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RELEASED: Oct. 21, 2004
DANVILLE, KY—Centre will present a public forum, "The AIDS Crisis in Africa," on Oct. 28 at 7 p.m. in Young Hall, room 101.
Gillian Nur Samuels, communications specialist in AIDS research and information consultant to the Metropolitan Group in Cape Town, South Africa, will speak on gender issues in AIDS research, prevention and treatment.
Rev. Malcolm Damon, director of the Economic Justice Network of the Fellowship of Christian Councils in Southern Africa, will speak on links between churches, government and other agencies in AIDS prevention and treatment.
Sub-Saharan Africa has more than 10 percent of the world's population, but it's home to close to two-thirds of all people living with HIV—an estimated 25 million according to the UNAIDS 2004 Report on the Global AIDS Epidemic. In 2003, an estimated 3 million people in the region became infected, while 2.2 million died of AIDS.
Richard Axtell, Centre College Chaplain and associate professor of religion, says, "The worldwide AIDS epidemic is a humanitarian crisis of unprecedented proportions, causing massive personal suffering and social disruption throughout southern Africa. This is something about which we should be aware, concerned and active. My hope is that, in addition to current advocacy for adequate funding and fair access to generic medicines, some of our graduates will eventually put their minds and skills to work in addressing this crisis.
"In fact, one recent Centre graduate, Ben Bynum, is in South Africa right now working with AIDS ministries through the Anglican Church," Axtell adds.
CentrePeace, a student organization at Centre committed to peace and nonviolence, will be conducting a letter-writing campaign on the day of the forum, and the group is currently developing fact sheets on AIDS in Africa and in the U.S. CentrePeace sponsors events on topics ranging from the environment to foreign policy and politics.
The event is sponsored by CentrePeace, Parsons Student Health Center, the Religious Life Office and the Residence Life and Counseling Office.
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Founded in 1819, Centre College is ranked among the U.S. News top 50 national liberal arts colleges. Centre alumni, known for their nation-leading loyalty in annual financial support, include two U.S. vice presidents and two Supreme Court justices. For more, visit http://www.centre.edu/web/elevatorspeech/
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