World AIDS Day 2020: Odisha’s Sand Artists Call For Global Solidarity, Shared Responsibility

New Delhi: With an aim to raise awareness about HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) and to commemorate those affected by the disease, December 1 has been marked by World Health Organisation (WHO) as World AIDS Day. This year, World AIDS Day brings together people from around the world to raise awareness about HIV/AIDS and demonstrate international solidarity in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic. Lending his support to the cause, Padma Shree awardee and sand artist Sudarsan Pattnaik created a sculpture featuring a big red ribbon, a symbol for the fight against HIV/AIDS on Odisha’s Puri beach.

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In conversation with NDTV, Mr Pattnaik informed that it took him a day to create the sculpture featuring a big red ribbon accompanied by small red ribbons. The sand art also consists of a globe and a couple sleeping over it. The art carries the theme of World AIDS Day 2020 that is ‘Global Solidarity, Shared Responsibility’.

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Talking to NDTV about the idea behind the sand art, Mr Pattnaik said,

In India, everyone worked together in eradicating Polio, similarly, we have to join hands to fight HIV/AIDS. I believe people from all walks of life should contribute in raising awareness about the disease and eliminating the stigma surrounding HIV/AIDS. Art is my way of sending across a message and initiating a dialogue

Mr Pattnaik further added that the reason he has made beach his canvas is that it’s a public place that hosts hundreds of visitors everyday and something as big as a 12 feet sand art grabs the attention of people.

The world renowned sand artist has on numerous occasions dedicated his gigantic sand sculptures to raise awareness among people about environmental issues like ocean pollution, climate change and plastic waste and health issues like the Coronavirus pandemic. In recent times, Mr Pattnaik has promoted COVID precautionary measures especially the right way of wearing a face mask through his sand art.

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On Monday (November 30), on the eve of World AIDS Day 2020, sand artist Subala Maharana also created a sand sculpture highlighting a red ribbon around the globe, at a beach in Bhubaneswar. Speaking to ANI, a news agency, Mr Maharana said that he hoped that his work would make people, especially the younger generation more aware of the disease.

People across the world are suffering from AIDS. I have made this sculpture to spread awareness. I hope that the world will soon be free of this disease. It is the collective responsibility of the whole world, especially the young generation, to reduce its spread, Mr Maharana told ANI.

About World AIDS Day 2020

Founded in 1988, World AIDS Day was the first ever global health day. It was first proposed by James W. Bunn and Thomas Netter, two public information officers for the Global Programme on AIDS in 1987. Global HIV campaign is regarded as the longest-running disease awareness initiative of its kind in the history of public health. This year, in view of the COVID-19 pandemic that has disrupted healthcare services across the globe, WHO has called for global solidarity and shared responsibility to fight the disease.

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NDTV – Dettol Banega Swasth India campaign is an extension of the five-year-old Banega Swachh India initiative helmed by Campaign Ambassador Amitabh Bachchan. It aims to spread awareness about critical health issues facing the country. In wake of the current COVID-19 pandemic, the need for WASH (Water, Sanitation and Hygiene) is reaffirmed as handwashing is one of the ways to prevent Coronavirus infection and other diseases. The campaign highlights the importance of nutrition and healthcare for women and children to prevent maternal and child mortality, fight malnutrition, stunting, wasting, anaemia and disease prevention through vaccines. Importance of programmes like Public Distribution System (PDS), Mid-day Meal Scheme, POSHAN Abhiyan and the role of Aganwadis and ASHA workers are also covered. Only a Swachh or clean India where toilets are used and open defecation free (ODF) status achieved as part of the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2014, can eradicate diseases like diahorrea and become a Swasth or healthy India. The campaign will continue to cover issues like air pollution, waste management, plastic ban, manual scavenging and sanitation workers and menstrual hygiene.