The speakers at the event, called “The Beginning of the End of AIDS,” said that the science and medicine needed to eliminate AIDS already exists; all that is needed is for governments and individuals to fully commit themselves to that goal.
“Make no mistake, we are going to win this fight,” Obama said to the crowd at George Washington University.
The event was sponsored by ONE and (RED), two anti-AIDS organizations co- founded by U2 frontman Bono.
The activist rock star said he started the organizations after seeing how people in Africa, simply because of where they lived, could not get the AIDS treatment they needed.
“To me, I felt it was a justice issue, and it challenged the very idea of equality and civilization,” Bono said.
Warren, wife of California megachurch pastor Rick Warren, called on religious congregations to do more in the fight against AIDS.
“Every church can care and support. Every church can help with HIV testing. … Every church can unleash volunteers to serve,” she said.
Warren founded the HIV/AIDS Initiative at Saddleback Church, one of the first programs of its kind at an evangelical church. In the last seven years, she said, it has become a model for other churches to follow.
“It’s not even like this is an add-on, or it’s nice, or it’s something that people can just do if they have time,” she said. “This is the mission of the church.”
