Queen + Paul Rodgers will head a massive outdoor concert in one of Europe’s biggest public squares ahead of the start of their forthcoming European tour to support Ukraine’s Anti-Aids campaign.

Promoting the message “Don’t let AIDS to ruin your life!”, Queen will perform a free concert in Kharkov’s historic Freedom Square on September 12 . The concert is expected to attract more than 100,000 to Europe’s second-largest city-centre square.

Supported by Queen’s own HIV AIDS charity, The Mercury Phoenix Trust, the free concert is being organized by the Elena Franchuk ANTIAIDS Foundation and is being devoted to the fight against AIDS in the Ukraine.

Coming just a week after the birthday of their lost lead singer – Freddie Mercury, who died of AIDS in 1991 – the concert aims to reinforce the message of the Ukrainian ANTIAIDS Foundation that the need to protect ourselves and our families remains as urgent as ever.
The concert will be broadcast live on Ukraine’s Noviy Channel which will reach into homes right across the country. It will be a prelude to the launch the following day on the national channel of a new five year ANTIADS campaign , “On the Edge” being fronted by the Elena Franchuk Foundation which aims to tackle head-on the growing threat of HIV AIDS infection in the country.

For Queen members Brian May and Roger Taylor, now joined by legendary rock vocalist and writer Paul Rodgers, the concert is one of many the band has played to address the issue of HIV AIDS. In June the band joined a host of international stars in London’s Hyde Park at the 46664 concert to celebrate Nelson Mandela’s 90th birthday and generate further awareness of the work being done by Mandela’s HIV AIDS organization.

Elena Franchuk, Founder of the ANTIAIDS Foundation said: “We’ve chosen Kharkov for this concert – it is the biggest city of our country after Kiev with a population of 1. 5 million as is at its heart a student city. For this reason it is a perfect setting for the concert: the greatest incidence of new HIV cases is registered among young people between 15-25 living in the big urban areas. After the great success of the Elton John concert we organized in Kiev in the main square in 2007 we decided to take the message of our HIV/AIDS problem not only to the capital cities but to our youth all over Ukraine. I strongly believe there are no better speakers for the cause than the founders of Queen, Brian May and Roger Taylor, joined as they now are by Paul Rodgers.

Freedom Square in Kharkov is the second largest square in Europe and the sixth largest square in the world. A week before the concert a large stage with the Queen + Paul Rodgers branded podium will be set up at the center of Kharkov, where the band will step up on September, 12.

Queen + Paul Rodger’s appearance will be the focus of addressing a public audience on the issue of AIDS. Everyone attending the concert will have an opportunity to receive a special gift of thanks from the band – the opportunity to download on their cell phones through Bluetooth the ringtone of their hit Say It’s Not True, penned especially for Nelson Mandela’s 46664 Aids Foundation and the current single C-lebrity.

During their visit to the Ukraine Queen + Paul Rodgers will join Elena Franchuk at a special press conference in Kiev on September 11 and a visit to Red University where they will discuss with a group of students the subject of world efforts being made to address HIV/AIDS.

In the lead up to the concert over 200 volunteers will work at the square before the concert – mainly students of Kharkov’s Universities – distributing free condoms and information about HIV/AIDS. A few days before the concert social the square will host a newly created poster exhibition devoted to the HIV/AIDS problem.

As a further initiative entered into with city government support, volunteers will be engaged at five subway stations and in fifteen Universities in Kharkov. Graffiti painters will also make their contribution into this campaign – they will decorate walls at the Freedom Square with the drawings devoted to the AIDS problem.
But the collaboration of Elena Franchuk ANTIAIDS Foundation and Queen is not limited to the September concert. The two are further discussing the possibility of issuing a commemorative special live concert DVD which will contribute after the event to the charitable projects involved in the fight against AIDS. (source)

The concert in Kharkov’s Freedom Square on September 12th will see the band work with acclaimed director David Mallet. He will once again be filming Q+PR on Hi Definition ‘LIVE’ for the Ukrainian NOVY Channel. The show starts at 19.30 local time. (© brianmay.com)

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