Young sports leaders from 15 countries in the Asia and Pacific region have learned about HIV prevention and sexual and reproductive health.
Some 30 volunteers participating in the Youth Leadership Programme of the United Nations Office on Sport for Development and Peace (UNOSDP), a programme designed to bring change in the volunteers’ homelands, attended a workshop in which they discussed how to talk about HIV with young people, explored ways to overcome the challenges faced by youth and debated the role of grass-roots sports activities in the HIV response.
As part of the workshop, held in the Republic of Korea, the youth leaders also designed and created innovative advocacy campaigns on HIV prevention and testing and on promoting zero discrimination, which they promised to implement in their home countries.
The workshop was led by UNAIDS youth officers and was organized by the Youth Leadership Programme of UNOSDP in partnership with Gwangju Summer Universiade Organizing Committee and the Youth Sport Trust.
“Sport brings change and leadership in societies and can tackle the biggest challenges, including the HIV epidemic.”
Ben Taylor, United Nations Office on Sport for Development and Peace
“The day with UNAIDS taught me how to stand up for key affected people in my community by becoming an agent of change.”
Rana Umair Asif, Pakistan, Kafka Welfare Organization, member of Y-PEER Pakistan
“This is my second Youth Leadership Camp in the Republic of Korea and I am inspired by the activism spirit of the young leadership. I truly believe with leadership they can conquer anything.”
Elena Kiryushina, Youth Officer, UNAIDS Regional Support Team for Eastern Europe and Central Asia
