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. 

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Ivorian football player Gervinho, a UNAIDS Ambassador for the Protect the Goal campaign, took the opportunity during a private stay in Gabon to learn about the AIDS epidemic in the country.

UNAIDS Officer in Charge Rodrigue Nze Eyo’o briefed Gervinho on the national epidemic, challenges and successes and the work and role of UNAIDS in the country. Awareness, prevention and testing campaigns are key to reaching youth and the most vulnerable populations. Gervinho’s generous contributions and engagement play a crucial role in reaching a large audience with important HIV prevention messages.

During his fact-finding mission, Gervinho also showed his ball skills on the pitch during an HIV awareness-raising football game organized by the nongovernmental organization Rainbow with the support of the UNAIDS Country Office in Gabon. At the game, Gervinho had the opportunity to speak to young vulnerable people, orphans, out-of-school children and young people living with HIV about the challenges they face in their daily lives.

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The Association of National Olympic Committees of Africa (ANOCA) and UNAIDS signed a partnership agreement to work together in the AIDS response, particularly in the response among young athletes.

The agreement was signed in Bangkok, Thailand, on the sidelines of the XIX General Assembly of the Association of National Olympic Committees by ANOCA President Lassana Palenfo and Djibril Diallo, on behalf of UNAIDS Executive Director Michel Sidibé.

UNAIDS and ANOCA agreed to carry out joint advocacy and communication activities in sporting events organized by ANOCA in support of the UNAIDS Protect the Goal campaign. They will also work together to raise HIV awareness, particularly among sportspeople, to promote HIV prevention and towards the elimination of all forms of stigma and discrimination of people affected by HIV.

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Athletes aged 15–18 have converged in Nanjing, China, to compete in a wide range of sports at the 2014 Youth Olympic Games. From 16 to 28 August, the young athletes will set their eyes on gold and on achieving their best performance. But the Olympic movement goes beyond celebrating physical talent: it values friendship, solidarity and fair play, and recognizes the power that sport can have in building a better world.

With thousands of young people participating in the global event and its cultural and educational programme, UNAIDS, the United Nations Office for South–South Cooperation and the Nanjing Medical University are showcasing ways in which public and private institutions can work together to create a healthier future for young people.

During a session with young athletes on 17 August, UNAIDS invited them to express their creativity at its educational booth in the Olympic Village as part of a campaign that features artwork, games and HIV facts. The Protect the Goal campaign, which uses the popularity and convening power of sport to mobilize youth for HIV prevention, was also promoted by UNAIDS at the event.

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