YESTERDAY MARKED the beginning of the week-long Festival of Life, to raise money and consciousness for AIDS research and care. It also marks what should be an example to us all of what one student's initiative can accomplish.

At a campus frequently characterized by its individualistic student body, Stephen W. Gutwillig '86, organizer of the festival, has pointed the way for individuals working for a community--and not just a Harvard community.

AIDS is of course a national problem, and the Festival of Life has gotten the national attention it deserves. But, as the organizers emphasize, the theme of the festival is not AIDS, not the disease and all its well-mulled-over political and social ramifications. The festival is about caring, not curing, or worrying.

During the past year, the public has been deluged with misinformation and preoccupied with the stigma of "high-risk groups." In the face of the hysteria, the fears, the reactions and ramifications, the Festival of Life comes as a positive contribution--not trying to explain what has happened or reassure us about the future, but focusing our attention on the present, the reality of what we can do for people in need.

AIDS is not just an academic question. The Festival of Life is consciousness-raising about AIDS, proving once and for all that it is not a "special interest" issue, but one that concerns us all. The festival also points out the potential that we have as students to transcend the routines of college life.

Nationally-known figures have taken the time to participate; as students, we should join them.