Kaiser Daily HIV/AIDS Report Rounds Up World AIDS Day Initiatives and Events
The Kaiser Daily HIV/AIDS Report has compiled a list of some of the organizations introducing initiatives or holding events this week in commemoration of World AIDS Day. The following lists these events and initiative in alphabetical order by organization or agency:
- Advocates for Youth: At its 20th anniversary conference next week, Advocates for Youth will announce the launch of a new nationwide campaign, titled "Rights. Respect. Responsibility.," aimed at "help[ing] America get over its discomfort talking about sex," organization President James Wagoner said. Over the next three years, the "3Rs" campaign will aim to change national policy on sexuality education from abstinence-only to comprehensive curricula; promote a nationwide initiative to help parents communicate effectively with their children about sexuality; train youth to take leadership roles to promote adolescent sexual health programs and policies; and work with the media to depict information and images that support healthy and responsible sexual behavior (Advocates for Youth release, 11/29).
- Association Francois-Xavier Bagnoud/World Bank: The Association Francois-Xavier Bagnoud and the World Bank Early Childhood Development Team on Wednesday launched a revised version of the AIDS Orphans Assistance Database. The online resource will assist organizations and individuals who work with AIDS orphans in exchanging information and identifying "potential sources of support," potential implementing partners and technical service providers. Those interested in joining the database can register online or request a registration form by mail (AFXB release, 11/28).
- Black Media Task Force on AIDS: On Dec. 1, a group of leading black media executives will hold a press conference at the African American AIDS Policy and Training Institute in Los Angeles to announce the formation of the Black Media Task Force on AIDS, a group developed to help increase media coverage of HIV/AIDS in the black community. Officials from the CDC will discuss the epidemic's effect in the black community and actor Danny Glover and Ron Dellums, former chair of the Presidential Advisory Council on HIV/AIDS, will unveil "Heroes in the Struggle," a photographic retrospective of 20 African-American leaders in the fight against HIV/AIDS. A gala reception in honor of the exhibit will also be held that night at the California Science Center (African American AIDS Policy and Training Institute release, 11/28).
- Global AIDS Alliance: The Global AIDS Alliance yesterday released a report, titled "Pay Now or Pay More Later," that says the "persistent underfunding of the global AIDS response is inexcusable." The report also states that "there are still no major new commitments of resources to mount and sustain a serious effort to stop global AIDS." The report is available online at www.globalaidsalliance.org.
- International AIDS Vaccine Initiative/Yahoo!, Inc: In recognition of World AIDS Day, IAVI and Yahoo! have introduced an AIDS Awareness IMVironment for Yahoo! Messenger. IMVironments are interactive, themed backgrounds for Yahoo! Messenger conversations that appear in the instant messaging window. The AIDS Awareness IMVironment features a design highlighting AIDS messages and directs people to IAVI's Web site to sign the Global Call for Action for AIDS Vaccines, an ongoing IAVI campaign that has to date collected more than 70,000 signatures from people in 145 countries telling world leaders that an AIDS vaccine is "the best hope of ending the pandemic" (IAVI/Yahoo! release, 11/30).
- Planned Parenthood of New York City: PPNYC will offer free HIV testing and counseling on Saturday and again from Dec. 4 through Dec. 8. "We hope that in offering testing and counseling free of cost, we can help more New Yorkers become aware of their HIV status -- to access treatment if they learn they are positive and to learn how to keep themselves and their partners healthy regardless of their status," PPNYC CEO Joan Malin said (PPNYC release, 11/27).
- Population Services International: PSI will today officially launch its "YouthAIDS," a global initiative aimed at getting youth involved in the fight against AIDS. The initiative includes fundraising, public service announcements and an MTV concert scheduled for 2002 (Synergy HIV/AIDS E-Newsletter, 11/20).
- Terrence Higgins Trust: One in five people diagnosed with HIV has experienced some form of discrimination in the past 12 months, according to a report released this week by the Terrence Higgins Trust. According to the group, discrimination and fear of discrimination are preventing people from being tested. The organization is calling on the British government to mount an awareness campaign in response to their findings (BBC News, 11/28).
- San Francisco AIDS Foundation: SFAF yesterday announced the launch of the Pangaea Global AIDS Foundation, which is dedicated to fighting AIDS internationally, especially in developing countries. The foundation, headed by Dr. Eric Goosby, former director of HIV/AIDS policy at HHS, will focus its efforts on increasing access to antiretroviral drugs, care and support for HIV patients and supporting the development of an AIDS vaccine (SFAF release, 11/30).
- United Nations: The U.N. Department of Public Information and UNAIDS today will host a town-hall meeting, "I Care ... Do You?," to "focus on the initiative, engagement and power of individuals ... in making a difference in the fight against AIDS. The meeting, which will feature a performance by a South African acting troupe and a reading by South African poet Evert Eden, will focus on the "key themes" of leadership, volunteerism, outreach to youth and the power of celebrities and the media (U.N. release, 11/28).
- U.S. Agency for International Development: USAID today will launch its Communities Responding to the HIV/AIDS Epidemic (CORE) initiative at a 10 a.m. press conference at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C. Through the CORE program, USAID provides assistance to community and faith-based groups working to fight AIDS in developing countries (Synergy HIV/AIDS E-Newsletter, 11/20).
- Whitman-Walker Clinic: The Whitman-Walker Clinic, a community health care provider in Washington, D.C., today will host a series of open houses and lectures at its four sites throughout the Washington metro area. The open houses will be followed by a candlelight vigil outside the main clinic at 5 p.m. At the vigil, a special red ribbon that will cover the entire side of the building will be unveiled ( Whitman-Walker release, 11/13).