Wednesday 22 October 2003 Nelson Mandela launches new AIDS campaign  | Nelson Mandela has launched the 46664 campaign to raise funds for HIV/AIDS treatment in South Africa and to raise awareness of the disease. The first event of the campaign, which has the same number as Mr Mandela's prison number, will be a charity concert featuring several famous musicians. Elizabeth Blunt reports: |
 Listen to the story AIDS, tragically, is a young people's disease. Each year half of those newly infected are under the age of twenty-five. The so-called 46664 campaign is targeting young people, using music, the internet, mobile phones, and the one international figure who's a hero to all ages, including the young. Nelson Mandela is fronting the campaign and the funds it raises will be used for the AIDS work of his Nelson Mandela Foundation."I was imprisoned on Robben Island, known as just a number. Millions of people today, infected with AIDS, are just that - a number. They too are serving a prison sentence - for life." (Nelson Mandela) His old prison number will be used for a website, and calling it by mobile phone will let people all over the world donate money, put their names to a petition urging governments to do more to fight AIDS, and let them listen to songs and greetings from their favourite stars. The campaign proper will kick off with a huge concert in Cape Town at the end of next month. The organisers say Youssou Ndour, Angelique Kidjo, Ladysmith Black Mambaza, Bono, Beyonce and Queen will all be among the performers, and the event will be broadcast round the world to reach - they hope - two billion young people. BBC, Elizabeth Blunt
Listen to the words newly infected people who have recently become HIV positive targeting if you target a group of people, you hope to communicate with them specifically international figure someone who is well-known around the world a hero a man who is well respected and admired because of his skills, actions and qualities is fronting if you front something, you represent it and people link you to it a prison sentence the time that a person must stay in prison as punishment donate give a petition a document that many people put their names on to ask officials for something kick off with begin with reach to be seen or heard by  Read more about this story | |  | | | SEARCH IN LEARNING ENGLISH | | | |
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