It was a blustery Monday afternoon for a flag-raising in front of Pelham Town Hall, as Pelham recognized HIV/AIDS Awareness Week — November 23 to December 1 — and World AIDS Day on December 1. Indigenous AIDS Awareness Week runs December 1 to 8.
Darryl Dyball, community development and education coordinator for Positive Living Niagara (PLN), told a small assembly that World AIDS Day helps remind society to “honour and celebrate the lives of those who have been lost due to HIV and AIDS, and to reflect on what we have achieved both locally and globally. In our efforts to counter the negative impacts of HIV and AIDS, we support education and prevention activities to work against the stigma and discrimination that targets people who are living with or affected by HIV and AIDS. We appreciate the ongoing support we have received throughout the entire Niagara region.”
A red knit scarf campaign is underway by PLN, recognizing AIDS awareness. Mayor Junkin wore one such scarf at the flag-raising event.
Positive Living Niagara is a community-based organization intent on providing support, education, and advocacy in a safe and confidential environment for HIV-positive individuals, their families, and their friends. Started in 1987 as the AIDS Committee of Niagara, PLN acts as an advisory committee to the Niagara Regional Public Health Service’s AIDS Program, and has evolved into a non-profit AIDS service organization.
Dyball noted that it has been 32 years since the death of Freddie Mercury, the charismatic lead singer of the rock group Queen, whose life, and death from AIDS, were dramatized in the film Bohemian Rhapsody.
Pelham Mayor Marvin Junkin told those in attendance that events such as the flag-raising ceremony “ignite conversation and foster understanding about the stigmas related to HIV/AIDS, and act as a symbol of support, solidarity, and recognition. We are fortunate to have community partners who are passionate about bringing awareness and sharing their knowledge, as we continue to listen and learn.”
