Sport for development

ICC - International Cricket Council

The International Cricket Council (ICC) has teamed up with UNICEF and UNAIDS to highlight the situation of children and young people living with and affected by HIV and AIDS under the banner THINK WISE: The Global Cricket AIDS Partnership.

THINK WISE 

THINK WISE is a joint partnership between the International Cricket Council (ICC), UNAIDS and UNICEF that seeks to use the power of cricket to raise awareness around HIV prevention and to eliminate discrimination against people living with and affected by HIV and AIDS. In 2009, some 10 million people living with HIV - more than a quarter of the global total - were from major cricketing countries (India, South Africa, Pakistan, Guyana [which competes as part of the West Indies], Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Australia, New Zealand, England and Wales). India and South Africa alone have nearly eight million people living with HIV.

The THINK WISE partners aim to:

• Raise awareness about the AIDS epidemic within the cricket community;
• Address the stigma and discrimination surrounding the disease and experienced by those living with and affected by HIV;
• Encourage informed decision-making and help-seeking behaviours to prevent new infections through targeted information and outreach.

During the Cricket World Cup 2011 the partners will also sponsor school and community-based cricket initiatives to provide young people with important life skills. Learn more about the campaign and the involvement of top cricket players including Kumar Sangakarra, Virender Sehwag, Graeme Smith, Nathan Bracken, Stefanie Taylor, Isa Guha, Ramnaresh Sarwan and Shakib Al Hasan please visit www.thinkwisecricket.com.

Brief Background of the Partnership

The ICC and UNAIDS came together in 2003 under the slogan 'Run Out AIDS' to address the impact AIDS was having on young people in cricket-playing countries. Numerous awareness-raising initiatives were implemented through this alliance to increase the level of understanding and education about HIV and AIDS. Materials such as the 'Cricket HIV and AIDS Curriculum' were used to reach young cricketers in and out of school.

In the run-up to the ICC Cricket World Cup 2007 in the Caribbean, UNICEF joined the partnership, and the partners agreed to work together under the banner of 'Unite For Children, Unite Against AIDS' global campaign, together with the Global Media AIDS Initiative (GMAI).

In 2009 the THINK WISE campaign was adopted and since the global partnership has launched numerous initiatives, among them:

• Public service announcements have been produced featuring top cricket players;
• Players and umpires have worn red ribbons at key matches in support of persons living with HIV;
• Players and officials have visited centres providing HIV care and support;
• Flag-bearers at competitions have worn THINK WISE jerseys;
• THINK WISE was featured in official souvenir programmes for ICC competitions;
• A children's booklet on HIV and AIDS was developed and disseminated around major competitions; and
• Broacasters have been briefed on HIV messaging and numerous media releases have been disseminated around major competitions and World AIDS Day.