Friends of the Global Fund, Japan (FGFJ) and the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (the Global Fund) supported the Tokyo Metropolitan Theatre (TMT) to promote the Tony-award-winning play, “The Inheritance,” to raise awareness on the issue of HIV/AIDS, marginalized populations, and the role of the Global Fund.
On February 11, “The Inheritance” premiered in Tokyo with participation from the original playwright, Matthew Lopez. As a collaborator, FGFJ was also invited to attend the premiere and incorporate a short insert into the program book about the international HIV/AIDS fight and the Global Fund’s role and impact on progress made across the globe.
During intermission of the premiere showing, TMT hosted a reception that included speakers from JCIE/FGFJ, Matthew Lopez, a Diet member, officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) and the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (MHLW), HIV/AIDS experts, and other corporate and NGO representatives as well as media and theatre production people. JCIE/Japan’s president, Isao Kano, gave opening remarks at the reception noting how invaluable theater is in conveying long-lasting messages and the importance of “The Inheritance” in spreading knowledge about HIV/AIDS to the general public.
Mr. Lopez spoke on the importance of telling personal stories, diving into how he wrote “The Inheritance” to reflect on his own experiences and the emotions that come with it. As a member of the LGBTQ+ community, Diet member Taiga Ishikawa followed by thanking Mr. Lopez for bringing LGBTQ+ experiences to public attention.
The reception concluded with remarks from MOFA’s Toshihiro Kitamura and MHLW’s Eiji Hinoshita, who are the Japan Board Member and Alternate Board Member of the Global Fund respectively. Mr. Kitamura highlighted the Global Fund’s role in supporting the global decrease of HIV/AIDS transmission and mortality rates over the years and Dr. Hinoshita signified that despite the progress and low prevalence of infectious diseases such as HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria in Japan, these diseases still persist across the globe and we must not lose focus until they are eradicated everywhere.
For more information, please visit the FGFJ website.
