ROADTOWN Tortola BVI, November 15th, 2011 – In observance of World AIDS Day 2011, the National AIDS Programme of the Ministry of Health and Social Development will be conducting a National Youth Summit Tour to all secondary and tertiary educational institutions in the Virgin Islands.

Under the theme, “The Right to be Me and to Beat HIV”, the Territory wide tour, which targets youths of ages 12 to 24 years, will begin on Monday, November 28 and will end on Friday, December 2. National AIDS Programme Coordinator, Mrs. Noelene Levons-Clarke stated, “The objective is to empower our young people to develop and maintain healthy lifestyles by creating a forum for them to discuss critical sexual health issues that affect them, and to enable them to identify and implement strategies for making the best lifestyle choices”.

In partnership with a team of local and regional facilitators, the National AIDS Programme will facilitate presentations on sexual health, group rap sessions and life skills exercises where participants will be engaged in interactive sessions focused on HIV/AIDS, Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs) and Human Rights. Additionally, they will learn more about life skills such as decision making, refusal and negotiation.

Teams will visit the Claudia Creque Educational Centre in Anegada on Monday, November 28; the Bregado Flax Educational Centre in Virgin Gorda on Tuesday, November 29; the Elmore Stoutt High School and BVI Technical and Vocational Centre on Wednesday, November 30; the Elmore Stoutt High School and the H. Lavity Stoutt Community College on Thursday, December 1; and the BVI Seventh-day Adventist School and Cedar School on Friday, December 2.

Other activities to observe the occasion include: a balloon release in Road Town by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) BVI; a condom and red ribbon distribution drive to encourage safer sexual practices by the Leo Club of Tortola; and an HIV/AIDS Awareness Ceremony in the Noel Lloyd Positive Action Movement Park hosted by the HIV/AIDS Foundation.

Started on December 1, 1988, World AIDS Day is a global celebration. It has become one of the most recognised international health days and a key opportunity to raise awareness, commemorate those who have passed on, celebrate victories such as increased access to treatment and prevention services, and support those living with HIV through financial and volunteer support.

This is the 23rd year that World AIDS Day will be observed in the Virgin Islands. For more information on the World AIDS Day National Youth Summit Tour and other activities planned, please telephone the National AIDS Programme at 468 4371 or 468 9785, or email nclarke@gov.vg.

The National AIDS Programme is the arm of the Ministry of Health and Social Development designed to mitigate the health and socio-economic impact of HIV/AIDS on individuals and the larger community of the Virgin Islands.

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