 |
World AIDS Day 2001 - 1 December
2001
Red Cross Red Crescent National Society
activities
To mark World AIDS Day 2001, many National Societies organised
events to raise public awareness of HIV/AIDS and people living with
HIV/AIDS.
AMERICAS: Central America
World AIDS Day 2001 was celebrated by National Societies across
the Central America region. In Guatemala, "Living with..." (an International
Federation video on how HIV/AIDs is affecting Red Cross Red Crescent
people) was presented during the University graduation ceremony
for the 'Communications for disasters' diploma. In a joint event
with the Ministry of Health, the Panamenian Red Cross launched the
"Join us for life" campaign where a human chain was created as a
expression of solidarity to people living with HIV/AIDS. On Friday
30 November, the Nicaraguan Red Cross opened an exhibition of NGOs
that work with people living with HIV/AIDS. In addition, The Nicaraguan
National Society will operated a blood bank and started work on
an AIDS programme at the Jalapa branch with the Italian Red Cross.
AMERICAS: Caribbean
On World Aids Day, members of the Bahamas Red Cross joined the National
AIDS Secretariat in a march to alert the nations about the serious
effect HIV/AIDS is having in their country and particularly on young
people. They will continue to promote AIDS awareness, especially
among the younger members of communities. The Dominican Red Cross
launched a pilot campaign at a national level with the theme "Stop
the discrimination". The project follows a document aimed at
fighting stigma and discrimination, which was signed on 30 November
between all organisations working with HIV/AIDS, including UNAIDS
and the Dominican Network of People Living with HIV/AIDS, REDOVIH+.
AMERICAS: South America
The International coordinator of the GNP, Stuart A. Flavell, travelled
to Buenos Aires to participate in a conference entitled "Facing
the Stigma and HIV / AIDS discrimination" which was jointly
coordinated with the South American Regional Delegation and the
Argentinean Red Cross. All South American National Societies organised
activities with the Latin American Network of People Living with
HIV / AIDS (REDLA+). Brochures, condoms, pins and stickers were
distributed in public places and advocacy workshops, conferences
and activities were held all over the country.
ASIA PACIFIC:
Under the UN-AIDS theme "I care - Do you?" 50,000 Red
Cross Red Crescent balloons with messages supporting people living
with HIV/AIDS were simultaneously released across the Asia Pacific
region on Saturady 1 December. People who found the attached messages
following the balloon release were asked to send them back to their
National Society as an expression of solidarity with the Red Cross
Red Crescent work in this field and people living with HIV/AIDS.
Over 20 National Societies participated in the event aimed to narrow
the gap between communities (the general public) and people living
with HIV/AIDS.
More on the balloon launch
CENTRAL AFRICA REGION: Equatorial Guinea
In eight school centres and four hotel establishments the National
Society gave talks about HIV/AIDS. A radio/television phone-in debate
took place between Red Cross volunteers, school pupils and various
members of the community. During this discussion, the theatre troupe
performed a piece on the fight agianst HIV/AIDS.
CENTRAL AFRICA REGION: Cameroon
On 27 November 2001, 20 volunteers from the Cameroon Red Cross Society
used theatre to help encourage voluntary HIV testing among the population
in Yaoundé. Promoting safe sex, the society distributed 6,000
condoms as well as posters and leaflets among the young and people
across the community. During the week leading up to World AIDS Day
2001, 900 young people and adults assisted in a gala party and teachers
at the Bella Assan school took part in the final of a handball tournement
organised to raise awareness. The teachers beat their pupils by
14:8 and there were messages about AIDS awareness broadcast using
megaphones at half time and pre and post match. Theatre presentations,
sporting and games competitions as well as educative talks all figured
highly in the World AIDS Day celebrations and the Cameroon Red Cross
took the awareness programme to the central prison in Yaoundé.
In addition, the Society has been invited to contribute to the AIDS
exhibition planned for the Palais de Congrès in Yaoundé.
CENTRAL AFRICA REGION: Central African Republic
One hundred volunteers took part in a campaign to help raise awareness.
Celebrations began on Monday 3 Decemeber with activites including
educational talks, demonstrations on condom use, drama performances
and peer-education sessions.
CENTRAL AFRICA REGION: Democratic Republic of Congo (Kinshasa)
The theatre troupe put on a performance in front of more than a
hundred people at Ngobila beach. The production aimed to raise awareness
about the the risks of sexually transmitted diseases and HIV/AIDS,
especially among people travelling in the area and those en route
to Brazzaville. In addition, a six kilometre march was held, setting
off from the Palais du Peuple where the National Society President
spoke about mobilising the population in the fight against HIV/AIDS.
CENTRAL AFRICA REGION: Sao Tome and Principe
Twenty volunteers were trained to help raise awareness at schools,
universities, markets and other public places in town. On World
AIDS Day itself, a televised debate was organsied at the national
television station. A football tournament final and theatre performaces
also marked the day.
EAST AFRICA REGION: Nairobi
On Wednesday 4 December, the Nairobi Red Cross Regional Delegation
held a staff and delegates meeting, where the video "It is
not easy" made in Uganda was screened. A panel discussion,
candle-light memorial, personal pledges and display followed.
EAST AFRICA REGION: Somalia
A concerted effort at raising public awareness about HIV/AIDS was
exerted across Somaliland by the Somali Red Crescent. The six Somali
Red Crescent branches were active in disseminating information at
the grass root level and activities in the capital of Somaliland,
Hargesia, were in abundance. The streets were hung with banners
marking the day and a meeting was held at the Parliament building
where the First Lady gave the keynote speech. Dr Abdinasr from Puntland
- the country's leading AIDS expert - attended the event as well
as local WHO, UNICEF and EC representatives. In the afternoon a
football match and sports meeting was held in the stadium and there
was tremendous enthusiasm as the teams battled for the cup presented
by the Minister of Health and Labour.The AIDS team won after a penalty
shoot out.The National Society health co-ordinator, Kaltun Hussein
Dahir, says that as a result of all these and other efforts HIV/AIDS
awareness is growing in Somaliland and the momentum must be kept
up.
EUROPE(Commonwealth of Independent States): Russian Federation
From 30 November to 2 December, the Russian Red Cross and International
Federation held an art exhibition to raise awareness on HIV/AIDS
among youth in Russia. The exhibition took place in a popular youth
club and cultural centre located in the downtown Moscow. The participants
were young and creative people, artists and photographers, who took
a step forward in supporting the Red Cross in its efforts to raise
awareness on HIV/AIDS in Russia.
EUROPE (Commonwealth of Independent States): Tajikistan
On World AIDS Day itself, a concert organised with the HIV/AIDS
centre was put on at the City opera and ballet theatre. "Living
with..." has been dubbed into Russian and was shown on all
four TV screens on the site while volunteers distributed leaflets
and condoms. Additionally, at the end of November the Red Crescent
Society of Tajikistan introduced peer-to-peer education workshops
for the first time in the county. Under the guidance of the development
delegate, youth volunteers have been conducting one-hour workshops
in higher education establishments.
SOUTHERN AFRICA REGION:
Across the southern Africa region, National Societies celebrated
World AIDS Day 2001 with exhibitions, drama performances, speeches
and marches. Specifically, the Swaziland Red Cross held a 'stand
together' with other organisations, a blood donations campaign (where
donors were tested) and distributed t-shirts. In Zimbabwe the National
Society made t-shirts based on the "I care - Do you?"
UN theme and the Mozambique Red Cross dedicated a whole week to
HIV/AIDS.
WEST AFRICA REGION: Burkino-Faso
The Red Cross organised programmes in all the provinces of Burkina
Faso. A march was organised to showcase the network of volunteers
and the possibility of using them to combat AIDS. A Red Cross dissemination
caravan is embarking on a nation-wide tour.
WEST AFRICA REGION: Cape Verde
The Cape Verde Red Cross were higly involved in the World AIDS Day
commemorations. With various other youth associations, the National
Society youth department took part in a march organised by the Youth
Secretariat's Centre of Information and Youth Council. The activity
aimed to be informative and raise awareness among the thousands
of young people who marched with banners heralding the fight against
AIDS. About 30 young Red Cross volunteers were present. Elsewhere,
two senior National Society members helped judge a 'best banner'
competition organised by the Peace Corps. Students of English had
made HIV/AIDS related banners at the Praia Technical college and
a variety of prizes were awarded to thse judged to be the winners.
The competition, which was just one of the Peace Corps activities
to celebrate World AIDS Day, aimed to inform and raise awareness
on HIV/AIDS.
WEST AFRICA REGION: Cote d'Ivoire
With the objective to take the anti-AIDS campaign to thet interior
of Cote d'Ivoire for the first ime, in Western Cote d'Ivoire the
local Red Cross worked alongside local authorities, organising a
drama/quiz competition among high school students. Prizes included
cash,condoms an t-shirts.
WEST AFRICA REGION: Ghana
In Ghana, Ghanaian Red Cross took part in "AIDS Day Walks"
in the capital city,Accra and other cities.
WEST AFRICA REGION: Mauritania
The Mauritanian Red Crescent, with the support of French Red Cross,
participated in a march organised by the National Programme for
the fight against AIDS in collaboration with the scouting association
and under the patronage of the Minister of Health and Social Affairs.
These activities mobilised over 200 young people (scouts and RC
volunteers) to march through the main streets of the capital reinforcing
the UN-theme "AIDS; I care - Do you?"
WEST AFRICA REGION: Nigeria
The Nigerian Red Cross organised a 30-km march flagged off by the
wife of the governor of Lagos State. There was music,dance and fun.
Condoms were distributed to participants and passers-by.
WEST AFRICA REGION: Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone Red Cross Society joined the National AIDS Control
Programme, UNICEF WHO and other stakeholders undertaking community
sensitisation and condom promotion in eight branches. The National
society also participated in radio discussions and used drama to
reinforce messages in rural areas.
WEST AFRICA REGION: Togo
The Togo Red Cross organised an "AIDS Carnival"in Lome,
in collaboration with other organisations in the network of NGOs
involved in the fight against AIDS. Gala nights and cultural programmes
were also organised in different parts of the country.
National Society web sites with more on
World AIDS Day and HIV/AIDS
American Red Cross
Australian Red Cross
Finnish Red Cross
German Red Cross
Red Cross Society
of Panama
Spanish Red Cross
Swedish Red Cross
Swiss Red Cross
Ukrainian Red Cross Society
Zimbabwe
Red Cross Society
|
