World AIDS Day photo montage

December 1, 2006 was the 18th annual World AIDS Day. That's me, Ryan.

Wolrd AIDS Day was the day when several dozen grandmothers (gogos) dressed in traditional Swazi attire and waved wooden spoons and leather shields.

It was the day when several hundred Swazis marched through the street carrying signs and chanting such words as "Keep the promise." That promise is for a future when a third of Swazi's are not slowly (or not-so-slowly) dying of a treatable, preventable disease.

It was the day when NERCHA and the Swazi MOH kicked off a new educational campaign, with slogans such as these:

December 1, 2006 is no different than the other 364 days of 2006. Every day is a struggle to protect the vulnerable from this epidemic, to protect ourselves. Following 2006, there 364 more days waiting, plus the inevitable 19th annual day the world will call attention to this humanitarian disaster, and to our successes and failures as aspiring humanitarians.

Though it is a day of hope, I cannot help by ask myself how much people really care. When the parade and speeches are over, do we still care enough to succeed?

I guess that is up to us, isn't it?