education…

12. …the winding climb towards victory against AIDS is three quarters accomplished.
Photo: Allen McGregor under Creative Commons license

13. But some hurdles still remain
on our way to the mountain top
which we should reflect on
this World AIDS Day…

14. Shall we have the
resilience, depth of
commitment and
breadth of faith
necessary to win
a race
That will be won
only by more
comprehensive
strategies,
better integrated
interventions
that has shifted
from being an
emergency sprint to a
long haul marathon?
and more social
justice focused
responses
that are human
rights sensitive,
sustainable
and to scale?
Photo: Missy Schmidt, Hampton Roads Partnership
under Creative Commons license

15. Shall we exhibit that type of love that resists ‘power over’ in
preference for ‘power with’ the most at-risk families, most
vulnerable communities and the most AIDS colonized regions?
Photo: John Atherton gbaku under a Creative Commons license

16. Shall we at the end of the AIDS race hear
the Transcendent Being saying to us…

17. “Thank you,
Thank You…
I was hungry for
education,
training and
skills and you
gave me the
education, the
training and the
skills needed to
find something
to eat, to excel
in and to
celebrate.
Photo: Sabita Banerji for Cecily’s Fund www.cecilysfund.org

18. I was thirsty for information, self-empowerment and selfactualization - you gave all that to me and quenched my
soul's thirst.
Photo: Sabita Banerji for Cecily’s Fund www.cecilysfund.org

19. I was a stranger
in a world
of work,
employable
skills, information
technology,
societal
advancement
and fulfilled
dreams - you
invited me in.
Photo: Chris Hutchings www.flickr.com/photos/chrishutchins

20. I was educationally,
socially, culturally and
politically at-risk: naked,
exposed and vulnerable
to violence, exploitation
and humiliation based
on my age, gender,
religious creed, political
persuasion, color of my
skin, economic status,
sexuality and
geographical location…
Photo: Steve Evans from Citizen of the World http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0 via Wikimedia Commons

21. …you clothed me with human dignity, political justice,
social freedom, spiritual accompaniment and
economic emancipation.
Photo: Sabita Banerji for Cecily’s Fund www.cecilysfund.org

22. I was sick and dying from preventable, treatable and
controllable infections and illnesses related to and beyond
HIV & AIDS…
Photo: Ansel - mediahacker www.flickr.com/photos/mediahacker

23. …you nursed me, supported me and brought me
back to my feet, my job and to my health and
wellbeing.
Photo: Movie poster from the film, The Lazarus Effect from joinred.com

24. I was in a strong
walled prison of
stigma, shame,
denial,
discrimination,
humiliation
and exclusion bowed down with
high mountains of
despair, huge rivers
of self and societal
hate and deep
valleys
of hopelessness;
Photo: Sabita Banerji for Cecily’s Fund www.cecilysfund.org

25. …you visited me there, entered my pain and released my chains" .
Photo: Sabita Banerji for Cecily’s Fund www.cecilysfund.org

26. Thank you. Thank You.
Be Blessed Forever & Ever.
Amen.
Matthew 25: 31-46 Contextualized

27. Email: gideon_byamugisha@yahoo.co.uk
www.savecampaign.org