NEWS FROM THE BODY SHOP

Boris Joins The Fight Against HIV and Backs The Body Shop® World AIDS Day Exhibition

London Mayor Boris Johnson today opened The Body Shop® ‘Be An Activist. Join the fight against HIV’ City Hall exhibition featuring portraits of HIV and AIDS activists taken by legendary British photographer Rankin. The exhibition, which is now open to members of the public* until Friday 10th December on the lower ground floor of City Hall, marks the launch of an international campaign by The Body Shop in partnership with UN AIDS for World AIDS Day (1st December).

Launching the exhibition, the Mayor said today: 'HIV continues to have a major impact on the lives of Londoners and this exhibition shows it can affect anyone. It is our duty to keep HIV on the agenda, but I urge everyone to take personal responsibility to protect yourself and others against the condition. Whether directly affected or not, let's stand shoulder to shoulder, show our support and challenge the stigma.'

The exhibition has brought together a group of individuals, including world-renowned singer and activist Annie Lennox, each with a personal story in relation to HIV and AIDS. HIV knows no boundaries and this campaign serves as a timely reminder that being an activist means many different things – from taking to a podium and speaking out, to wearing the red ribbon on World AIDS Day this Wednesday and supporting the fight against HIV.

The ‘Be An Activist’ campaign visuals herald a new take on the iconic red ribbon design, with a stencil logo designed by The Body Shop in-house creative team, now used in partnership with
UN AIDS. With nearly 30 years of a world with AIDS, The Body Shop and UN AIDS hope the fresh, new look of the red ribbon will help inspire the public and re-energize the movement to stand in solidarity with the more than 30 million people living with HIV worldwide.

Speaking about the exhibition, Scottish photographer Rankin said, “I try to give something back, and the only way I know how to do this, is through photographs. This HIV campaign is very important to me, and I hope that the images will help influence attitudes”.

The Body Shop International Campaigns Director, Chris Davis said, “The ‘Be An Activist’ campaign is to inform, advise and most importantly inspire activists old and new, to join our call for change. We are proud to work with UN AIDS, Rankin and Annie Lennox, as well as a range of inspirational individuals, each with their own story to tell and all lending their support to this international campaign. Even today, decades after the epidemic first came to light, for many it is challenging to speak out on this issue, as sadly there remains a stigma attached to this disease.

The Body Shop has a long history of campaigning and awareness raising on HIV, yet this campaign moves with the times, encouraging all of us take responsibility for our actions, to support those affected and wear the red ribbon which is available in all our stores.”

The Body Shop ‘Be An Activist’ exhibition opens from today at City Hall, with the iconic photographs also featuring in The Body Shop store windows up and down the country throughout December.

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For more information please contact bodyshop@frankpr.it or call 020 7693 6999

Notes to editors:

The Body Shop® ‘Be An Activist’ City Hall exhibition will be open from 29th November - 10th December 2010. Admission free.
Red Ribbons are available at The Body Shop® stores across the world. In the UK, all proceeds from each red ribbon pin badge (£1.00 RRP) sold will be donated between two HIV/AIDS charities* - the SING Campaign founded by Annie Lennox to raise awareness and funding for those on the frontline of HIV in South Africa and Body & Soul, a UK grassroots charity providing support to children, young people and families living with or closely affected by HIV.
*The donation will be split equally between the SING campaign and Body & Soul.

SING Campaign, Registered Charity Number 1114795 www.annielennoxsing.com
Body & Soul, Registered Charity Number 1060062 www.bodyandsoulcharity.org

UNAIDS does not endorse any products, goods, or services