Give 1 Minute of Your Life To Stop AIDS

"Give 1 Minute of Your Life To Stop AIDS" is an effort to draw on global musical talent, and people's love of music, to inspire increased awareness, discussion, and action related to HIV/AIDS. The campaign is multi-faceted, combining a music concert launch with worldwide broadcast, a website, telephone service, and a CD and DVD.

To detail the process, Nelson Mandela was held in captivity on Robben Island, Cape Town for 18 years. Nelson Mandela gave his prison number 46664 to Dave Stewart of Eurythmics in November 2002 who then asked the late Joe Strummer to write lyrics for a song that included his prison number. Stewart then completed the song with the musician Bono earlier in 2003; the two of them recorded it as the first of a series of co-writes together for the campaign. Further recording sessions began in March 2003 when Stewart was joined by Queen's Brian May and Roger Taylor in a studio in Cape Town to record tracks; they also collaborated with some of South Africa's premiere musicians. Recordings have continued since then, with Stewart, Bono, Brian May, and Roger Taylor joining with a host of other leading world artists in sessions that have taken place in London (UK) and New York and Los Angeles (USA). To date, over a dozen new tracks have been completed or are in the final stages of being recorded.

For instance, at the launch of the 'Give 1 Minute of Your Life To Stop AIDS' campaign, songs heard included "46664 (Long Walk to Freedom)" written by Joe Strummer, Bono, and Dave Stewart, and performed by Bono, Youssou N'Dour, and Abdel Wright, and "People", written by Dave Stewart and Jimmy Cliff, and performed by Sting and Jimmy Cliff. This performance was followed by a series of further ensemble and solo tracks written variously and collectively by Bono and Dave Stewart, Queen, Mick Jones, Anastacia, The Neptunes, Johnny Clegg, and many more well known artists.

The music is available throughout the world via telephone lines and the website. In the UK, all telephone users call a premium line using the number 09060 1 46664. In the USA, AT&T enabled a toll-free number that connects callers via a credit card facility to the music. In the rest of the world, arrangements differ from country to country; in some countries callers are given access to a 5-digit short code. Elsewhere (excluding North America), customers are able to donate money via Short Message Service (SMS).

HIV/AIDS

"With an astounding 25% of the South African population affected by the HIV/AIDS virus, 46664 will benefit the Nelson Mandela Foundation's work in the country and raise awareness of the Global AIDS Fund's work throughout the world. In addition, 46664's aim is to raise awareness of the pandemic sweeping across the continent and to call governments into action."