World AIDS Day Observed

The University community commemorated World AIDS Day yesterday as a part of AIDS Awareness Week at Harvard.

The Harvard-Radcliffe AIDS Education and Outreach, an undergraduate peer health education group, set up information tables in front of the Science Center, passing out free condoms and HIV/AIDS awareness literature.

The group also asked students to sign a banner to be hung outside Holworthy Hall next week showing support for AIDS awareness.

An information booth will also be set up tomorrow at Widener Library.

"What we've seen is that people have tons of information," said member Daniela Bleichman '96. "They just don't feel affected or connected emotionally. We're trying to teach people that it's something that can happen to anyone."

The Harvard AIDS Institute sponsored a forum Tuesday called "AIDS in Asia" to address the alarming increase in the rate of HIV infection there.

"The only vaccine that we have now is education," said Dr. Richard Marlink, executive director of the AIDS Institute. "The first step in behavior change is knowing something about the risk."

The AIDS Institute also presented its Second Annual AIDS Leadership Award on Tuesday to Cleve Jones, founder of The NAMES Project AIDS Memorial Quilt, portions of which are on display at the Fogg Art Museum this week.

Other events presented last night were an oratorio based on written works by persons affected by AIDS, set to musiccomposed by Sarah Hicks '93 and a Gospelfest,meant as "a prayer for people with AIDS,"according to Nana A. Twum-Danso '94, Outreach.coordinator for AIDS Education and Outreach.

Ongoing events include an art exhibition titled"Sacred Condoms" by Karen Norberg, on display atthe Radcliffe College Lyman Common Room untilDecember 17, and screenings of severalAIDS-related movies sponsored by the Harvard Filmarchive.

Students were supportive of the efforts.

"I think it's good for awareness," saidElizabeth A. Hren '97.

"I don't think it can ever be overdone," saidMary Eileen Duffy '97. "You can never hear themessage too many times because it's so paramount.

Ongoing events include an art exhibition titled"Sacred Condoms" by Karen Norberg, on display atthe Radcliffe College Lyman Common Room untilDecember 17, and screenings of severalAIDS-related movies sponsored by the Harvard Filmarchive.

Students were supportive of the efforts.

"I think it's good for awareness," saidElizabeth A. Hren '97.

"I don't think it can ever be overdone," saidMary Eileen Duffy '97. "You can never hear themessage too many times because it's so paramount.