“It
is a paradise without moral limitations, with lots of sun, a
perfect beach and warm black sea. The nights are long, featuring
all kinds of electronic music non-stop!” – This
rather broad and exciting explanation to KaZantip, an annual
international techno festival, was given to the group of Ukrainian
Red Cross volunteers as they prepared their journey.
The young volunteers were going to disseminate information on
HIV prevention, stigma and discrimination, and to teach first
aid to all the extreme sport lovers expected to be there.
Ultimate party
Emerging from the dance music culture of the early 90s, KaZantip
is an annual international electronic music festival which attracts
party goers not only from Russia and Ukraine, but from all around
the world. This ultimate techno party, which this year ran from
the 15 July to 26 August, in the high season of the Crimean
summer, is reputed as a “Russian-made techno Woodstock”.
Although many returning patrons reunited at the 2006 festival,
newcomers such as the Red Cross volunteers were also very welcome.
Unexpected consequenses
During the festival, Dima was one of many volunteers distributing
condoms, accompanied with two girls both name Tatyana, sporting
his Red Cross t-shirt and bandana over the rather than the regular
festival gear. “It is easy to have fun in the sun is easy
to have,” he explains, “but the decisions you make
on holiday could have unexpected consequences.”
The risks are many, blistering sunburn or sand flea bites are
only the beginning. In addition to the sun and the sand are
other temptations, such as alcohol, tobacco and other drugs,
as well as sex. The Ukrainian Red Cross volunteers addressed
the whole range of risks, providing first aid as well as distributing
condoms. Dima says the efforts of the volunteers were highly
appreciated by the public, who paid attention to first aid trainings
and sexual health information despite the wide array of other
activities.
“It’s hard to believe that during non-stop parties
24 hours of day on 14 dance floors with more than 300 DJs, young
people still have a wish to learn first aid, to ask questions
about HIV and Red Cross, to be involved in our contests on healthy
lifestyle and even become our Kazantip volunteers,” he
adds.
Ukrainian Red Cross gave the participants of Kazantip the chance
to design posters, write mottos and short messages, and pass
a test on HIV-prejudice. And of course there were presents –red
bandanas that both gave protection from the bright summer sun
and were the sign of solidarity with the Red Cross activities.
Addressing stigma
Nikolay, a member of the Kazantip organization committee and
the prime-minister of the republic of Kazantip, explains his
supportive attitude towards Red Cross activities during the
festival by comparing the Red Cross with the festival itself.
“Its really amazing but I may find many similarities between
the problems like stigmatization and discrimination that Red
Cross volunteers are speaking about and the fate of the festival
itself,” Nikoly says.
“Before 1999, the festival was arranged in an abandoned
nuclear power plant in the Crimea, something that was not appreciated
by the local authorities. Many felt threatened by the festival,
and there was prejudice towards the festival-goers as well as
the whole concept of the festival. In the end, they decided
to stop the event, and it was moved to a different location.
There are still many who dislike freedom of choice and speech,
and who try to explore the problem with blind eyes, but the
Red Cross are addressing the young people who will become decision-makers
in the future, working to change their attitudes and prepare
them to act now.”
|
 |
 |
|
|
| Visitors
to the KaZantip festival got plenty of information and
advice on how to stay safe from the Ukrainian Red Cross
volunteers. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
| One
of the skills the participants to the festival could learn,
was first aid. |
|
|
 |
|
|
| Many
were interested in the Red Cross information despite the
non-stop parties with 14 stages and hundreds of DJs. |
|
|
 |
|
|
| Festival-goers
could get information and see the "Come closer.."
banners, a part of the anti-stigma campaign of the International
Federation, while relaxing on the beach.
|
|
|
 |
|
|
| Competitions
were also arranged, here a Kazantip DJ participates in
the drawing contest for a healthy lifestyle
|
|
News
