46664 Ambassador, Annie Lennox

Born on December 25^th, Annie Lennox talks about how her new album, A Christmas Cornucopia, was inspired by her working class background and nostalgia for the spirit of Christmas.

“People love to touch base with something that is a bit traditional and is about celebration. Even if they are not church-goers, people will pop into church and sing a few Christmas carols. It’s a nice thing, especially if people have kids.”

Annie is becoming increasingly recognized for her AIDS/HIV charity work on behalf of Nelson Mandela’s 46664 charity and The Sing Campaign, which she established in 2007. This year, she was named International Goodwill Ambassador for the Joint United Nations Program on HIV/AIDS called UNAIDS.

Annie has even teamed up with the Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, by becoming his unpaid HIV ambassador. She has become a Scottish ambassador for HIV/AIDS, through the Scottish parliament.

“There is a huge pandemic in sub-Saharan Africa and all around the world but in the UK, we still have an issue with HIV and AIDS and we need to address it, especially when it comes to young people. I just feel that was a way to help me broaden my platform.

Annie’s words about the nobility of the human race sets the tone for a Christmas and New Year where we “support others to help themselves”.

Community discussions identify key triggers of the spread of AIDS

World AIDS Day may be over, but the focus on how to deal with the epidemic continues in South Africa.

This year, the South African theme for World AIDS Day was “I am responsible. We are responsible. South Africa is taking responsibility,” and the Nelson Mandela Foundation commemorated the day by hosting community conversations across the country. Men, women and youth engaged in conversation on how South Africans can take responsibility for responding to the epidemic and its impact.

Groups discussed misconceptions surrounding HIV AIDS, particularly the belief that raping a virgin “cures” HIV. Some of the main drivers of the epidemic identified were substance abuse, prostitution and incest, which contribute significantly to the spread of the virus. It was also felt that a sense of community and ubuntu (“caring for one another”) had been lost, leading to increased stigmatization of those who were HIV positive.

Emphasis was placed on encouraging strong family and community value systems, establishing support groups and offering an integrated approach to HIV counseling and testing that would include family testing.

Read more here about how these discussion help to increase awareness and bring about change in communities affected by HIV/AIDS.

Source: The Nelson Mandela Foundation

December 10th is the opportunity to participate in Human Rights Day; advocating non-discrimination, organizing activities, raising awareness and reaching out to your local communities.

Acting alone or in groups within their communities, every day human rights defenders work to end discrimination by campaigning for equitable and effective laws, reporting and investigating human rights violations and supporting victims.

“Discrimination targets individuals and groups that are vulnerable to attack: the disabled, women and girls, the poor, migrants, minorities, and all those who are perceived as different.

… But these victims of discrimination are not alone. The United Nations is standing with them, committed to defending the rights of all, and particularly the most vulnerable.  That is our identity and our mission.”

United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon

We’re proud of, and inspired by, Nelson Mandela and Aung San Suu Kyi, who are icons recognized worldwide for standing up for human rights. And we also recognize the power of the individual to make a difference. Join us in celebrating Human Rights Day.

Speak up … Stop discrimination. Click here for ideas on how to be part of a campaign that brings awareness to Human Rights Day.

Read the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, proclaimed on December 10, 1948.

Wearing the official 46664 Bangle shows your support of social issues such as the fight against HIV AIDS

Join the 46664 Bangle team on December 1 and observe the 22^nd annual World AIDS Day. 

Thousands of individuals and organizations will mark this day by raising awareness of HIV AIDS, with the intention of reducing global infection rates and helping orphaned children affected by HIV AIDS.

The 46664 Bangle project plays a committed role in raising awareness of HIV AIDS  through the official 46664 Bangle bracelet (on the left), which is engraved with Nelson Mandela’s prisoner number. Nelson Mandela’s legacy is now being used in a new struggle – the fight against HIV AIDS. The 46664 Bangle is handcrafted in South Africa to raise funds for HIV AIDS prevention projects and to create jobs for communities most affected by this global disease.

There’s positive news about the progress that’s been made in combating this disease as infection rates are falling, but the fight is not over yet. According to the UN, in 2009 there were 2.6m new HIV infections and 1.8m people died from AIDS-related illnesses. 

On December 1, we remember those who lost the fight against AIDS,  show compassion to those suffering from AIDS, and re-commit to promoting the prevention of this global disease.

What will you do on World AIDS Day?

• Know your status – get tested
• Know your partner’s status
• Encourage your friends to know their status
• Be responsible – prevention, prevention, prevention. Choose condoms to dramatically reduce the chances of infection
• Wear and talk about the official 46664 Bangle bracelet – not just on World AIDS Day … every time you wear your 46664 Bangle, you make a statement of responsibility and increase awareness about HIV AIDS

Create awareness – post a red ribbon as your Facebook profile photo, or go for a double whammy – use our red ribbon photos of the 46664 Bangle, and you’ll also be telling people about the 46664 Bangle project which creates much-needed income in areas with HIV AIDS statistics.

The 46664 Bangle bracelet is available in copper, silver, gold and platinum, and with prices ranging from $24.95 to $17,760 … there’s a bangle to suit everyone’s budget.

Buy a Bangle … Change a Life.

Sometimes it’s just too easy to get caught up in what’s wrong with the world. Yes, every part of our planet needs help in some way – poverty, disease, lack of education, human rights, political freedom, protecting the environment - they’re all major global issues which deserve our serious attention.

Today on Thanksgiving in the US, we’re focusing on the positive. In no particular order (sounds like DWTS!), we’re grateful for:

1. Access to clean drinking water with no worry about cholera @PlanetWaterLive
2. The choice to use condoms and prevent HIV @talkHIV
3. The ability to get tested, learn our status & prevent HIV @HIVictorious
4. Our political freedom and democracy @hrw
5. Those who make a difference and won’t accept the status quo @changemakers
6. Organizations like @dosomething who plant seeds of social responsibility amongst youth
7. Our supporters who wear the 46664 Bangle and help create jobs for those in need
8. Individual voices like @bonostreetteam who volunteer their time to raise awareness of social issues
9. Sound logic, like “World Change Starts with Educated Children” @RoomtoRead
10. The #MDGs as a reminder of how lucky we are @WeCanEndPoverty

Make your own Thanksgiving list! It’ll put a smile on your face and pack a little punch to that turkey stuffing.  Happy Thanksgiving from the 46664 Bangle team in the US.

Smiles all round, as the United States football (soccer) team and South Africa’s Bafana Bafana visited Nelson Mandela at his office in Johannesburg today, November 18th.

The coach of the victorious US team, Bob Bradley, presented Mr Mandela with a team shirt and told him, “It is an honour for us to be here today.”

Source: Nelson Mandela Foundation

With a 1-0 win for the US team, Wednesday night’s Nelson Mandela Challenge in Cape Town may have been a disappointment for South Africa, but as one South African tweeted after the match, “Boys you played well. Let’s share Madiba with Americans. Let them take cup – we have HIM.”

People around the world rejoiced today, as beloved 1991 Noble Peace Laureate and fighter for democracy in Burma, Aung San Suu Kyi, was released, after 15 years of house arrest.

Suu Kyi, the daughter of Burma’s leading independence figure, General Aung San, was imprisoned for her campaign for democracy in Burma and her leadership of the opposition party, the National League for Democracy. The party was never permitted to assume power, even after winning an election landslide in 1990.

A different time , a different country, different circumstances – and yet Suu Kyi’s call for democracy and human rights is similar to that of fellow Nobel Peace Prize Laureate, Nelson Mandela.

As the world celebrates Suu Kyi’s release, there is still concern about the remaining 2,200 political prisoners in Burma, and there is a watchful eye on the military government during this month’s elections.  According to this Humans Rights Watch article, there are reports of serious voting irregularities, such as questionable “advance voting ballots”.

With this mixed backdrop of celebration and caution, leaders around the world expressed their happiness about Suu Kyi’s release: