Kathleen's 5, a restaurant in Shanghai, will launch a month-long event to mark the International Candlelight Memorial for AIDS which falls on May 20.

The Shanghai events organized by the eatery will include a charity art exhibition, banquet and cocktail party. Proceeds from the occasions will be donated to local non-governmental AIDS organizations to increase awareness of the killer disease.

Supported by the Shanghai Red Cross, the events have gained sponsorship from more than 20 domestic and multinational companies.

The restaurant has bought 1,000 candles for May 20. They were purchased from Positive Candle Works, a small firm run by women living with HIV and AIDS in Yunnan Province.

The company is supported by the United Nations Development Program and AIDS Care China, and is part of UNDP's efforts to socially and economically empower women living with HIV and AIDS in the country and the Asia Pacific Region.

This year marks the 24th International Candlelight Memorial for virus victims.

(Shanghai Daily April 26, 2007)