Internationally acclaimed singer songwriter and long-time AIDS activist Annie Lennox will headline an historic rally in downtown Vienna on 20 July 2010. The march and rally will feature a memorable live musical performance by Lennox and provide an opportunity for people to demonstrate their commitment to protecting human rights and stopping the spread of HIV.

The event will consist of a 30-minute peaceful march in downtown Vienna to a public rally with government leaders, human rights and AIDS advocates, and people affected by HIV.Following the speeches, Annie Lennox will give a special presentation of her SING Campaign, which will include a musical performance and some short films highlighting the issues that surround HIV and AIDS.

The event will take place on Tuesday, 20 July 2010. Participants will congregate for the march at 18:30 and start marching at 20:00. The speeches will take place on the stage at approximately 20:45, followed by the special appearance by Annie Lennox. The event is scheduled to finish by 22:15.

The march will start at Schottentor, a central location that can easily be reached from the AIDS 2010 conference site and proceed to Heldenplatz, where the stage for the speeches and live performance will be set up.

Who is organizing the event?

As part of the Human Rights and HIV/AIDS: Now More Than Ever campaign, the conference-affiliated event is led by a global coalition of organizations including Lennox's SING campaign and the International AIDS Society, and supported by the Open Society Institute and local partners including Aids Hilfe Wien and Homosexuelle Initiative Wien (HOSI).

What will the main messages be?

The event will highlight the central role of human rights in the response to HIV. It will focus on the human rights of people living with HIV and of those affected by HIV, especially women and young people, gay, lesbian, and transgender people; and people who engage in sex work or who use drugs. It will focus on the global AIDS struggle as well as pressing concerns in Austria.

Who will participate?

The event is free and open to the public. All groups and individuals are invited to take part in this unprecedented show of support for human rights during the XVIII International AIDS Conference.We are calling on conference participants as well as the people of Vienna and beyond to join the march, rally, and special appearance by Annie Lennox.