The Coca-Cola Ebony Festival to be held in Dakar, Senegal will raise HIV/AIDS awareness and celebrate the hope, spirit and cultures of the African people. The three-day festival, which takes place June 3-6, 2004 on Goree Island, will launch a global movement calling upon Africans-and the rest of the world-to actively participate in renewing their commitment to the continent and her future and in particular helping Africa in its efforts to combat HIV/AIDS. The festival maintains extensive media partnerships that will promote the event to millions of viewers worldwide. Television and radio partners include Canal France International, which will broadcast the festival live to over 40 African national television stations, in addition to coverage through TV5, Trace TV & Magazine, MTV Base, Radio France International, BET Jazz and others.
The event is sponsored by Coca-Cola and UNAIDS, and is hoping to engage African youth in the promotion of HIVAIDS education and awareness in Africa. The promotion of HIV/AIDS prevention among African youth is critical, as young people between the ages of 15-24 account for 42 percent of new HIV infections and represent almost one third of the people living with HIV/AIDS worldwide. Every day, 7,000 young people under the age of 25 contract HIV (UNAIDS, 2001). In Africa, young people are disproportionately impacted by HIV/AIDS considering the fact that 55% of the population is under age 18 (ILO, 2001).
The Coca Cola Ebony Festival will promote HIVAIDS awareness among youth through the concept of Edu-Entertaintment. The entertainment industry can play a very important role in the fight against HIV/AIDS given its powerful influence on society in general and young people in particular. Tapping into its potential can help raise HIV/AIDS awareness. The festival will feature concerts, including performances by renowned African and international artists such as Jimmy Cliff; Angelique Kidjo; Youssou N'Dour; Miriam Makeba; and MC Solaar. Stevie Wonder and Tracy Chapman are also anticipated to perform.
Senegal was selected as the venue for this event because it is considered a success story in Africa in the fight against HIV/AIDS. Senegal is the only sub Saharan country to contain the prevalence rates below 2% thanks to early government intervention and strong social marketing. Therefore, it is believed to be a model response that can be replicated throughout the sub-continent.
The Coca Cola Company, a member of the Corporate Council on Africa, is well recognized in Africa for its comprehensive HIV/AIDS programs including community outreach. The company uses its extensive resources to deliver HIV/AIDS education, prevention and treatment programs in Africa. By sponsoring this event, Coca Cola would also like to encourage businesses to take leadership positions in the HIV/AIDS struggle. As the continent's largest foreign consumer-products investor, Coca Cola's beverages are marketed and distributed by bottling partners in over 170 plants serving 850 million consumers in all 56 countries and territories. The Coca-Cola Company, with its 40 bottling partners, is the continent's largest private sector employer, with nearly 60,000 African employees. Over the last five years alone, more than $US500 million has been invested in Africa, much of this going into new plants, updated equipment and advanced employee training.
Coca Cola is also a supporter of cultural diversity. The Coca-Cola Ebony Festival provides a great opportunity for Coca-Cola to not only celebrate the richness of African culture but to also generate significant support from the public and private sector in the battle against the HIV/AIDS pandemic in Africa. According to Mr. Alex Cummings, President of Coca-Cola Africa, "Coca-Cola has been supporting music, culture and sports alongside a wide range of community-based activities, spearheaded by our Employee and Bottler HIV/AIDS Programs, across the African Continent for many years. The Coca-Cola Ebony Festival epitomizes these activities and the values which we believe are fundamental to Africa's renaissance."
