PRESS RELEASE

November 24, 2006

Dance4Life dance-music event to mark World AIDS Day

500 school students to dance together with Vietnamese performers at the Dance4Life dance-music event on Saturday, November 25.

Dance4Life event
Saturday, November 25
7.00 – 10.00 pm
Hanoi University of Foreign Languages
Pham Van Dong Road, Cau Giay, Hanoi

On Saturday, November 25, the World Population Foundation in partnership with the US embassy will hold Vietnam’s very first Dance4Life dance and music event!!

This Dance4Life event will be part of the international Dance4Life program organized in 11 countries this year. Dance4Life, the youth branch of the World AIDS Campaign, provides a platform for youngsters to positively engage in the fight against HIV/AIDS through the power of dance, music and performance. In total, 100.000 young people have been involved in this program worldwide, of which 40.000 young people, including Vietnam, will be dancing at their national Dance4Life dance event on November 25.

Organized to mark World Aids Day, the Dance4Life Vietnam event also provides the big finale for the 500 school students of the Nguyen Thi Minh Khai high school, who have participated in the Dance4Life Vietnam Schools Project over the past month. During this Schools Project, students attended 5 exhilarating and energetic workshops in which HIV/AIDS education was combined with music, dance and real life stories of people living with HIV. Reactions of the students were enthusiastic, heart warming and moving.

Vietnam is the only country participating in Asia. The 500 high school students will therefore represent Vietnam and Asia in the international arena as they dance together with their peers in Africa, Europe and Russia. Together with them they will, on November 25, show the joint commitment of young people around the world in the fight against AIDS and the discrimination of people living with HIV/AIDS.

During the event, well known artists will perform as well as give positive messages about the role and responsibility of young people in the fight against HIV/AIDS. MC of the event will be the popular media personality Xuan Bac. Among the performers of the evening are the dance groups Big Toe, the Cold, and singers Xuan Nhi, the 2M group (Minh Anh-Minh Anh), Tan Minh, To Minh Thang as well as Luu Huong Giang, Tung Duong and My Dung from Morningstar.

The Dance4Life project would not have been possible without the funding of the US embassy and the cooperation of the Rosette company and the Thang Long Theatre. We are also grateful for the involvement of the VAAC (Vietnam Administration for HIV/AIDS Control). Additional sponsors are Aquafina, TRG International and Durex.

This Dance event is for participating students and invited agencies only and will take place at the university of foreign languages from 19.00 till 22.00 pm. Members of the press are welcome to attend all activities but should register with the World Population Foundation (tel. 04-8464584), or upon arrival at the gate. Press identification will be asked for.

For more information please contact Ms. Valérie Jans or Ms. Hanh at WPF (04-846-4584) or Mr.Thuc Pham at the U.S. embassy (04-831-4580) , or go to the international Dance4Life website at www.dance4life.com

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