A memorial ceremony for Dutch who had been killed by AIDS was held in the Dominicus Church in Amsterdam on Saturday. The memorial was held on AIDS Memorial Day, for the 27th year. The ceremony was organized by the Dutch HIV Association and the ShivA foundation.
This article was prepared by the Islam in Europe blog - islamineurope.blogspot.com
The gathering had a special character this year, since it was the first time a Muslim spoke during the memorial. A representative of the Secret Garden Foundation, an organization for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender Muslims, told those present about the Muslim friends he had lost to AIDS.
Every week, two people in the Netherlands die of AIDS. Since the early 1980s, more than 5,000 Dutch succumbed to AIDS. About 16,000 Dutch are currently infected with HIV.
During the ceremony the names of the deceased were read out, a belly-dancer performed an homage to the dead, and relatives lit candles on a large AIDS ribbon, the symbols of involvement with people with AIDS and HIV.
Source: Telegraaf (Dutch)
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