Rock4Life Concert held at Shillong, Meghalaya

“Everywhere I go, I see very much the same thing. I see the same compassion for people who live half a world away. I see the same concern about events beyond these borders and increasingly, I see the same conviction that we can and we must join together to stop the scourge of AIDS and poverty.”

… Bono (lead singer of U2)

Urban folk songwriter and singer Susmit Bose, HAQ, UNDP, UNAIDS and NACO joined hands to bring together the music of 8 leading rock bands of North East India, in the form of CD, in order to advocate and spread awareness on HIV/AIDS. The songs laid special emphasis on sensitizing the general public, especially young people, about the facts relating to and the myths and stigma associated with HIV/AIDS.

The CD was released on World AIDS Day i.e. December 1, last year in Shillong. A specially designed concert - Rock4Life - was held in Shillong for the launch of the CD and for purposes of direct interaction with the youth. The bands included were Soulmate (Meghalaya), Digital Suicide (Assam), Scavenger Project (Mizoram), Recycle (Manipur), Alive (Sikkim), Native Rising (Nagaland), Horjwlai (Tripura), and Alien Gods (Arunachal Pradesh).

The initiative, designed for advocacy through the arts, was based on the belief that addressing the youth directly through a medium they best understand, identify and relate is the most effective strategy to win over young peoples’ hearts and eventually spread awareness on a particular issue. The concept worked; the event was hugely successful and participation of youth was immense. As one participant remarks in his blog ‘The bands were rocking and the crowds were rolling ...’

p/s :- Check out some of the the ROCK4LIFE pictures on HAQ facebook page.