NEW ERA FOR POSITIVE LIVES

Positive Lives is entering a new era – since 1993 Positive Lives has operated within the UK HIV/AIDS charity, The Terrence Higgins Trust. Following on from this hugely successful period, the Positive Lives Committee (Trevor Pearcy, Amanda Stone, Francesca Kirby, Thomas Lawson and Kevin Ryan) is pleased to announce that in December 2009 Positive Lives moves to become part of the International HIV/AIDS Alliance, the ‘Alliance’.

This new stage is welcomed by those most closely linked to Positive Lives, its Founders, Lyndall Stein and Steve Mayes, the Terrence Higgins Trust and the volunteers and Committee of Positive Lives.

“The Alliance and Positive Lives have shared values in the fight against stigma and prejudice surrounding HIV/AIDS and in providing support to the individuals and communities living with the disease. The Alliance very much welcomes Positive Lives as an important resource in its ongoing work.”, confrims Alvaro Bermejo, Chief Executive International HIV/AIDS Alliance.

The Terrence Higgins Trust
Trevor Pearcy, Chair of Positive Lives says, “I am taking this opportunity to express the deep appreciation of all the Committee for the Terrence Higgins Trust and its Chief Executive, Sir Nicholas Partridge, who has given his support over the years from the very beginning of the Positive Lives Project. His commitment and the assistance of the staff at THT have made the Project possible”.

The International HIV/AIDS Alliance and Positive Lives
Positive lives is taking a great stride forward in coming into the International HIV/AIDS Alliance.

Human stories can challenge the sources of the ignorance and prejudices faced by individuals, communities and societies living with HIV/AIDS - Positive Lives plays a vital role in strengthening community, government and administrative resolve to make a difference. The work of the Alliance and its global ‘family’ is very much driven by working with communities so often marginalised and provides an excellent opportunity to utilise the Positive Lives resource.

Positive Lives – the individuals and communities
There would be no Positive Lives if it was not for the courage of those individuals and communities who are prepared to tell their stories. So often those stories are of their daily fight against stigma, prejudice and the denial of their basic Human Rights

The Committee is indebted to them for their bravery.

Positive Lives – our photographers
The work of the vast majority of our photographers will transfer to the Alliance. The Positive Lives Committee would like to thank all the photographers for their time, commitment and dedication.

The Photographers: Mike Abrahams - Shahidul Alam - Michael Amendolia - Jodi Bieber - Pep Bonet - Gigi Cohen - Denis Doran - Nilayan Dutta - Stuart Freedman - Mike Goldwater - C Moore Hardy - Fritz Hoffman - Roger Hutchings - Peter Jordan - Osamu Kikuchi - Barry Lewis - Harriet Logan - Paul Lowe - Jenny Matthews - Gideon Mendel - Lu Ning - Alan O’Connor - Judah Passow - Jack Picone - Christopher Pillitz - Mark Power - Steve Pyke - Paul Reas - Eugene Richards - Dayanita Singh - John Sturrock.

The Positive Lives photographers have won numerous prestigious awards – including for photographic commissions with Positive Lives.

Positive Lives – our global partners & friends
Positive Lives has worked closely with a variety of individuals, organisations, groups and governments to challenge the stigma and prejudice surrounding HIV/AIDS, to provide for the basic Human Rights of individuals and to push for greater access to education and treatment.

These partnerships enable all parties to develop projects, reach communities and make a difference in ways otherwise unachievable.

However, whilst there have been many who have contributed to the success of Positive Lives as a resource to fight stigma and discrimination around the globe, the Committee would especially like to thank Alan Christie, Alice Wynne Willson, Betsy Williams, Colin Lloyd, Dale Eru, John Sturrock, Lynn O’Donoghue, Mark Muggeridge, Mike Abrahams, Neil Burgess, Roy Edmondson, Scott Bradley-Pearce, Shahidul Alam, Terry Trethowan, Wilma Doedens together with the support of Emma Lister, Kevin Rudeforth and - Ayuda en Acción, Actionaid, Concern Worldwide, Drik, The Elton John AIDS Foundation, The Levi Strauss Foundation, The Asia Society, UNFPA & UNHCR.

We would also like to acknowledge the outstanding commitment and dedication of Francesca Kirby, Positive Lives’ Project Manager, who has ensured the Project and Programmes around the Globe have been so instrumental in challenging the discrimination arising from HIV/AIDS.

Positive Lives – the future
"Positive Lives has grown from what was intended as a one-off exhibition, into a global project working with organisations and community groups around the world. That it is still run by volunteers is a testament to all those who have continued to make it happened.

Its aim has always been to challenge the stigma and prejudice surrounding HIV/AIDS, to support those living with and effected by the disease and to fight for their basic Human Rights. We therefore very much welcome the Project becoming part of the International HIV/AIDS Alliance and this new era in Positive Lives."

Lyndall Stein & Steve Mayes Co-Founders of Positive Lives

FURTHER INFORMATION

Positive Lives on Flickr www.flickr.com/photos/positivelives/collections/ - these pages present the Positive Lives archive of photographic stories and details of our photographers and their work; as well as images showing Positive Lives Project exhibitions, events and other activities at work within communities living with and affected by HIV/AIDS. You can use the sets, collections and tags within our Flickr to search through the subjects, themes and issues of the Positive Lives images.

For more information on the Alliance see www.aidsalliance.org and see the monthly newsletter ‘The Loop’ and the Alliance ‘Positive Lives’ page

Photographic awards

The Positive Lives photographers have won numerous prestigious awards – including for photographic commissions with Positive Lives.

Awards include: the W. Eugene Smith Award for Humanistic Photography; the Oscar Barnack Award; the Ian Parry Award; the David Hodge Prize and a commendation in the John Kobal Book Awards; Nikon News Photographer and Photo Essay of the Year awards, the Mother Jones/Fifty Crows Grant for social documentary photography; World Press Masterclass scholarships; the Agfa Young Photojournalist of the Year as well as prizes in the UNESCO Documentary Awards; the World Press Photo Awards; Pictures of the Year Awards (POY) and from The Royal Photographic Society and UNICEF – also The Queen's Birthday Honours and the Amnesty International Media Awards for Photojournalism.

Most recently - at the ‘World Press Photo of the Year Awards’ 2009 Pep Bonet won second prize within the 'PORTRAITS/Stories' section for his series “Portraits: Forced Identity: transsexual sex workers, Honduras” commissioned by Positive Lives with Ayuda en Acción. The Awards exhibition is currently on tour – details here

Pep Bonet / World Press Photo 2009

3 photographs by Pep Bonet (as commissioned by Positive Lives with Ayuda en Acción), which won second prize in the World Press Photo of Year 2009 competition, are on display at The Royal Festival Hall (London) as part of the World Press Photo 2009 Exhibition.

Since 1955, World Press Photo has invited press photographers of the world to participate in the premier annual international competition in press photography. This year, a record number of 5,508 photographers, representing 124 nationalities, submitted 96,268 photographs to be judged by the international jury. The exhibition provides a platform for creative developments in photojournalism and provides an eyewitness record of world events. The 196 award-winning photographs on display capture the most powerful, moving and sometimes disturbing images of the year.

The exhibition runs from Friday 27 November 2009, 10:00am - Sunday 13 December 2009, 23:00pm

Robert Key M.B.E.

October 2009 - The global HIV community has lost one of its major supporters in the fight against stigma and prejudice. It is with great sadness that we inform you that Robert Key, Director of the Elton John AIDS Foundation recently died. Robert and the EJAF have been great supporters of Positive Lives for many years. It was Robert's vision that enabled Positive Lives to undertake ground breaking HIV education work in India and Bangladesh some years ago. We have all lost a person of vision and dedication in the fight against HIV/AIDS.

Positive Lives committee

Positive Lives in Mexico

Mexico - Positive Lives exhibition at the Universidad Iberoamericana de Puebla; in partnership with Ayuda en Acción México. 29 October - 21 November 2009.

Positive Lives Exhibitions in Liberia - (Grand Gedeh and Maryland counties)

The first cases of HIV/AIDS in Liberia were reported in 1985 - though civil war hampered attempts to respond to the outbreak. It was in 2000 that the role of National AIDS Commissioner was established; in order to co-ordinate all HIV/AIDS activities across Liberia.

Grand Gedeh and Maryland counties have a prevalence of HIV/AIDS and
large numbers of people in these areas have little access to education
programmes, testing or treatment due to discrimination - individuals,
families and whole communities are affected by the stigmatisation
associated with HIV/AIDS.

The Positive Live Exhibition tour in Liberia was co-ordinated by the two
County Health Teams as well as local HIV activists; and with the support
of UNHCR-Liberia. The Exhibition programme featured community events
including drama, music, a street parade, quizzes, sports events and
condom distribution.

For each venue the organising committees set up focal points where
visitors could read explanations of the exhibited photographs or ask
question of the facilitators from MERCI and Tiyatien Health.

The Positive Lives Exhibition and programme benefited large numbers of
people from across the community: local people, refugees, County
representatives, youth groups, NGOs, UNMIL and UN agencies.

HIV activists and support groups from across the Grand Gedeh and
Maryland counties worked together for the first time to organise these
stigma reducing events and activities.

The Exhibition was at its most successful when it prompted people to
break their silence and speak about their situation or attitude
regarding HIV/AIDS. And when this dialogue occurs within the community
and not just the exhibitions venues then the value of the Exhibition and
programme activities are most apparent.



(report and images made available to Positive Lives by UNHCR/UNFPA)

UNFPA / UNHCR and Positive Lives 2009

The Positive Lives exhibition continues to tour in Africa, co-ordinated by our partners UNHCR / UNFPA - the exhibition venues include refugee camps.

The tour has completed in Liberia and the exhibition and associated educational activities will soon re-locate to Togo. Further details will soon be available.

UNFPA (United Nations Population Fund) and the UNHCR (United Nations Refugee Agency) have produced a User Guide to support the Positive Lives exhibition when it is touring within humanitarian and low-resource settings.

Picture of the Year International (POYi)

Positive Lives photographer Jodi Bieber has won 1st Prize Portrait Series with 'Real Beauty' at Picture of the Year International (POYi) in the USA, March 2009.

REAL BEAUTY – “I felt a strong need to create a body of work that goes against what the media has depicted as beautiful.” - Jodi Bieber

Jodi Bieber homepage
Jodi Bieber(Real Beauty)
POYi (Jodi Bieber)

Positive Lives Exhibition Tour in Poland

July 7th – July 31st 2009
The European Capital of Culture 2016
(Gdansk Office - Długi Targ 39/40 Street, 80-830 Gdańsk)

The Positive Lives exhibition is open to the public: in particular NGOs, media and the Tri-city (Gdansk, Gdynia, Sopot) inhabitants - an exhibition leaflet in Polish is available. The lead organisers for the exhibition are the Federation for Women and Family Planning, ActionAid Italy and the Political Critique, Gdansk Club.

April 7th - May 7th 2009
University of Warsaw Library
The Positive Lives exhibition is open to the public: in particular NGOs, MPs, media, students and the inhabitants of Warsaw – with an exhibition leaflet in Polish available. Lead organisers for the exhibition: ActionAid Italy and the Federation for Women and Family Planning.

The photograph shows the opening ceremony for the exhibition - April 7th in Warsaw.

World Press Photo of the Year Awards 2009

Positive Lives photographer Pep Bonet has won second prize in the World Press Photo of Year 2009 competition within the 'PORTRAITS/Stories' section for his series Forced Identity: transsexual sex workers, Honduras, commissioned by Positive Lives with Ayuda en Acción.


Pep Bonet is with Noor images agency.

World Press Photo / Pep Bonet

World Press Photo award winners

Photograph © Pep Bonet / Noor

Gideon Mendel: new multimedia web presentation on Guardian Unlimited

'Voices from the Border' is a four minute audio slideshow which explores the complex issues around HIV/AIDS transmission in Chirundu, a small settlement along the Zambezi River on the border of Zambia and Zimbabwe. It is a key transit point on the trucking route from South Africa through to East Africa and it is well known as key HIV/AIDS transmission 'hotspot'.

Every day hundreds of trucks try to pass through this border creating huge congestion. Many truck drivers are forced to spend days and sometimes even weeks waiting for customs clearance and every night more than 500 trucks are parked in the customs yard and along the road leading out of town. There are about 4,000 people living in Chirundu, and as part of this population there are more than 350 sex workers who provide services to truck drivers and others.

This body of work was made with the support of UK's Department for International Development (DFID) which is active in supporting a regional initiative called the 'One Stop Border Post' the first of which is in the process of being established in Chirundu.

The main aim of this if to help facilitate trade and economic development by speeding up transit time at borders. The other aim is to improve health and combat HIV and AIDS by reducing the amount of time truck drivers are forced to stay away from their families and wait, and along side this working to improve the health of border sex workers, truckers and the local community.

Guardian.co.uk: Wednesday 18 February 2009 Photographs by Gideon Mendel / Soundtrack edited by Iain Chambers (Photographer Gideon Mendel has undertaken numerous commissions and projects with Positive Lives)

Gideon Mendel on Guardian Unlimited

Positive Lives and Ayuda en Acción at AIDS 2008 in Mexico City

Opening of Positive Lives/Ayuda en Acción exhibition at AIDS 2008 – the XVII International AIDS Conference, held in Mexico City during August 2008. The event included the first showing of new work by internationally renowned photographer, Pep Bonet: from his documentary series developed through working at the heart of Honduran communities vulnerable to HIV/AIDS. This project and exhibition launched the Positive Lives/Ayuda en Acción partnership project for the Latin America region. Mrs. Mercedes Pesqueira, president of Ayuda en Acción México Consultative Body, opened the exhibition.

The opening took place the 3rd of August at 4 pm. Rosa Isabel Garza, Regional HIV co-ordinator for Ayuda en Acción explained the Positive Lives-HTT initiative, and the partnership with Ayuda en Acción in Spain had raised awareness of the global epidemic and its impact across Spanish society. The new partnership between Ayuda en Acción and Positive Lives being launched with this exhibition was looking to play an important role in achieving similar benefits and influences in Mexico and across the Latin America regions.

Positive Lives’ profoundly human testimony of the consequences of AIDS on individuals and countries has helped Ayuda en Acción in Spain to improve the quality of Spain’s response to AIDS in poorer, developing countries and to increase Spain’s advocacy at international political forums.

Marco Castillo, Ayuda en Acción México National Director spoke on the importance of the new Latin American Positive Lives Chapter at the AIDS International Conference 2008 in the contest of the world’s scarce information of AIDS in Latin America.

Mabel Martinez, Ayuda en Acción Honduras HIV Officer explained the process experienced by the photographer, Pep Bonnet. And applauded the generous participation of individuals and communities infected and affected by AIDS in different regions of Honduras; the second most affected country in Latin America.

After thanking the visitors at the opening, Mrs. Mercedes Pesqueira, president of Ayuda en Acción México Consultative Body cut the ribbon.

Throughout the Conference, the Positive Lives Exhibition was visited by thousands of people; including non-conference delegates.

Staff members from Ayuda en Acción México were present to provide information and details.

Positive Lives at the Aids International Conference highlighted 4 themes with images and stories from across the world as well as the world premiere of Pep Bonnet’s Honduras photographs: Aids orphans affected by the virus and cared by grandparents in extreme poverty; the link of violence against women and AIDS; homophobia and AIDS; AIDS in transsexual, transgender and commercial sex worker settings.

Ayuda en Acción brings the Positive Lives exhibition to the heart of communities

During the AIDS 2008 conference, Ayuda en Acción worked with local agencies to develop outreach projects that used images and stories from the Positive Lives exhibition. This included a project based at the women’s reform centre at Santa Martha Acatitla, in Mexico City. Participants included interns, local and prison authorities, and employees. The project was opened by Mayra Moro Coco, leader of the Ayuda en Acción 'HIV and Global Health' programme.

Fifteen Positive Lives images and stories were selected from the main exhibition being held at AIDS 2008 and presented at Centro Femenil de Readaptación, Social Santa Martha Acatitla, Mexico City - as part of the Ayuda en Acción outreach programme for the XVII International Aids Conference 2008.

Ayuda en Acción, working with local agencies, has partnered with Positive Lives to make these projects possible. Participants included interns, local and prison authorities, and employees.

During the event, the report authored by ActionAid and VSO “Walking the Talk: Women's Rights at the Centre of HIV Response” was presented by Mayra Moro Coco, leader of the Ayuda en Acción 'HIV and Global Health' programme.

Many women sought more information more privately with Mayra Moro and shared their personal experiences with her.

There is interest in hosting the complete Positive Lives Exhibition in other centres of the Mexican Penitentiary System in and around Mexico City.