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Monday, May 16, 2011

Open Minds —> Open Source —> Open Health : The Million Message March to the UN begins

The Million Message March 2011 is a collaborative communication

campaign to mobilize community support and political commitment for

the Right to Health and Universal Access. It aims to reach out

globally to collect one million messages (by SMS or tweets) from

people in need of treatment and care (for HIV, Cancer, TB, Diabetes,

Hepatitis and other life threatening diseases) and their families,

care-givers and allies.



These ‘Voices’ will be amplified, disseminated and projected along the

‘March’ starting at the World Health Assembly in May, through two UN

High Level Meetings (HIV in June and Non-Communicable Diseases NCDs in

September), and other major health events. The Million Message March

will ‘arrive’ on Human Rights Day, the 10th of December, at the Office

of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) so

that the messages can ‘Speak-Up’ and be heard at the top of the UN and

its Member States.



We launched the Million Message March today from the Institute of

Palliative Medicine in Calicut, Kerala, India, The Institute, a WHO

Collaborating Center, is a global model for participatory community

based care,  and a fitting starting point from which to begin the

March. First Steps: the 2nd World OPEN Health Assembly (WOHA2011), in

tandem with the World Health Assembly, 16-24 May.



WOHA features a non-stop global 'chat' and dozens of 'Speak-Up

Sessions', moderated live by partners in Asia, Africa, Europe and the

Americas, on diverse topics they choose. these partners include the

Institute of Palliative Medicine (WHO Collaborating Center), INPUD

(International Network of People Who Use Drugs), the Lawyers

Collective, the Worldwide Palliative Care Alliance, People's Health

Movement, International Council of AIDS Service Organizations (ICASO),

Foundation for Hospice in Sub-Saharan Africa, African Palliative Care

Association, National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization (US),

Human Rights Watch, The International Community of Women with HIV/AIDS

(ICW Asia-Pacific), World Care Council and others.



The Million Message March to the UN (MMM2UN) is a civil society

initiative, spearheaded by the iMAXi Cooperative with the dynamic

participation of many partners. Together, we're forging a new tool for

social mobilization via social media. Open Minds > Open Source > Open

Health  (Open to you, too!)



Join the Million Message March to the UN.  Tweet @MMM2UN  Follow

#Right2HealthStarts May 16 with the World OPEN Health Assembly.

Tweet @WOHA2011  Follow #WOHA

SMS: +41 787597991,  +91 8129094433  FB: http://on.fb.me/gxLyzl

Blogs: http://www.imaxi.org/





This 'open' and online event allows distant health experts and

activists to provide news, views and healthy commentary for launch of

the innovative MMM2UN campaign, with direct connections to leading

'actors' in Delhi, Chennai, London, Cape Town and from the World

Health Assembly in Geneva.





Twitter: @MMM2UN  #WOHA

Skype: MMM2UN

Blogs: http://www.imaxi.org/

FB: http://facebook.com/MillionMessageMarch



Media contacts:

Malayalam / English:  saifsabil@yahoo.com  +91 9846690490

English/ French: gordon@imaxi.org  +91 8129094433  / +41 787597991

Hindi / Konkanni:  menezes@imaxi.org  +919673205044





Open Minds —> Open Source —> Open Health

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