UNAIDS has brought together the participants of the Eurovision-2008 Song Contest in Belgrade in order to draw public attention to stigma and discrimination against people living with HIV/AIDS and to encourage tolerance toward them.

The artists of Georgia, Bulgaria, Ukraine and Macedonia felt it was their duty to support the UNAIDS project Stars Against AIDS and to join their voices against the HIV epidemic in the region. On the first day of Eurovision-2008, that coincided with the International AIDS Candlelight Memorial Day, they gathered at a press conference alongside Deputy Ministry of Health of Serbia and the Serbian representatives of the Network of People Living with HIV/AIDS to openly discuss the challenges of people living with HIV/AIDS and to encourage tolerance toward them.

— A few years ago I was shocked to learn how pressing the HIV/AIDS challenge was in the Ukraine, says Ukranian singer Ani Lorak. — And then I realized there was no way I could stay away from it and that I had to do everything it takes to help to resolve it. People living with HIV are just like everyone else. By hugging them and shaking their hands I wanted to demonstrate that AIDS is not transmitted through a handshake and friendship. People living with HIV need our friendship and our support.

The Eurovision Song Contest was first held in 1956 and since then it has been in the spotlight in Europe and beyond: Eurovision also includes some participants from Israel, Turkey and Azerbaijan.

The Bulgarian duo Deep Zone and Balthazar, inspirational and charismatic male and female singers, are concerned about the HIV spread and about the discrimination against people living with HIV/AIDS in different parts of the world.

— It is absolutely unacceptable that people living with HIV be turned out from their homes or that they be refused a job. Diagnosis disclosure alone is a crime, and there are so many cases like this, so many broken lives … Today we have read out some pieces from the diaries of people living with HIV in Serbia. These are profound life stories full of sentiment, humiliation and victories. We sincerely empathize with everyone who has happened to fall victim to unfair humiliation and we want to demonstrate just how mean this is….
Sandra Mancic is a 30-year old woman from a small Serbian town. She has been aware of her HIV positive status since 2001.

— I feel discriminated against every day, — says Sandra Mancic. — I have been through a lot of things. My brother turned me out of the house where I was born and where I had lived all my life. My relatives turned their back on me. I had to learn how to live in a whole new set-up, when the world clearly falls into two groups: those who will give me a hand and those who won’t…Doctors are helping us and we are extremely grateful to them for it. But at times even doctors see people living with HIV as second-rate people. We need a social life, we need to be part of the society. Many thanks to the participants of the Eurovision contest for setting us a model of how one should think, feel and act.

Diana Gurtskaya, one of the master minds of the UNAIDS Stars Against AIDS project, joined the press-conference after her rehearsal. Sandra’s story impressed her greatly.

Diana knows first-hand what pain and fleeing one’s own home feel like. She was born blind, and at the time of military conflicts Diana had to flee her home to find shelter in a refugee camp. Thanks to her powerful talent, to her tremendous ability to work and to the support of her family Diana Gurtskaya became a popular singer. Diana has established the Foundation For Support to Blind and Poor-Sighted Children «Your Heart’s Calling». She believes it is her duty to counter stigma and discrimination against people living with HIV/AIDS.

— There is no way we can boost the level of tolerance unless we change ourselves. We should do everything it takes to make sure that people living with HIV/AIDS can enjoy life just like everyone else does and that they do not experience such scary manifestations of stigma and discrimination like the ones Sandra has just mentioned. I have great respect for Sandra because she has not given up and she walks with her head up in pride, she carries on with her life and keeps on achieving her goals. I want to address everyone who shares her problems: «Never put your head down. Show the world that you are strong and that you won’t give up. At Eurovision I am going to sing a song Peace Will Come. I want peace for your souls.

In conclusion, Diana Gurtskaya shared some of her vocal art with us and sang a piece from Peace Will Come.
Ani Lorak, Deep Zone & Balthazar, Diana Gurtskaya and Sandra Mancic lit up their candles in memory of those who lost their lives to AIDS and encouraged everyone to be tolerant. А trio from Macedonia, Тamara, Vrčak & Adrian sang Let Me Love You. The title of their song was the best proof to the encouraging words of the European pop stars.