GET DANCING 4 LIFE ON XBOX LIVE MARKETPLACE

UK, 14th November 2006 - Put on your dancing shoes and head over to Xbox Live Marketplace today - and support a great cause. Microsoft today announced it will support Dance4Life, the youth brand of the World AIDS Campaign, to offer an exclusive video from DJ Tiësto, the world's number-one DJ, and Faithless lead singer Maxi Jazz for download on Xbox Live Marketplace. The "Dance4Life" video will cost 150 Microsoft Points and all proceeds go directly to Dance4Life to support them in the global fight against HIV and AIDS.

The Dance4Life video features the official Dance4Life anthem which premiered during the official opening ceremony of the 16th edition of the International AIDS Conference in Toronto last August, alongside artists such as Alicia Keys and speakers such as Bill Gates. The premium video of the single, as well as a free promotional video for the Dance4Life initiative, will be available to download from Xbox Live Marketplace from today.

Currently, Dance4Life is being developed in thirteen countries by NCOs (National Concept Owners). In 2006 a hundred thousand young people are involved in the Dance4Life Schools Project which began in September 2006. The Schools Project culminates in a huge dance event on the Saturday before World AIDS Day (November 25th) in Egypt, Germany, Ireland, Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa, Tanzania, The Netherlands, Russia, United Kingdom and Vietnam bringing tens of thousands of young people dancing worldwide through satellite links.

"We're excited to be using Xbox Live Marketplace not only to provide great entertainment and gaming experiences to Xbox 360 owners, but also to help with the global struggle against HIV and AIDS," said Richard Teversham, EMEA Director of Marketing and Platform, Xbox. "By downloading the Dance4Life video, Xbox 360 owners will get to hear and see some of the world's greatest dance artists at work, and at the same time provide some much-needed support for Dance4Life's youth and music-focused initiatives."

"This initiative is a good way to support Dance4Life. We encourage these kind of activities because in the end the mobilisation of civil society is crucial for creating change," said Mariet Dingemans, head of communications Dance4Life International. "It's good to see Xbox Live Marketplace being used in such a positive way and we thank Microsoft and Xbox gamers for their participation."

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About Dance4Life:

Dance4Life is the youth brand of the World AIDS Campaign. Dance4Life is giving the young people of the world the opportunity to have their voices heard in the fight against HIV and AIDS. Through Dance4Life young people are clearly saying "don't see us as part of the problem, our skills, energy and enthusiasm are an important part of the solution". Dance4Life's mission is to unify young people, empowering and enabling them to break down silence & taboos around HIV/AIDS. By raising levels of knowledge and awareness young people are able to make informed choices and become powerful "agents of change".

The Dance4Life concept consists of two dimensions. On the one hand there is the dance event, every two years on the Saturday before World AIDS Day. This event is the reward for the young people being active in the life skills oriented Dance4Life Schools Project, developed in cooperation with many local NGOs. On the other hand, a multi-media communications campaign is developed. Both dimensions enhance and strengthen each other, offering a modern handle for the youth, schools, NGOs, governments and the business community with which to make their involvement with the theme concrete.

In 2004 in Indonesia, South Africa and The Netherlands 60,000 young people got involved in the Dance4Life Schools Project and 20,000 danced for life at the Dance4Life event. More than $2.25 million USD was raised for Dance4Life and spent on projects aimed at young people, care, awareness, training and prevention in those areas of the world most affected by HIV/AIDS.

In 2012 in at least 50 cities in 24 countries on all continents, one million young agents of change will join the Dance4Life Schools Project. On World AIDS Day, Saturday December 1st, they will all together dance for life. With this powerful "statement of hope", the youth are making it clear to the media and to governments that this is their greatest global challenge yet; fighting back HIV and AIDS. The one million agents of change will this way pressure their governments into keep their promise of realising the Millennium Development Goals and to stop the spread of HIV/AIDS by the year 2015.

For more information about dance4life visit dance4life.com.

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