02/06/2026
π―οΈ THANK YOU, LOBATSE! | INTERNATIONAL AIDS CANDLELIGHT MEMORIAL SERVICE 2026 π―οΈ
As the candles dim and we reflect on a truly moving and memorable International AIDS Candlelight Memorial Commemoration held in Lobatse, our hearts are filled with immense gratitude.
On behalf of BONEPWA, we extend our sincere appreciation to everyone who contributed to making this event a success. The Candlelight Memorial is more than just an event; it is a global movement of remembrance, hope, solidarity, and action. It is a time when communities come together to honor the lives of those we have lost to AIDS-related illnesses, celebrate the resilience and achievements of people living with HIV, and recommit ourselves to ending stigma, discrimination, and AIDS-related deaths.
This year's theme challenged us to Remember. Advance. Act. And through your support, we did exactly that.
We would like to express our deepest gratitude to Lobatse Town Council and National AIDS & Health Promotion Agency for not only hosting us at the Civic Hall but for being a true partner throughout the planning and implementation process. Your commitment, coordination, guidance, and resource support ensured that the event was both meaningful and impactful.
Our appreciation also goes to the District Health Management Team (DHMT) and the District AIDS Coordinator's Office (DAC) for their invaluable technical support, collaboration, and unwavering dedication to the HIV response in our communities. Your continued efforts remind us that ending HIV as a public health threat requires collective leadership and action.
To our fellow Civil Society Organization (CSO) partners, thank you for standing with us. Your presence demonstrated the strength of community systems and the importance of partnerships in advancing the rights, health, and wellbeing of people living with HIV and affected communities. Together, we continue to build a response that is inclusive, people-centered, and community-led.
A special word of thanks goes to all organizations, institutions, and entrepreneurs who participated through the information and exhibition stalls. Your engagement created a vibrant platform for learning, awareness, service linkage, and community empowerment. Through your presence, attendees were able to access information, resources, and services that contribute to healthier and more informed communities.
We are deeply honored by the presence of the UNAIDS Country Representative for Botswana and Namibia Dr. Kai Zhou, whose participation reinforced the importance of global solidarity and community leadership in the HIV response. Your words of encouragement and commitment to ending inequalities continue to inspire us as we work towards achieving epidemic control and safeguarding the gains made over the years.
To the dedicated team at BONEPWA Headquarters, thank you for your tireless work behind the scenes. From planning meetings and coordination to logistics, communication, mobilization, and implementation, your dedication made this commemoration possible. Events such as these are successful because of the countless hours of hard work that often go unseen.
We also extend our gratitude to all our suppliers and service providers who worked diligently to ensure every detail was taken care of. Your professionalism, flexibility, and commitment contributed significantly to the success of the day.
Most importantly, we thank every community member, person living with HIV, healthcare worker, leader, partner, volunteer, youth representative, and supporter who attended and participated. Your presence transformed the event from a gathering into a powerful statement of unity, remembrance, and hope.
As we lit our candles, we remembered the lives and leadership of people living with HIV who are no longer with us. We honored the activists, caregivers, healthcare workers, families, and communities who fought tirelessly for treatment, dignity, justice, and human rights. We celebrated scientific advances, including treatment innovations and the message of Undetectable = Untransmittable (U=U), which continue to transform lives and reduce new HIV infections. And we renewed our commitment to act with urgency to end stigma and discrimination, amplify the voices of young people living with HIV, and ensure that no one is left behind.
The fight against HIV is not over, but gatherings such as these remind us that we are stronger when we stand together.
Thank you, Lobatse, for reminding us that remembrance fuels action, that communities save lives, and that together we can build a future where every person lives with dignity, health, and hope.
π―οΈ Remember. Advance. Act.
β€οΈ No One Left Behind.
π Together, We Can End AIDS.
Centre for Youth of Hope (CEYOHO) Ministry of Health, Botswana BOCAIP Tebelopele Wellness Centers Botswana-Baylor Children's Clinical Centre of Excellence
Matlhogonolo Charitable Society Thusang BANA Centre
