The World AIDS Conference is currently underway in Melbourne; a week long event gathering together some of the world’s brightest minds together to discuss the progression of research into HIV/AIDS, as well as looking into how we as a global community are progressing in regards to tolerance and support, as well as efforts to eradicate the disease. This week’s conference has, sadly, also served as a memorial point for the many people on board the ill-fated Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 who were travelling to the conference before their plane was tragically shot down over the Ukraine late last week.
One of the keynote addresses of the conference was today delivered by former US President Bill Clinton. But before his speech could truly get underway, he was interrupted by a small group of protestors carrying banners and chanting “Clinton: End AIDS with the Robin Hood tax” who made their way through the auditorium to the front of the stage.
The “Robin Hood tax” which they speak of refers to a campaign proposing that a small Financial Transactions Tax of – at most – 0.5% could go a long way towards helping eradicate the disease in the third world. This tax essentially calls for 50c out of every $100 made through the sale of stock to be donated to an AIDS charity.
Clinton, for his part, went on to tell the delegation that an AIDS-free generation is within our grasp, stating: “The AIDS-free world that so many of you have worked to build is just over the horizon. We just need to step up the pace.“
Photo: Graham Denholm via Getty Images.
