International AIDS Candlelight Memorial

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The Council works to ensure that all who strive for improvement and equity in global health have the information and resources they need to succeed.

Strategies

Coordinators worldwide plan community candlelight memorials in many different ways. Some memorials are large and small, with many resources or a few, with simple goals or complex. Most use the occasion to light candles to remember those who have been affected by AIDS, while others incorporate educational activities and speeches, including advocacy messages that urge political leaders to improve policies regarding the disease. In the Strategies section you will find some helpful suggestions which you can use as a guide while planning your event.

Building a Team

Building a Team
Coordinating a Candlelight Memorial can be a lot of work. Building a team will make the work easier. Whether friends, work colleagues or community members, a planning team can help you identify goals for your memorial, plan and promote the event, find and share resources, design activities, mobilize the community, and evaluate the memorial’s impact. Planning teams can lead to new partnerships with other groups or organizations that share your professional interests and vision for ending HIV/AIDS.

Diversity is an important part of building a planning team that accurately represents the interests of your community members. In addition to different sectors of society and skills, when possible include members of different ages, genders, races, classes, ethnicities, faiths, nationalities, political views, etc. Below are some tips on choosing a team.

Characteristics of good team partners:

Responsible and dedicated;
Good community organizers;
Demonstrate leadership or teamwork;
Know many people in the community;
Have an interest in or are familiar with HIV/AIDS and other health issues;
Understand the culture of the community where the Candlelight will take place;
Talented in particular areas, such as mobilization, advertisement, or fund raising.

Examples of individuals and organizations to include on your coordinating team:

Leaders in your community;
Colleagues in your organization;
Government health officials (such as from a local or national health agency);
Representatives from local HIV/AIDS or development organizations;
Local or national political leaders or policy-makers;
Members of the media;
Business or corporate leaders;
Others with a lot of energy and commitment.

Making a Plan >