‘VOW: Vaccinate Our World’ advocates will hold a public demonstration in front of the European Commission and European Council to bring awareness and urge EU leaders to end the immorality of vaccine rationing by supporting the TRIPS patent waiver at the World Trade Organization

BRUSSELS (June 2, 2021) AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF), the largest HIV/AIDS care and treatment provider worldwide, will hold a demonstration to demand international collaboration to Vaccinate Our World against COVID-19. The protest will feature European public health advocates who will call for faster and more widespread global vaccine access and urge the EU to follow the Biden administration’s lead by supporting the temporary suspension of COVID-19 vaccine patents.

Advocates also aim to bring awareness to the inequalities in the European and global vaccine rollouts and the dangers of vaccine nationalism and hesitancy. The Brussels demonstration—a VOW campaign initiative—follows the UK-based virtual press conference that took place in May.

• WHAT: Public demonstration and call-to-action to ‘Vaccinate Our World’
• WHERE: Roundabout in front of European Commission & European Council
• WHEN: 14:00-15:00 CET, June 2, 2021
• WHO: AHF Europe

“The time for talk and empty promises must come to an end on COVID-19 vaccine access in the EU and globally – we need action right now!” said AHF Europe Bureau Chief Zoya Shabarova. “We’re protesting in Brussels because EU leaders must prove they’re serious about ensuring no countries go without lifesaving vaccines by supporting the World Trade Organization proposal to temporarily waive patents on all COVID-19 vaccines. Generic manufacturers must be allowed to begin producing vaccines if we’re to protect all humanity and ‘Vaccinate Our World’ now – EU leaders can and should help make that happen.”

About VOW

The ambitious but achievable ‘Vaccinate Our World’ call-to-action includes five primary tenets:

• The global COVID-19 vaccination effort must secure $100 billion from wealthy countries.
• It must produce and provide seven billion vaccine doses worldwide within one year.
• Companies and governments must waive or suspend ALL COVID-19 vaccine patents during the pandemic.
• Countries must be 100% transparent in sharing information and data.
• World leaders must promote far greater international cooperation as the driving force for ending the pandemic, not continue with politics as usual.

Learn more by visiting VaccinateOurWorld.org, where you can pledge as an individual or as an organization to fight for vaccine access across the globe.