Festival Around Town music@list.co.uk
list.co.uk/festival FAIR TRADE AT THE FRINGE The annual ethical market is taking up its familiar place between Castle Street and Princes Street this year, with the usual array of stalls. Expect food, fashion and homewares from as far afield as Nigeria, and as near-to as Cream O Galloway ice cream, and you can consume all of it with a clear conscience. ■ Princes Street/Castle Street, 226 2691, 14–25 Aug, daily 10am–5pm, free.
5THINGS
Hitlist AROUND TOWN, LGBT & KIDS*
✽✽ Festival of Politics Mark Thomas (pictured), John Prescott and Annie Lennox are all in place for a packed programme of talks, debates and lectures. See Five Things, left. Scottish Parliament, until 21 Aug, times & prices vary. ✽✽ Courtyard Readings An open event for all poetry lovers, hosted by the School of Poets. All are invited to come and read their own poems or personal favourites of other writers in the language of their choice. Readings are held outside if it’s fine or inside in summer rain. Scottish Poetry Library, daily until Sat 21 Aug, 2pm. ✽✽ Edinburgh Interactive The festival of gaming and technology is back, with free gameplay on some of this year’s biggest titles before they even hit the shelves, as well as preview screenings and industry speakers. See feature, page 18. Filmhouse & Festival Square, 26–30 Aug. ✽✽ Edinburgh Book Fringe The excellent, free and radical alternative to the Book Festival continues apace, with readings, discussions and book signings from top names, including comedian Stewart Lee and Edinburgh Makar Ron Butlin. Word Power Bookshop, until Mon 30 Aug. ✽✽ The Hard Rain Picture Show Presentation and lecture by Mark Edwards, one of the most widely-published environmental photographers in the world, in which audiences are asked to participate in the complex debate about how best to address the pressing problems – climate change, poverty, habitat loss, human rights – that threaten to engulf us. George Square Gardens, Mon 23 Aug–Fri 24 Sep.
For everything you need to know about all the Festivals visit www.list.co.uk/festival 19–26 Aug 2010 THE LIST 85
Five things you didn’t know about HIV/AIDS in South Africa, by Annie Lennox, musician and founder of the SING campaign for HIV/AIDS women and children 1. Becoming a UNAIDS Goodwill Ambassador recently has strengthened and broadened my platform. Michel Sidibé, the director of UNAIDS, is a real visionary who has a very clear and innovative directive as to how he wants to lead the response to the HIV/AIDS pandemic (especially with regard to women and children) and has made it an objective to have zero mother-to-child transmission of the virus by 2015. 2. Stigma isn’t only prevalent in South Africa, stigma is everywhere including Scotland, or even possibly in you! 3. People are afraid of HIV/AIDS. The issue is loaded with misleading myths and misnomers. Fundamentally, we need decent education so that people understand clearly how the virus is passed on, and how it’s not. It needs to come out of the closet, and be demystified, and understood, just like any other virus. 4. The most significant development is that the South African Government is finally responding appropriately to the situation. Since the launch of the National Strategic plan in April of this year, they are scaling up their response to the HIV/AIDS pandemic. They aim to halve infection rates, and double levels of treatment, and seem to be very committed to making a real difference, although the challenges are enormous. 5. I cannot tell you that I have a prescriptive stratagem, but I do think it begins with dialogue. I believe that people have to think for themselves as to how they might like to explore the issue further, and how they can personally become engaged. I do think, however, that there needs to be a place for HIV/AIDS with regards to sex education in every school. ■ Annie Lennox and The SING Campaign – One Year On, 19 Aug; Power of the People, 18 Aug, 1pm, £6.50 (£3). To book, go to www.festivalofpolitics.org.uk