First AIDS Youth Ambassadors announced in China, UNICEF co-hosts launch event at the Great Wall.
Juyongguan Great Wall, 9 April. UNICEF and the China National Committee for the Care of Children (CNCCC) co-hosted at the Great Wall this morning the launch of a new network of one hundred Youth AIDS Ambasadors , aged between 12 and 24. In the shadow of China's most famous monument, the country's first AIDS Ambassador, the actor Mr Pu Cunxin, led fifty of the newly appointed Youth Ambassadors in a pledge to “learn, share and care” about HIV/AIDS. The Youth Ambassadors undertook to support the ”Unite for Children, Unite against AIDS” global campaign by learning the ten facts about AIDS, sharing information about HIV/AIDS with friends and the community and caring for children and families affected.
The launch was attended by Government, UN and civil society partners in the Global Campaign, as well as by over three hundred children. UN Theme Group Chair and UNICEF Representative Dr Christian Voumard opened speaking of how young people could be a force for change. This was especially true, he said, in China where nearly 20% of the world's 10-24 year olds lived. “If they could learn the 10 facts on AIDS, share the facts with their friends and take action to decrease stigma and discrimination, the whole world could benefit from China”. “That's why today we are making sure young people are included as part of this campaign”, he emphasized..
The new “Unite for Children, Unite against AIDS” Youth Ambassadors from six provinces have all came through a selection process involving their peers, teachers and their communities . All have already shown their commitment by creating and disseminating information about AIDS within their schools and communities, as well as supporting children and families affected .
A Youth Ambassador working as a nurse in a Beijing AIDS hospital spoke at the launch of how she had been using her spare time to help ensure that patients from outside Beijing regularly received their medicines at the right time and place. “My happiness is to help people in need and dedicate myself to providing them with love and care”, she said. Achievements by other Youth Ambassadors included setting-up a web-site reporting on AIDS issues, conducting training on AIDS as peer educators and actively assisting the AIDS affected in their communities.
Mr Pu Cunxin and UNICEF Hong Kong Ambassador Ms Gigi Leung both refereed to the importance of the “learn, share and care” message for young people to take out into their communities and thereby help address the issue of stigma and discrimination, the importance of which had been recognized by the Chinese leadership.
Estimates indicate that around 76,000 children have been orphaned by AIDS in China, where the most recent statistics put at 650,000 the number of people living with HIV/AIDS, with some 70,000 new infections during 2005. Aware ness on AIDS among children and young people remains low, with a recent study finding that 50% of a sample of 2,500 15-20 year olds could not name one way to protect themselves from HIV. Around half the young people in that same study believed that HIV could be transmitted by sharing chopsticks.
The event concluded with a Press Conference at which the chief guests fielded questions from the Chinese media.
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