IMMEDIATE
RELEASE
Contact:
Jena
Ball, 626-445-4566
Marty
Keltz, 416-587-3381
marty.keltz@gmail.com
?WORLD AIDS DAY 2009? A TRIBUTE
TO THE HEALING POWER OF STORY IN REAL AND SECOND
LIFE?
INTERNATIONAL HIV/AIDS GROUPS SET TO COLLABORATE ON
MULTI-MEDIA, MIXED REALITY CELEBRATIONS OF LIFE
____________
A ?Virtual Story Tree,? Dedicated to the Life
of Ryan
White, among the Highlights of the Day
Los Angeles, CA (Date)--As
more and more leaders in the fight against HIV/AIDS recognize the potential for
outreach and education in Second Life? (SL), their focus has gone virtual.
This year?s World AIDS Day events promise to break new ground as a diverse
group of international organizations join Karuna* (the NLM-funded HIV/AIDS sim
in SL) and its SL partners to cross borders of time, space, and geography to
celebrate the lives of those dealing with HIV/AIDS.
World AIDS Day events in SL
will be focused on the healing power of stories and storytelling - a hallmark
of the work being done by Karuna and its partners. "One of the mandates of
the grant that funds Karuna is that we collect, preserve, and share
stories," says Jena Ball, the Coordinator of Karuna. ?It is among the
reasons we chose to celebrate the courageous life and story of Ryan White -
short bio phrase - and created a ?Virtual Story Tree? to honor his memory.
"Second Life has
allowed us to create an immersive, supportive, and collaborative environment in
which information can be presented in ways that help de-stigmatize and
personalize the subject of HIV/AIDS,? Ball continues.
Partnering organizations for
the World AIDS Day events, include, NLM, RTI, RTP, STHLNY, CFAR, NIH, ALS, IBM,
and AIDS.gov join Karuna* (the NLM-funded HIV/AIDS sim in SL) and its SL
partners - TVWSP. ROF, RTP, Four Bridges Project, Jokaydia, VHH, and SAM.
?We all believe the emerging
use of virtual worlds to create content allows people to connect in ways that
are more rich and experiential than historically possible through traditional
media,? says Brent Ward, Director of Commercialization for Research Triangle
International (RTI).
Highlights WORLD AIDS DAY
2009, will include:
- Brief introductions and formal presentations
- The opening of the HIV/AIDS Story Tree dedicated
to the memory of Ryan White
- Live streaming of activities and presentations
taking place at RTP (Research Triangle Park)
- Guided tours of our partner sims with displays,
presentations, and activities related to their work on HIV/AIDS
- Live music by SL musicians on R.O.F. (Remember
Our Friends)
- An HIV/AIDS Quiz created by R.O.F. (Remember Our
Friends)
- Tours of the Uncle D Story Quest (www.tvwsp.com)
- Exhibits by Second Life sculptors,
photographers, painters, and builders
- Special exhibit by students from universities
and colleges around the world
- Readings of original stories, poems, and letters
created by SL artists
*Karuna is funded by a
National Library of Medicine grant written by Lori Bell of The Alliance Library
System
Live Links FYI
1. RTI: http://www.rti.org/
2. RTP: http://www.rtp.org/main/
3.CFAR: http://cfar.med.unc.edu/
4. NLM: http://www.nlm.nih.gov/
5. NIH: http://www.nih.gov/
6. Alliance Library System:http://www.alliancelibrarysystem.com/
7. IBM World Community Grid:
http://www.worldcommunitygrid.org/
8. Karuna: http://www.karunahiv.com
9. ROF: http://www.rememberingfriendsmemorial.com
10. STHLNY: http://www.sthlny.org/default.asp
11. Four Bridges:
http://fourbridgesproject.org/default.aspx
12. TVWSP: www.tvwsp.com
13. Jokaydia: http://jokaydia.com/
14. VHH: http://www.virtualhelpinghands.org/