Yes Women: charity gala to honour women fighting AIDS
The event was presented on Monday March 11 at Monaco's Port Palace Hôtel. © Frédéric Nebinger
The Yes Women project, led by Fight Aids Monaco and Coalition PLUS, an international coalition of community AIDS NGOs based in France, was presented to the press at Monaco’s Port Palace Hôtel on Monday March 12.
On 13 June 2024, the Hôtel InterContinental Paris le Grand will be hosting an exceptional event, a charity gala named Yes Women. This project was Nicole Dionne’s idea. Originally from Quebec and now retired, she has lived in Monaco for 10 years, and soon became involved with Fight Aids Monaco, becoming one of the charity’s patrons. “I woke up one morning and said to my husband: most of the time it’s men who get awards. Why don’t we create an event to honour women?”
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The fight against AIDS was a natural choice. Nicole’s husband, Gervais Dionne, is a scientist and co-founder of BioChem Pharma, a Quebec company set up in the 1980s to create and market 3TC, a molecule that is able to slow down persistent HIV replication. This was a major breakthrough in the fight against the disease, and is still used in many treatments today. In 2022, the HIV epidemic affected 39 million people worldwide, over 70% of whom live in sub-Saharan Africa.
The Monegasque resident then contacted Hervé Aeschbach, Director of Fight Aids Monaco. “He immediately went with the idea and then made the connection with Coalition PLUS.” The initiative was launched with the backing of Princess Stéphanie, President of Fight Aids Monaco. As a member of the Yes Women organising committee, Nicole Dionne was involved in selecting the 6 women who will be “honoured” on the evening of 13 June 2024. “Women who, through their foundations or charities, have really devoted their lives to the cause,” she says, proud to announce the first edition of an event that she hopes will become a permanent fixture.
We are showcasing dedicated women who, through their tenacity and determination, have succeeded in making a difference in the fight against AIDS
Hervé Aeschbach
In the presence of Princess Stéphanie, these six women from all around the world will be honoured in the luxury hotel’s Salle Royale: Professor Barre-Sinoussi (France), Professor Hakima Himmich (Morocco), Jeanne Gapiya-Niyozima (Burundi), Christien Roos (Namibia), Anu Karunanithy (Malaysia) and Valeriia Rachinska (Ukraine). “We are showcasing dedicated women who, through their tenacity and determination, have succeeded in making a difference in the fight against AIDS,” explained Hervé Aeschbach, adding that “the aim of the event is to raise funds for women living with HIV.”
And to do so, the event has a dinner format, preceded by a cocktail reception, at a cost of €1,000 per cover. “We’re hoping for 250 to 300 guests,” said the director of Fight Aids Monaco. The money raised from the dinner will be supplemented by a raffle on the night. The evening will be hosted by journalists and presenters Marc Toesca and Charlotte Lipinska.
“The aim is to finance three projects,” Hervé Aeschbach continued. These include “La Maison de Vie”, created in 2010 by Princess Stéphanie. The structure in Carpentras offers short stays for people living with HIV to recharge their batteries and receive support. “La Maison de Vie” will share the funds raised equally with the Penduka charity, co-founded by Christien Roos in Namibia, and the Association nationale de soutien aux séropositifs et malades du sida (ANSS – natioanl AIDS and HIV positive support charity), which operates in Burundi and whose president is Jeanne Gapiya-Niyonzima. With a clear aim: to help women with AIDS, for whom financial hardship is “compounded by the disease, rejection and stigmatisation.”
To reserve a table and take part in the gala, visit the Coalition PLUS website or e-mail gala@coalitionplus.org.