About
In response to a citizen’s initiative, and in conjunction with the Arrondissement Ville-Marie, MU has reproduced the mural in tribute to the work and struggle of Ron Farha. The mural, originally located on Wolfe Street, was updated and repainted by artist XRAY, within the Village, to give it a second life. The mural perpetuates Ron Farha’s commitment to the fight against HIV/AIDS and is in itself a memorial object, leaving a mark on our communities.
Ron Farha’s dream: a big walk through the streets of Montreal to help men, women and children living with HIV/AIDS and to raise awareness about this terrible disease. On October 3, 1993, the first annual ÇA MARCHE was held, bringing together thousands of participants from across Quebec.
When Ron passed away, his mother, Evelyn Farha, and her sisters took up the torch. In twenty-five years, with the support of hundreds of volunteers and many partners, the Farha Foundation has donated close to $10 million to Quebec community organizations providing care, services and education.
Ron’s quote on the mural (“AIDS will one day disappear… In the meantime we have the opportunity to learn and grow… And we must”) is emblematic of the need to not give up in the face of the unacceptable and to fight for the eradication of the disease. It is a call to individual and collective action, a message of hope in the face of several decades of epidemic.
