More than 6 million people worldwide are infected by the HIV virus. 3.5 million people die because of the virus every year. These are the official numbers which were published by WorldAidsDay. However, less attention is being paid to the topic in the western countries – in spite of the increasing numbers of new infections there.
Aids is rife across the globe, with Africa being one of the worst effected continents. Two-thirds of the global HIV infected people live south of the Sahara Desert which has a population of approximately 28 million people. Every third women between 24 and 29 is infected with the HIV virus. Joachim Franz and his team will connect the two continents Europe and Africa through the expedition ”Cape 2 Cape“.
Symbolic flags for a disavowed reality
“The summit has been reached”- the HIV/AIDS numbers have not to increase anymore! This is the motto of the “Cape 2 Cape” Tour which aims to draw attention to the topic of HIV/AIDS in 20 countries.
The expedition covers a distance of more than 24,000 kilometres. Joachim Franz and his team will conquer 20 mountain tops in nine weeks. At the summit, they will fly a flag of the respective country which will state the estimated number of unreported cases of HIV-infected people and act as a memorial against the repression and neglect. Flags will be raised in Norway, Finland, Sweden, Denmark, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, France/Italy, Egypt, Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania, Zambia, Malawi, Mozambique, Swaziland, Lesotho and South Africa.
Joachim Franz spoke upfront about how HIV-infected people are treated and calls on the support of governments, Royal Houses and politicians as well as the economy and the people of all nations to meet this global challenge. The team will meet international recognized people and will collect messages of people from affected countries. Press conferences and visits of institutions which treat HIV-infected people will highlight the situation in the individual countries.
Awareness is the most important factor in the fight against HIV/AIDS for us and the whole world, for children and teenagers. Joachim Franz hopes to use this expedition to highlight and increase awareness of this terrible disease.
Members of the expedition-team will overcome the summits by rock-climbing, running, biking, and by hiking. At the most challenging points during the journey, the team will be supported by local mountain guides.
The “cape 2 cape journey” takes place through a collaboration of the United Nations, UNAIDS, with the support of the local German Embassies, German politicians and numerous economic partners. The German Aids Foundation is one of the official partners of the cause with priest Stefan Hippler, leader of the German-speaking catholic community in Cape Town. He is the founder of „Hope Cape Town“, an organisation which takes care of Aids-infected children, teenagers and their families.
Joachim Franz hopes to collect donations, which go to various relief projects worldwide.
The donations of the “Cape 2 Cape“ will go to initiative HOPE in Cape Town. Together, Joachim Franz and priest Stefan Hippler will approach the Vatican to challenge its position on Aids and ask that it finally accept condoms as a life-saver.
