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Prince Harry lent his voice to a new video for the People’s Vaccine to mark World AIDS Day on Wednesday. The Duke of Sussex and Winnie Byanyima, executive director of UNAIDS, narrated the film, “calling on the world to join a movement to ensure that pandemic-science for HIV & COVID-19 reaches not just the rich, but all who need it most.”
“The world is fighting a killer virus and not for the first time,” Winnie, co-chair of the People’s Vaccine Alliance, opens the video saying.
“There are striking parallels between COVID-19 and another deadly pandemic, one that emerged 40 years ago: HIV,” Harry adds as footage of his mother Princess Diana is shown. The film also features a clip of Harry speaking on stage beside his wife Meghan Markle at the Global Citizen Live event, which took place in September in New York City.
In the newly released video, Queen Elizabeth’s grandson says, “This is a story about how corporate greed and political failure have prolonged both pandemics and what we can do to stop it.” Harry declared that by “ending vaccine monopolies and sharing technology, companies in the developing world can start producing Covid vaccines too.”
Aside from narrating the film, Harry also penned a letter to Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus and Winnie in honor of World AIDS Day (Dec. 1). “On this World AIDS Day we recognise the 40 years that have shaped life for many. We honour those whose lives have been cut short and reaffirm our commitment to a scientific community that has worked tirelessly against this disease,” he wrote. “My mother would be deeply grateful for everything you stand for and have accomplished. We all share that gratitude, so thank you.”
The Duke noted that it is “striking to now see the world’s leading AIDS activists are also leading the call for COVID-19 vaccine equity.” “Vaccinating the world is a test of our moral character and we are experiencing a spectacular failure when it comes to global vaccine equity. Similar to the AIDS crisis, we’ve yet again revealed over the past year, that the value of life depends on whether you were born and/or live in a rich nation, or a developing country,” he continued.
Harry stated that “it’s time to draw from the lessons we learned throughout the HIV/AIDS pandemic, where millions died unnecessarily due to deep inequities in access to treatment. Are we really comfortable repeating the failures of the past? Everything I’ve learnt, from the youth of Sentebale, tells me not. They see how repeating these mistakes is destructive and self- defeating, it is a betrayal of the next generation.”
He concluded his letter writing, “Let’s spend today celebrating and building on the work of champions who turned what was once a death sentence into a manageable condition. Let’s spend tomorrow continuing our efforts to save lives and make a difference.”