International Stars of the great Opera stages of the world sing without a fee at the Gala of the German AIDS-Foundation. The proceeds are currently needed, particularly in Mozambique, explains Kristel Degener in the DW-Interview.
The German AIDS Foundation was founded in 1987 to help HIV-Positive and AIDS patients in Need. It is financed as the largest private Aids-Stiftung in Germany, various national and international projects so that the affected people can lead a self-determined and socially accepted life. Since August 2018, the lawyer Kristel is Degener new Chairman of the Board of the German AIDS-Foundation. A particular concern of the Aids is its prevention, and the presence of the topic in Public. Why is it so important and how the Bonn Opera gala helps, she explained in an interview with Deutsche Welle.
DW: in addition to the Opera galas in Berlin and Düsseldorf, Bonn Opera gala is an important source of income for you. Last year, a record total of € 230,000 in net proceeds. Which projects will be supported with the Proceeds of the Gala this year?
Crystal Degener: Here the distinctive feature is that we support all local projects in Bonn and North Rhine-Westphalia, but also an international project in Mozambique. Locally, it is above all the prevention work in schools. Since has involved particularly the couple Ranga and Uschi Yogeshwar, in that year, the patronage of the Opera gala. The science journalist Ranga Yogeshwar presented the Aids-Gala in the last year, resulting in an intensive cooperation has grown.
In addition, there is a project for people with a migration background. Internationally, we are in South Africa and Mozambique is very intense. With the Bonner Gala, we also collect money for our project in Mozambique.
Devastation after the cyclone: houses Destroyed in Mozambique
The commitment in Mozambique goes beyond pure assistance for HIV-infected people.
In Mozambique raged a few weeks ago the cyclone. We have two health centers in the port city of Beira, where the cyclone has caused great damage. We are now in the process once the health centers to rebuild and to provide emergency relief for the people who have lost their homes. The health centres are limited to the Townships, so that the people who have lost their homes, came to our health centers, which functioned in spite of their damage to some extent. You were there and got food and clean water. We have also included the HIV-supply, because it is important that there are no interruptions, otherwise the effect is compromised.
In Düsseldorf, they were able to celebrate with the tenth Opera gala, an anniversary, in Bonn it is the eighth Gala. How important it is to collaborate with artists and musicians for a good cause?
This is incredibly important, because without the musicians who perform here without a fee, we could not organize even a charity event. The musicians and singers enjoy great popularity and are publicly effective. In this way, we can make on the Problem and on the disease.
By famous actors and musicians such as Rod Hudson, or Freddie Mercury, it became, in the beginning of the public on the disease. Opera arias seem to be for charity events that are particularly popular or have you ever found yourself – just where the movie is about Freddie Mercury had been thinking such a success – over rockier concerts?
This belongs to the history of the Foundation. 26 years ago, the first Opera gala was held in Berlin and the following Opera gala concerts in Düsseldorf and Bonn. Sure, the audience that goes to the Opera, and is manageable and if we say we want faster and convey prevention and Information, then of course it is also important that we appeal to young people and the young people do not necessarily go to the Opera. Therefore, it is also a task for us to develop other formats.
There are already attempts to adopt a resolution?
Yes, for example, in Dresden, there is a HOPE Gala is held every year, which is aimed only for our HOPE Foundation in South Africa and this Gala is quite different. There is rock music and classical music, this is a Mix and I can well imagine that such a Mix works also in the other cities. Here in Bonn we have the guitarist Miloš Karadaglić, or the dancing couple Theda Delbrück and Ivan Smetkin, which is already loosened up a bit. There is not only Opera arias. But there are Opera galas, Yes, just great voices, it is the whole atmosphere and the Festive, which makes the Opera gala to a special Moment.
The Beethoven orchestra of Bonn accompanied the Opera stars
They are in Post, with the idea to bring HIV back into the minds of. Is it always necessary?
The first HIV and AIDS cases are already so many years and the young Generation does not have these memories to the disease. Therefore, one must always convey what this disease means and what symptoms there are. Also, if the medicine develops, the disease is still incurable! In spite of the drugs the Virus remains in the body.
Through prevention and Information, we want to prevent new infections. We have begun this year, to support to new projects, also with the Opera gala. Together with the Brost-Foundation, we have entered into a cooperation with “youth against Aids”. The special feature of this youth organization is that the sexual education of young people, for young people. In Germany, the Numbers of new infections go back, but in the last year, there were still around 2700 cases. Since each one is too much.
And how it looks from there in African countries?
Since it looks of course quite different than ours. The proportion of adults with HIV and Aids is very frightening. In South Africa, we have almost 19 per cent, and in Mozambique, about twelve percent, are HIV-positive. The new infections per year in the hundreds of thousands.
Therefore, they also take care of Pregnant women, so that Aids is not passed on to the children.
This is exactly our particular concern in Mozambique. We support the Dream projects and have come to the goal that pregnant women are cared for and educated, and also in therapy, in order to bring their babies to be healthy on the world. This is medically possible. You have to get to the women only in the health centers, and that’s why we work with the local workforce. We have a major success in our health centers. Of 100 babies 98 come out healthy.
The DW is the Opera gala in the Livestream
Their Motto is “do Good and have pleasure from it”. What are you looking forward especially at this Bonn Opera gala?
I am very happy that we have a full house that we have so many supporters to help with their commitment to realize our projects and goals. I’m sure we will have a wonderful evening with great sounds and conversations. The Gala is a social event and it is for us as a Foundation is a great honor to be a part of it.
The conversation Gaby Reucher.
The Deutsche Welle broadcasts as a media partner for the Opera gala live on the Internet on 11. May from 19 h under dw.com/kultur
The German AIDS Foundation takes over the Signal of Deutsche Welle and transmits the program under http://aids.st/bn19