Mandela Urges Unity in Fight Against AIDS

It will take greater unity and effort to conquer HIV than it took to tear down apartheid, former South African President Nelson Mandela told a host of music celebrities Friday, gathered in Cape Town for an AIDS benefit concert named in his honor.

“We are called to join the war against HIV/AIDS with the same and even greater resolve than was shown in the fight against apartheid,” Mandela said as he gave Annie Lennox, Bono and other artists a tour of Robben Island, where he spent 18 of his 27 years in jail under the racist Apartheid regime.

The musicians are in Cape Town as part of an appeal to fight AIDS. The appeal urges people in 17 countries to call a premium-rate line to hear a celebrity message and songs recorded by top artists that haven’t yet been released.

Callers are logged as having given their support to a petition calling on governments to declare a global AIDS emergency, and a portion of the cost of the phone call goes to the charity.

At least 34 million worldwide are infected with HIV, according to U.N. figures. The pandemic killed more than 3 million people this year. Some 5.3 million South Africans are HIV-positive – more than in any other country.

Beyonce Knowles, Peter Gabriel, Anastacia, Angelique Kidjo, Brian May were among the artists wandering through the prison yard-turned-museum, where images of Mandela’s younger self adorn cracked gray walls. Mandela showed them his old prison cell.

“I’m speechless,” said Annie Lennox, who wore a T-shirt reading “17 million AIDS dead.”

“I saw a vision of hell where Mr. Mandela and his fellow inmates were kept. To sacrifice his life and still come out to fight AIDS, it’s incredible.”

The campaign, conceived by Dave Stewart, was put into place in partnership with the Nelson Mandela Foundation, as well as Brian May and Roger Taylor of Queen.

Proceeds from the concert will go to the foundation, whose work includes funding research on HIV and AIDS in South Africa and supporting services for sufferers.