Elton John
Elton John is scheduled to give a speech about HIV/Aids on June 8. Pictured: John arrives at the wedding of Prince Harry to Ms Meghan Markle at St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle on May 19, 2018 in Windsor, England. Getty Images/Chris Jackson

Elton John will honor his good friend Princess Diana’s memory through an upcoming lecture about HIV.

The 71-year-old musician will also be reaching out to governments and the private sector to help fulfill the United Nations’ Sustainable Development’s goal of ending the disease across the globe by 2030.

John’s lecture will take place on June 8, and it will be attended by politicians, health professionals, journalists, celebrities, and people living with HIV/AIDS. In his lecture, John is also expected to talk about his friendship with the Princess of Wales.

When she was still alive, Princess Diana helped change people’s mindset about the disease when she sat on the bed of a man suffering from HIV. A common misconception about HIV/AIDS is that it can be contacted through casual contact.

Other than being photographed beside the man suffering from the disease, Princess Diana also supported the work of the professionals who helped various patients. She also regularly went to London’s Mildmay HIV hospice and served as patron of the National Aids Trust (NAT).

“I am delighted to be able to deliver this lecture and to remember the enormous contribution Diana, Princess of Wales made to this cause. In the quarter-century since the Elton John Aids Foundation was established, the global Aids fight has changed beyond recognition. Yet tolerance and courage have never been more important in the fight. We need to remember what is important if we are going to be successful,” said John.

Deborah Gold, chief executive of NAT, added, “We have all the tools we need to beat HIV, yet we lack the level of investment or political priority necessary to use them fully. In our 30th year, it is particularly timely to focus on the challenges ahead in the work against HIV, as well as paying tribute to the lasting impact of Princess Diana’s work.”

Two years ago, Princess Diana’s youngest son, Prince Harry, also announced that he will be dedicating part of his public work to raising awareness about HIV.

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