MUMBAI: 'Stand Up, Speak Up' --- spread the message of HIV/Aids awareness is what MTV India is promoting as part of its MTV Music Summit for Aids.
The fourth MTV Music Summit, which has the theme of 'women's empowerment' will be held on 12 November in Mumbai.
MTV Networks India VP marketing and digital Vikram Raizada said, "Women take charge, Men be responsible. The message that we want to convey to men and women, especially women who have the right to make a choice and also that equal co-operation and responsibility are needed from men."
Raizada further pointed out that the aim is to reach MTV's target-audience (TG) as "We reflect them, we lead them."
The music summit aims at the young audience with strong messages about avoiding infection and the need for love and compassion in caring for people with HIV/Aids.
Performers will raise their voice towards Aids awareness and preventing the spread of the virus at the summit. MTV has selectively chosen to participate in relevant social issues involving the youth. For the same, the music channel has tied up with Doordarshan and Zee TV for the telecast of the Music Summit for Aids.
At present, the promos of MTV Music Summit for Aids are on air on Zee TV and Doordarshan, besides the MTV platform. The channel also used the platform of Zee TV's musical talent show -- Sa Re Ga Ma Pa. The two channels have joined hands to promote the social cause of Aids awareness.
And what better way to reach the youth and the rest of the world through the Bollywood stars and singers who will be performing at the event. Besides Bombay Vikings, Shaan, Strings, Abijeet Sawant and Amit Sana; the finalist of Sa Re GA Ma Pa Challenge 2005 will also perform at the MTV Music Summit.
Bollywood actors are also expected to come on stage and pledge to spread the awareness message of HIV/Aids.
The event is sponsored by Standard Chartered and Whisper Ultra. While, the associate sponsors are Visa, Streax - Hair Colour and Cadbury Perk. The channel has also tied-up with TV Today's Aaj Tak.
In 2006, MTV Asia will broadcast the 8th Wonder of the World, a semi-annual concert series to benefit HIV/Aids efforts in association with YouthAids and entertainment mogul, Lou Pearlman. The ten part concert series is scheduled to take place bi-annually in exotic locations around the world, with the first concert on 25 February, 2006, at the Taj Mahal in Agra.
On the global front, MTV International had been involved in a similar purpose with the MTV's Staying Alive project. This was launched in 1998 as a global multimedia campaign to spread the message about HIV/Aids, given the continuing ignorance about the virus and the disease.
