Canadian Red Cross President's speech at Red Cross AIDS Forum
Jane McGowan
President, Canadian Red Cross
The Red Cross/Red Crescent Forum
The XVI International AIDS Conference
Toronto, August 13, 2006
Thank you Niloo. Welcome everyone to Toronto. I was born and raised here but by far the majority of people who live in Toronto are from other countries and what an interesting and diverse city Toronto is as a result. If you look at the Toronto book in your conference bag or the Toronto Yellow Pages telephone book in your hotel room you will see restaurants specializing in food from all over the world and most likely from your country! There are many neighbourhoods in Toronto that have rich ethnic environments, Italian, Greek, Somali, Chinese, Spanish, Portuguese, French and many, many more - so I hope you will explore the city and meet people who live and work in Toronto while you are here this week.
I am very pleased to be with you this morning and to see so many National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies at this conference.
I read an article in the newspaper yesterday that said that the HIV virus was ranked as one of the smartest virus’s in history by Dr. Mark Wainberg , Director of the McGill University AIDS Centre and cohost of the conference. “This is a virus that the world’s top minds haven’t yet figured out a way to prime the body to fight it off.”
The article also mentioned that the HIV virus makes about 10 billion copies of itself everyday. This is a stunning statistic.
We have, as representatives of the Red Cross and Red Crescent, a unique opportunity to show policy makers and governments that the Movement is an important global partner in the fight against this smart, pervasive and ruthless pandemic that is ravaging entire generations and threatening development in many countries around the world.
We have as well, a crucial role in prevention, reducing stigma and providing care and support to the people affected by HIV/AIDS.
There are over 90 million Red Cross Red Crescent volunteers worldwide who are tackling this deadly virus – a virus that hits the most vulnerable and devastates already fragile communities.
Our community-based care programs reach rural and remote areas where the formal health system does not. We cannot overstate how absolutely crucial the contribution of volunteers is.
And, volunteers from affected communities are often painfully and acutely aware of the impact of HIV/AIDS as they deal with the ravages of the pandemic everyday in the faces of their family, their friends, their neighbours and their colleagues.
Central to our strategy are the volunteers representing Positive Peoples Networks from around the world. The dedication of these volunteers has enabled the Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement to create many productive relationships with communities affected by HIV/AIDS.
The partnership with people living with HIV/AIDS is at the heart of our work and is critical to ensuring that our response is relevant, sensitive and meaningful.
More than 25 million people have died of AIDs since the virus was first recognized in 1981.
Without increased financial commitment from governments and donors, the number of infections will continue to outpace the international response. Our volunteers are filling the gaps that exist due to the progressive deterioration and lack of investment in the health sector -with the resulting shortage of doctors and nurses.
We look forward to a day when the promise of universal access to anti-retroviral drugs and the support and care and follow-up that is needed is a reality.
Today’s open forum is an exciting opportunity for you to discuss and learn more about the issues that are closest to you. The diversity and rich experience that you bring from your work and the open format for this forum, will create, I’m sure, an energizing and inspiring context for the day.
And we have many experienced experts here today to inform the discussions.
In particular, I would like to welcome:
- Dr. Asha Mohamed, Deputy Secretary General of the Kenya Red Cross and Chair of the Federation’s Health & Community Services Commission;
- Jose Maria Di Bello representing the Argentine Red Cross and the Executive Advisor of the HIV/AIDS Governance Group;
- Richard Blewitt, Director of Policy and Communications at the Federation; and
- Bernard Gardiner, Manager of the Federation’s HIV/AIDS Global Programme.
- I would also like to extend a warm welcome to the representatives from the Network of People Living with HIV/AIDS.
There are many seminars and events taking place this week on a wide range of HIV/AIDS topics. One that I hope you will be able to attend is the Federation’s satellite event on Tuesday at 6:00 pm.
This session, entitled Beyond the Clinic Door is moderated by the World Health Organization and includes presentations by Dr. Mohamed, the Global Network of People Living with HIV/AIDS and representatives from the Federation regional offices in Africa.
This will be an opportunity for our Movement to highlight the central role that our volunteers play in achieving the goal of universal access and support for all individuals, families and communities affected by HIV/AIDS.
The conference will allow us to forge productive relationships and to learn from each other and from other organizations here this week. We are delighted that so many of you have travelled so far to share your knowledge and expertise.
I know that you will generate many valuable ideas to continue to strengthen and improve our response to HIV/AIDS, today. On your behalf, I would like to thank all those who have contributed to the organization of today’s innovative session with a special word of thanks to the local volunteers and staff from Ontario.
On behalf of The Canadian Red Cross Society – again - welcome. I hope that your stay here will be productive, informative and engaging.
…and may you also have time to enjoy Toronto’s good food and warm hospitality. If there is anything that we can do to help you while you are here, please ask.
I look forward to learning from you today. Thank you.
