2006 World AIDS Day in Egypt

none 12 Nov 2006 – 16:11 (modified on 29 Jan 2007 – 14:09)

by mlepeska

In Egypt, the World AIDS Day focus is on raising awareness about HIV/AIDS among the nation's youth through a series of events. 2006 initiatives include support for the Egyptian Medical Students Association program of collegiate events, "Sailing the Nile for the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs)", and the Ismailia HIV/AIDS Youth Camp.

The Egyptian Medical Students Association (EMSA)

"HIV/AIDS is a pandemic. We must start to realize that HIV/AIDS is a problem in Egypt, affecting us not only as a disease, but economically and socially as well."-- EMSA

Overview - The Egyptian Medical Students Association (EMSA) is a member of the International Federation of Medical Students Associations. EMSA has been active in implementing activities around the WAC since 2004 in collaboration with the ETG. This year, the EMSA plans to continue conducting awareness raising events at the 10 medical faculties in Egypt, in addition to initiating a peer education program among medical students. EMSA's immediate objectives are to continue the momentum of improving health professionals initiated during the WAC 2005, including alerting medical students to current HIV/AIDS treatment and care strategies in Egypt, the rising numbers of HIV/AIDS infections, and the correlation between HIV/AIDS and other STIs and blood-borne illnesses.

Details- EMSA will conduct 3 main steps to recognize the 2006 WAD. First, students will be trained to become peer educators on HIV/AIDS, including the design and production of educational materials. Second, students will conduct seminars, peer education events, competitions, and film screenings on HIV/AIDS in all 10 medical faculties around the country. Finally, an evaluation of the activities will be conducted to better inform future initiatives. EMSA will implement these activities over a 4-month period at medical faculties in Ain Shams (Cairo), Alexandria, Banha, Kasr El Ainy (Cairo), Ismailia, Mansoura, Menoufiya, Tanta and Zagazig governorates.

Sailing the Nile for the Millennium Development Goals

MDG #6: Combat HIV/AIDS, malaria, and other diseases

Mobilizing Upper-Egypt for the MDGs from a Rights-Based approach using arts and community activism for social change

Overview- This project, initiated by the UN and its partners, will promote action towards fulfilling the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) in Egypt. The project is designed to raise awareness on the meaning of the MDGs from a human rights perspective among the population of Upper Egypt; increase the visibility of UN development work in Egypt at a grass roots level; encourage the exchange of successful and exciting experiences related to achieving the MDGs among UN project, NGOs, the private sector, government and the community; and create channels for people of Upper Egypt (especially marginalized youth) to contribute to achieving the MDGs through volunteerism. The 6th MDG aims to combat HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases. The WAC Task Force in Egypt decided to mainstream its activities in 2006 through the Sailing the Nile project.

Details- Eight felucca boats will be sailing down the Nile, stopping in eight towns from the 26th of October starting with UN Day celebrations in Aswan, Upper Egypt, and ending with International Volunteer's Day and Human Rights Day celebrations in Cairo on the 8th of December. Each felucca will represent one of the MDGs and the sail will bear a culturally-relevant symbol as an illustration of the goal.

World AIDS Day will be commemorated in Beni-Suef on December 1 with events including 1) HIV/AIDS education training-of-trainers sessions with youth and the promotion of volunteerism; 2) Workshops with religious leaders to spread HIV/AIDS awareness messages; and 3) Welcome the feluccas with a parade, display of banners, song and dance performances. In addition to the activities planned in Beni-Suef, HIV/AIDS awareness campaigns will be orchestrated by local organizations in Cairo, Sohag, Qena, Luxor, Aswan, and Assiut, with events ranging from awareness-raising and training-of-trainers to competitive sports and dramatic performances.

These programs are geared towards initiating a yearly festival of development and community participation in Egypt.

The Ismailia HIV/AIDS Youth Camp

Youth empowerment for creative thinking, activism, and volunteerism: How to be an agent of change!

Overview- The Sailing the Nile project focuses on the Upper Egypt governorates. In order to ensure inclusion of other governorates the NAP will conduct a 2-day HIV/AIDS youth camp in Ismailia targeting youth from the delta, north coast and Sinai governorates. The NAP aims to ensure this camp is youth-led and, as such, will partner with youth groups active on HIV/AIDS to conduct peer to peer activities. The youth groups participating in this are the Global Youth Partners , the Global Coalition on HIV/AIDS , Y-Peer , Dance4Life , the Egyptian Medical Students Association and the Egyptian Scouts Movement .

Details- The NAP will cooperate with the National Council for Youth and various youth HIV/AIDS groups to conduct a 3-day HIV/AIDS youth camp in Ismailia. 300 youth from 20 governorates will be selected by the National Council and the youth organisations. The agenda of the youth camp has been developed by the youth organisations will be approved by the NAP and the National Council for Youth:

The camp schedule includes energizing youth to become agents of change through tutorials in HIV basic knowledge, role-playing, singing and other theatre-based techniques. Youth will be encouraged to form clubs to educate peers on the issues of HIV. Youth will be encouraged to participate in the day through celebrity appearances and youth-centered activities including sports and social time following the educational sessions, competitions and quizzes to test HIV-knowledge with prizes, an art exhibition, and a final awards ceremony. The goal of the camp is to foster youth empowerment on HIV issues through education and group solidarity.

WAC Egypt Goal: To ensure government and civil society partners work together towards fulfilling Egypt’s UNGASS commitments by 2010 through the implementation of an adapted World AIDS Campaign.

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