Sir Roger Moore and Lady Kristina Moore arrived in Beijing on August 4, to begin their mission of raising both awareness and funds for children orphaned by AIDS in China.

Their first major engagement was the Asian Football Confederation’s 50th Anniversary Gala at the Beijing Grand Hyatt Hotel.

Table sales, an auction of football memorabilia and an innovative pledge campaign linked to the number of goals scored in the Asian Cup were all used at the Gala to raise funds for a UNICEF-assisted project that provides support to China’s AIDS orphans, now believed to total some 78.000.

Sir Roger spoke about his work for UNICEF and about HIV/AIDS and iodine deficiency disorders (IDD) in China in a series of interviews with international and national media, including APTN, China’s Xinhua News Agency, China Daily, China Radio International and the Football Asia TV Channel.

Sir Roger thanks the Asian Football Confederation and the China Football Association after receiving a cheque of USD 100.000

Sir Roger paid tribute to China as “a bright shining example to other countries in the world” through its achievements with IDD. He also noted the Chinese Government’s determination to address HIV/AIDS so that China would never have to face the situations he has witnessed in Africa.

Sir Roger and Lady Kristina are planning to attend the Asian Cup final between China and Japan at the Workers’ Stadium in Beijing. Sir Roger is really looking forward to the game.

“I hope that we will see a lot of goals,” he said, “not just because this will make for an exciting game, but because every time a goal is scored, AIDS orphans all over China will reap the benefits of UNICEF’s Goals For Children campaign.” "Football is a very good way to mobilize children. UNICEF will use this fund in many areas," said Christian Voumard, UNICEF representative to China.

Beijing Opera warrior displaying two of the team-signed footballs in the auction.

On August 6 evening, Sir Roger presented UNICEF-China's Building A World Fit for Children" awards to Ogilvy Advertising, Mailman China Limited and Beijing Xiele at a "Friends of UNICEF" Reception held in the garden of the UNICEF-China Office.

Ogilvy Advertising was recognised for the creative strategy and artwork that they produced free-of-charge for UNICEF. This work included a campaign launched during the SARS outbreak of 2003, a UNICEF themed Asian Cup for HIV/AIDS orphans in 2004, and the current development of a communication strategy for an HIV/AIDS Youth Campaign. Mailman China Limited was awarded for the free creative design work that it contributed to UNICEF-China's recent anti-smoking campaign. And last but not least, Beijing Xiele received its award for providing UNICEF-China with its creative expertise for a child protection campaign.

All three companies shared at least one thing with Sir Roger in that they had made their contributions to UNICEF not for any material gain, but instead because they had wanted "to be part of the solution" to the problems UNICEF is addressing in China.

In presenting the awards, Sir Roger emphasised the enormous importance of the private sector to UNICEF's work globally. He recalled how Bill and Melinda Gates had originally planned to start their philanthropic work in later life but had decided instead to begin their work immediately as they realized that "the children could not wait".

Referring to the importance of UNICEF's link with FIFA and football, Sir Roger also spoke movingly about children of war and the difference that the opportunity to play football makes to their scarred lives. On Saturday 7 August morning, Sir Roger and Lady Kristina were up early to visit the Forbidden City.

There they listened to a recorded tour guide voiced by none other than Sir Roger himself, who recorded the material some years ago in Chicago. Hundreds of thousands of visitors have been guided round China's Imperial Palace and its 74 hectare maze of courtyards by Sir Roger's dulcet tones. "It's amazing what I used to know", he quipped, as he had the surreal experience of being guided around China's Imperial Palace by his own voice.

Beijing Xiele receive their award from Sir Roger Moore.

Back again at the hotel after lunch, Sir Roger was stricken with a severe and very sudden case of food poisoning and fever which forced him to miss attending the Asian Cup Football Final as chief guest of the Asian Football Confederation. Sir Roger then spent Sunday resting after a fitful night's sleep but by the late morning he was recovering both his colour and irrepressible sense of humour

In spite of Roger Moore's absence, the Asian Cup Final was a great success for UNICEF.

As in all previous games, UNICEF TV spots were shown in the stadium and were also televised immediately before the game and during half-time.

A meeting with UNICEF-China Representative and Bangladesh Ambassador.

Children escorting the teams onto the field also wore T-shirts with the UNICEF logo and AIDS red ribbon. The games outcome may not have been what Chinese fans were hoping for, as they lost 3-1 to their arch-rivals Japan.

However, the tournament as a whole was a great success, and for Chinese children orphaned by AIDS, it was not the final score that mattered, but rather the money that the competition has generated for their benefit.

Although Sir Roger had to miss out on the planned field visit to Xian for the IDD programme, he has now resumed his schedule.

Sir Roger will meet some of the AIDS orphans who will benefit from the USD 100.000 already raised for UNICEF during the Asian Cup.

With the goal count for this competition having reached ninety-six goals, pledges made to the "Goals for Children" fundraising can now be called-in and a total figure calculated for funds raised for UNICEF during this highly successful and well-organized football tournament.

Sir Roger Moore signing autographs at "Friends of UNICEF" Reception.

Sir Roger Moore took aim at hotels and schools in the Chinese capital on for turning away a group of AIDS orphans in town for a three-day summer camp.

He's visiting China to draw attention to the problems of children orphaned by the country's HIV/AIDS crisis, Roger Moore said Beijing hotels, hostels and schools "should hang their heads in shame" for not helping the 72 children.

Chinese newspapers reported in recent days that the children, attending a UNICEF camp which opened on Tuesday, had been turned away by 30 to 40 hotels or schools.

Sir Roger is greeted by children at an AIDS orphan's Summer camp.

China estimates it has 840.000 people with HIV/AIDS, but experts say the figure is more likely to be between 1 million and 1.5 million. The United Nations says the number could rise to 10 million if the epidemic is not treated seriously.

Some 78.000 children have lost parents to AIDS in China, UNICEF says. The discrimination reflected widespread misconceptions about HIV/AIDS and how it is transmitted, but Roger Moore said he was hopeful that China could overcome the problem.

"The battle will be won," the actor told a news conference. "It is an uphill battle, but it will be, and we must get across, with your help, to people that there should be no stigma."

On a rainy day, Sir Roger and Lady Kristina Moore's tour of the Summer Palace begins.

Misunderstanding of AIDS in China runs deep, despite recent signs from the central government that it is serious about tackling the problem. Reports of detention and harassment of AIDS activists continue. This week the Aizhixing Institute of Health Education said Li Dan, an activist who attended the 15th International AIDS Conference in Bangkok in July, had been detained briefly in the central province of Henan.

Li founded the Orchid School in Shangqiu city, which authorities closed and sealed in July. Asked about the detention, UNICEF representative Dr Christian Voumard declined to comment directly but said there was a lag in the education process..

Lady Kristina Moore comforts an orphan who was reduced to tears after singing a song about the importance of a mother.

"It is a fact, I think, that we should recognize that not everyone yet is really acting in the proper way at all levels, especially the local levels, due, very often, to also some ignorance, a fact that is being addressed now," he said

"As for the issue you've just raised, as the responsible department we, and even the Health Ministry, have not heard this news," said Chai Xiaolin of the international department of the Commerce Ministry, which is a partner of UNICEF. "There are channels for, and ways to carry out AIDS propaganda work," she said.

"I think, if you do it legally and through the right channels, and reflect their true thoughts on AIDS, the whole society, including the government and groups, will give support."

Sir Roger arriving at an AIDS orphan's Summer camp.

Sir Roger Moore Speaks to Children Orphaned by AIDS at the Launch of their UNICEF Funded Beijing Summer Camp

BEIJING, 10th August, 2004. The seventy children had come from twelve different counties in five separate provinces of China, and all were on their first trip to the nation’s capital for the launch of a UNICEF funded three day Summer Camp Sir Roger Moore addressed the children first in his speech. He explained "for all of us at UNICEF, and in my wife’s heart and my own, children always come first". This was both a sad and happy occasion for the UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador, who was happy that over the next few days the children would have a chance to enjoy their Summer Camp and forget the sadness they had left behind. At the same time it was saddening that the children had needed to first suffer loss for this opportunity to be given to them.

Sir Roger then asked the audience "can you imagine the experience of leading a perfectly normal life and then one day discovering that you are HIV-positive and that everybody knows. Suddenly you can no longer share your work-bench and your children are ostracised at school. But why, he questioned, should there be such stigma attached to AIDS when it cannot be passed on to your workmates or your fellow students through eating together or holding hands? Why, he asked, couldn’t the todays of these children remain the same as their yesterdays"?
.
"Until you can recognize your enemy, you cannot fight it", continued Sir Roger, as he congratulated the Government of China on its adoption of "the five commitments" which he believed offered the promise of a real future for these children. Listing the various rights which all children were guaranteed under the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, Sir Roger emphasised the right of children to be heard. He urged the children that whenever their voices should not prove loud enough, they should call on their two ambassadors for help, as both had surely demonstrated today the strength of their voices.l

For the full report on this meeting click here

Thank you Daniel Newman of UNICEF

"They should hang their heads in shame" - Sir Roger Moore

"The schools and hotels that turned away these orphans should hang their heads in shame" Sir Roger Moore told more than 100 international and national journalists assembled for 12th August morning's UNICEF Press Conference. He told of how 40 local schools and hotels in Beijing had refused to host a Summer Camp event for children orphaned by AIDS. "They seem to have believed", said Sir Roger, "that these healthy young children might scare off other guests". Sitting alongside fellow actor and national AIDS Ambassador Pu Cunxin, Sir Roger proposed that "those who think they may be infected with HIV should not have to worry about being ostracised by society. People", he said, "should be able to go and be tested for HIV safe in the knowledge that they will lose neither their jobs nor their friends".

Sir Roger Moore addressing national and international media at UNICEF's 12th August Press Conference.

The UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador then commended the Chinese Government for its recent efforts to battle HIV/AIDS throughout China. "The Five Commitments endorsed by the Chinese Government to promote treatment, awareness, anti-discrimination, honesty and international co-operation are a positive step in the right direction" he said. "The Chinese Government", he continued, "are wise. For unlike many other countries, they have recognized the dangers of HIV and AIDS at an early stage".

"Thanks to their foresight", he said, "it is still possible for China to stop AIDS from spreading further. However", he added, "the fight to overcome HIV/AIDS remains an uphill battle, and if we are to be successful in this fight to save the lives of millions, everybody must work together, and we must do so now".

China's national AIDS Ambassador, Pu Cunxin, fields a question from a journalist.

Sir Roger went on to place a particular emphasis on education. "We need to correct the misconceptions that people have about HIV/AIDS. HIV can be passed on through sexual intercourse, needle sharing and breastfeeding, but it cannot be contracted by touching, holding hands, sharing food or kissing. It is these misconceptions", he said, "that lead to discrimination. And it is discrimination", he added, "that leads to the dissemination of this lethal virus".

National HIV/AIDS Ambassador Pu Cunxin also placed his faith in education, but warned that "we have a hard challenge ahead of us because we have to promote AIDS awareness among a huge population". "However", he added, "I dream that AIDS patients will soon be given the same degree of respect as other types of patient". Sir Roger Moore also felt very strongly about the need to protect those who have either been infected or affected by HIV/AIDS. "One day", he said, "I hope that there will be no need to protect the safety of people affected by HIV/AIDS. But for now, we have an obligation to protect the innocent from the ignorant".

Sir Roger spoke with authority and candour. When asked whether he wanted to take on AIDS in the same way as he had taken on villains in his James Bond days, his answer came back: "I'm afraid that this AIDS tragedy is not a movie. When I used to play 007, everybody knew that I would save the world before the film had even been made. But with AIDS, there is no guarantee of a happy ending, for the outcome is still to be decided", adding with a laconic smile: "if only life were as simple as the movies".

Sir Roger Moore addressing national and international media at UNICEF's 12th August Press Conference. (photo left © Reuters)