http://hrenglich.tigblog.org/ What's on the minds of young leaders from around the globe? en-us http://hrenglich.tigblog.org/post/42142 In the fight against AIDS, Right to Play is doing important work through a program called “Live Safe, Play Safe,” in which interactive games and subsequent discussions with children educate them about HIV/AIDS. Dr. Lorna Read, the director of research and programme development, explained that training local youth to act as coaches for the games is vital to Right to Play’s guiding principles of sustainability and inclusion.
The inclusion of women and girls is especially important to the organization, which is faced with breaking down stereotypes that women are fit only for the home. However, as local coach Safari Kayisire said, “thanks to sports, the children learn tolerance,” and before long, girls are welcomed onto the playing field alongside boys.
Dr. Bruce Kidd of the University of Toronto, explained that the importance of including girls in sports is academically supported. Studies show that teenage women involved in high school sports are less likely to contract STDs, which is directly related to the fact that their participation gives them self-esteem and confidence that strengthens their capacity to negotiate their own sexuality.
Yet self-confidence is nothing without knowledge, an understanding Right to Play uses in tailoring its games to specific situations. In one AIDS-related game, certain children play the HIV virus and try to catch others; however, as the children run after one another, coaches yell out different causes for getting caught, such as unprotected sex, thus teaching the children in a very unobtrusive way.
There is an ancient proverb that reads, “Tell me and I will forget. Show me and I will remember, Involve me and I will understand.” By occupying children with fun activities that engage and educate simultaneously, Right to Play has crafted a brilliant program that harnesses the energy of children for positive means.
As the Olympic speedskater Joey Cheek said, “children everywhere play.” By playing sports, children are able to socialize, exercise, vent frustration, and learn important life skills. If only adults were willing to be so light-hearted as to play as children do, perhaps the world would be a better place.
]]> Thu, 17 Aug 2006 18:31:00 EDT http://hrenglich.tigblog.org/post/42142 43.8 -79.416666743.8-79.4166667 http://hrenglich.tigblog.org/post/42110 Farmer delivered the news, in case any were in doubt, that “the treatment for hunger is food,” and “although maybe a radical idea, children need food every day.” Tongue and cheek, Stephen Lewis likened this statement to one found in a governmental report he witnessed while working in Canadian politics, which read, “the incidence of drowning increases near large bodies of water.”
Robin Jackson supported her colleagues, dispelling the myths that the inclusion of food in aid projects to do with HIV/AIDS are “rolls royce projects,” or in other words, optional. Studies have shown that the effectiveness of ARV treatment is critically enhanced by proper nutrition and among the 14 million people who need interventions in the next two years, some 6 million require food intervention.
Stephen Lewis, in response to the folks who refuse to recognize the importance of proper nutrition, suggested that perhaps abstinence programs should redirect money to nutrition. One journalist interjected that the South African Minister of Health greatly promotes and supports the idea of proper nutrition; however, Lewis made it clear that his tactics of suggesting certain foods such as beet root, garlic, and sweet potato as replacements for ARVs are completely unacceptable.
As if all of this wasn’t convincing enough, Dr. Farmer called attention to Joseph, a young man from Haiti who stood as living proof of the effectiveness of proper nutrition in combination with ARVs. Using before and after photos over the span of six months to prove to the audience that nutritious food is essential, we saw Joseph’s transformation from emaciated to healthy. From knocking on death’s door to embracing his life ahead, there was no clearer illustration of the power of food than Joseph, who sat among us.
I’m enthralled by the concept of holistic health, which extends to the idea of spiritual, emotional, as well as physical nourishment. By being able to provide food along with HIV/AIDS treatment regimens, the World Food Programme is succeeding in sending a message that the whole person is valued; their life is not just worth hanging on to, but enhancing. With proper nutrition in combination with ARV treatment, people living with HIV/AIDS can make a positive contribution to their societies, engage with their families, and create the life that they want for themselves.
For further information about the World Food Programme’s initiatives, check out www.wfp.org.
]]> Thu, 17 Aug 2006 12:54:00 EDT http://hrenglich.tigblog.org/post/42110 43.8 -79.416666743.8-79.4166667 http://hrenglich.tigblog.org/post/42080 At a session this afternoon focusing on indigenous people facing HIV/AIDS, one Inuit woman spoke about Pauktuutit, a twenty-year-old non-governmental organization that represents women in Canada. As a bonus, the group includes young women on its board. The organization focuses their efforts on creating programs in the areas of family violence and abuse, residential schools, and sexual health, among other things.
Inuit communities in Canada have high rates of STIs as well as teen pregnancy, indicating that unprotected sex is common and this increases the risk of contracting HIV. A great challenge that faces Inuit communities lies in the fact that community health centres are not places where someone can go to for anonymous testing, since they are staffed by family and friends. The shortage of resource workers means that doctors and nurses have a high burnout rate, leaving much to be desired from the health system.
However gloomy that all may sound, there is great promise for the future. Currently the Nunavut government is working on a sexual health strategy, and will hopefully be able to provide culturally-specific programming for the proud Inuit people and their communities.
]]> Wed, 16 Aug 2006 22:18:00 EDT http://hrenglich.tigblog.org/post/42080 43.8 -79.416666743.8-79.4166667 http://hrenglich.tigblog.org/post/42079 Stigma comes in many forms, and is an effective way of shaming people in a way that is completely irrational, as often the cause for being stigmatized is beyond the person’s control. No one chooses their skin colour, their gender, or to be HIV-positive. No one deserves to be criticized or victimized because of these things.
One very positive initiative that has come of the battle against stigma is visible at the conference this week: a t-shirt that reads “HIV POSITIVE” is available to all, regardless of their status. The beauty of the message on the clothing also lies in the double entendre, that whether the person is HIV positive or positive about HIV, they should not have to be afraid to be loud and proud.
]]> Wed, 16 Aug 2006 22:17:00 EDT http://hrenglich.tigblog.org/post/42079 43.8 -79.416666743.8-79.4166667 http://hrenglich.tigblog.org/post/42066 Je sents très fortuné. Je viens d’une culture, d’une famille et d’une région privilegiée . Je ne suis pas membre d’une minorité visible, je suis en bonne santé et je poursuis mes etudes en Affaires Internationales et Psychologie. Je suis a l’aise dans du comfort contrairement aux personnes qui doivent lutter contre le stigma, l’inégalité et le racisme.
A cette conférence, il y a beaucoup de groupes qui se disent marginalisé dans le monde, comme les indigènes, les jeunes et les homosexuels. Comme membre de l’un de ces groupes, je pourrai m’engager pour un cause à défendre au nom de ces differents groupes, mais moi je ne m’identifie pas par rapport à la discrimination. Je veux donner mes efforts et mon temps à tout et je veux faire une différence pour les groupes qui souffrent sans raison. Parce que je ne peux pas changer mon histoire, j’essayerai d’étre sensible et respectueuse en travaillant pour l’àmelioration de la cause humaine.

Merci
]]> Wed, 16 Aug 2006 17:47:00 EDT http://hrenglich.tigblog.org/post/42066 43.8 -79.416666743.8-79.4166667 http://hrenglich.tigblog.org/post/42060 Eliciting the first laughter of the morning, Miguel Munoz-Laboy from Columbia University pulled up powerpoint slides full of ‘bling,’ which he joked was just junk from his drawer, in order to teach many serious conference participants about the difference between “bling bling hip hop” and “real hip hop.” Whereas the former is determined by what you own and how many women you sleep with, he said, the latter is more about the music and represented by artists such as Jay-Z.
Continuing on in his presentation of what was presumably formal research, he revealed that youth who define hip hop as dance or sex are more likely to have more sex in their lives. This doesn’t go without saying? If youth are associating their favourite music and culture with sex, isn’t it reasonable to draw the connection that sex is of interest and importance to them?
But hang on! Not all youth listen to hip hop and certainly the ones who listen to jazz and classic rock and heavy metal also are having sex. Sex is used today to sell just about everything, and no music is immune to this; even young classical artists are pushed in the direction of looking sexy in order to be popular and commercially successful.
Youth have a very strong association with their music – their playlists define them to their friends and what titles you know often brings you in or easily excludes you from conversations and social circles. This means that certain genres of music become cool, while others wither and die on the fringe of teenage society. And to some, what is unknown is the coolest of all.
So does certain music mean more sex? From a purely a-scientific standpoint, I would say that turning on hip hop before going on a date is not going to mean a different end to the evening. But cultural socialization may cause certain youth that listen to a common set of artists to exhibit sexually similar behaviour.
Maybe one day the ones who listen to polka will be having all the sex.
]]> Wed, 16 Aug 2006 16:00:00 EDT http://hrenglich.tigblog.org/post/42060 43.8 -79.416666743.8-79.4166667 http://hrenglich.tigblog.org/post/42054
The theme of the morning was strongly voiced by Dr. Peter Piot, the Executive Director of UNAIDS, who believes strongly that youth must be at the table in all discussions concerning HIV/AIDS. This sentiment was echoed by Josée Verner, Minister of International Cooperation and Minister for La Francophonie and Official Languages in Canada, who firmly stated that “leadership has no age limit,” a testament to the work of all on stage.

Julian Bond, the Chairman of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, used the comparison of apartheid to the battle against HIV/AIDS. He believes that “the battle against ignorance is our biggest challenge,” since like racism, customs, superstitions, and prejudices are the social stigmas that will determine who will live and who will die.

As each adult leader rose to give their addresses to the audience, it became apparent that they are all proud youth allies, determined to listen and not afraid to make big promises. Joya Banerjee, 24-year-old co-founder of the Global Youth Coalition on HIV/AIDS, bluntly asked of the adult leaders to identify specific and concrete commitments they are making to youth and when they would expect to make good on their promises, wisely adding, “we will be following up on these with you.” The three remaining adults showed great integrity in bringing their rhetoric to a close and finally proposing solid steps for action. From Xiomara Castro de Zelaya, First Lady of Honduras, youth are ensured an open space for participation in the coalition of first ladies and women in politics. From Dr. Peter Piot, an internship in the UNAIDS secretariat will be created. Dr. Julio Frenk promises the number of youth present at the next International AIDS Conference will be doubled, as it has since the last conference in Bangkok.

Caitlin Padgett, a founding member of the Youth Network for Harm Reduction International, reinforced the necessity of diminishing the rhetoric used around youth and HIV/AIDS, thanking Dr. Piot for using youth-friendly words such as ‘syringe’ and ‘condom.’ International documents are written in a language that is the result of compromise, and thus are “written in the language of no one,” Dr. Piot joked, which is why it is critical that “all AIDS programs pass the youth test”; they must be determined by and directed toward youth.

Her Excellency, Xiomara Castro de Zelaya, opened her speech by saying that “you, the youth, are the greatest hope for humanity,” but humanity is comprised of a great spectrum of diversity, for which the global fight against HIV/AIDS requires steady intergenerational partnerships and dialogues.]]> Wed, 16 Aug 2006 14:30:00 EDT http://hrenglich.tigblog.org/post/42054 43.8 -79.416666743.8-79.4166667 http://hrenglich.tigblog.org/post/42053
The engaging youth speakers who started the session with tales from Botswana spoke so strongly about the AIDS epidemic in their home country that the rest of the session paled in comparison. An animated young woman named Dolly delivered the news that Botswana has a 70% infection rate, complaining that too often, youth are criticized for being ignorant. Where billboards abound in cities, rural communities have limited access to information, especially in local dialects. “Ignorant youth?” Dolly jeered, “No. You are ignorant not to translate the message into my language.”

The pair from Botswana agreed that access to information and services would be a critical step toward reducing the rate of infection in the country. The small economy requires fortification to include youth, especially those heading up households. In order to provide education to infected, affected, and vulnerable youth, an organization called SAHA, the Society against HIV/AIDS was established in 1998 and continues to teach through entertainment.

In Burkina Faso, where nearly half the population lives on less than a dollar per day, the life expectancy of the general population is 45 and illiteracy is one of the biggest challenges facing youth groups working on AIDS education projects. In order to circumvent the issue of illiteracy, an organization called AIDS Go Away takes on AIDS education through music, creating a national competition in which children write songs about AIDS.

In Malawi, there are close to 1 million orphans; however the peer education and support of organizations such as Young Voices and Girls’ Alliance offer positive entertainment in order to spread the word about AIDS. Yet the statistics from Malawi are perhaps the most discouraging, with the average life expectancy at a lowly 37, down from 65 merely 7 years ago due to the rampant AIDS epidemic.

Canadians should feel lucky to have such a low rate of infection at merely 0.17% of the population; however, first nations communities still face the imbalance of being three times as likely as the average Canadian of becoming infected. Due to the power of the World University Service of Canada, young Canadians have put their efforts toward combating AIDS in parts of the world that are more greatly affected.

As one concerned audience member voiced his fear that North American charity will make youth and adults alike in developing countries reliant on handouts, he reinforced that “we have got to recognize our own power first.” In response to the general question, what do you want the world to know?, a young Canadian woman summed up the general sentiment of youth present at the XVI International AIDS Conference this week: “Nothing should be done for us, without us.”

For more coverage of the Youth Working Together Across Borders Session, take a listen to the podcasts up on the youth website.]]> Wed, 16 Aug 2006 14:27:00 EDT http://hrenglich.tigblog.org/post/42053 43.8 -79.416666743.8-79.4166667 http://hrenglich.tigblog.org/post/42046
The evening was a unique blend of education and entertainment, with performances from Soul Influence, an African a’cappella group, Zaki Ibrahim, Juice, Melissa Larkin, and the mixing talents of DJ Tiesto. However the serious nature of the HIV/AIDS epidemic was not played off by any means, as powerful leaders in the AIDS fight took the podium to give opening addresses at the event.

Dr. Peter Piot, the Executive Director of UNAIDS, is a conscious youth ally who took the time to speak with the Toronto YouthForce’s media team, delivering the critical message that “you cannot fight AIDS if you don’t include everybody who is affected by it. That means young people.” Dr. Piot, for all of his credentials and accomplishments, is refreshingly aware of the need for an interdisciplinary and intergenerational approach to the HIV/AIDS pandemic. “Young people are often not taken seriously in many societies. That’s a reality and that’s true also in international organizations,” he conceded, therefore Dr. Piot is a strong advocate for getting youth around the table in HIV/AIDS policy- and decision-making.

The glitter of the event was provided by Alicia Keys, the pop superstar/activist who has co-founded Keep a Child Alive, an international organization dedicated to the fight against HIV/AIDS. The same age as the AIDS pandemic, Alicia Keys’ youth and ability to “tell it like it is” was a refreshing addition to the evening. “I use condoms. Use condoms,” she urged, adding that “there’s no real need in hiding the fact that we’re gonna have sex.”

Perhaps the most inspiring speaker for the evening was Kerrel McKay, a youth AIDS activist from Jamaica, whose father passed away from the disease over six years ago. Her words resonated with people from all walks of life as she proclaimed, “We all know that young people are greatly affected. We all know that in most cases, young people are better able to reach their peers. We all know that youth have a lot to contribute to the response and can make a significant difference if they are assisted by those who have the necessary resources. Stating the fact that we all know, let’s all act together now.”

As youth flow into the Metro Toronto Convention Centre still buzzing from their special welcome to the conference, they will make an important impression on the week’s proceedings, as they lead workshops, seminars, and rallies. Dr. Piot mused that “we base our communication still on words, words, words. We need images and stories.” This challenge is one that the devoted youth delegation will be more than happy to fulfill.]]> Wed, 16 Aug 2006 12:08:00 EDT http://hrenglich.tigblog.org/post/42046 43.8 -79.416666743.8-79.4166667 http://hrenglich.tigblog.org/post/42045
The theme of the Toronto Conference is “time to deliver,” a message of urgency and need for action, considering that it has now been twenty-five years since the discovery of HIV/AIDS. “Stigmas need to be driven out of human consciousness,” stressed Wainberg, whose social conscience prevails in all his work. Iskandar, who is nearly the age of the AIDS pandemic, took up the torch of access as a right and not a privilege, but threw in, “access is not just about pills,” seeing as vital services such as transportation are unavailable to many infected in rural communities.

Seeing as AIDS is truly indiscriminate, Melinda Gates enforced that money and efforts must not be withheld from any group, saying, “we can’t turn out backs on anyone in this disease.” In direct contrast to this idealism, Iskandar proposed that while continuing to tackle eradicating stigma, which is a major battle, it is necessary that “we learn how to live with stigma and discrimination.”

Dr. Piot highlighted the “need to make money work”, citing the example that in Latin America, there is a high prevalence of the disease among gay men; however, very little if any money is going toward that group. In light of the Gates’ recent $500 million donation to the Global Fund, it will be incredibly important to ensure that money does not get tied up in bureaucracy, but that it is directed to where it can truly make a difference.

This is not to say that no money is reaching the ground, since Dr. Piot revealed, “eighty percent of people who need it have access to treatment in Botswana,” a positive return on investment. Unfortunately, Canadian Health Minister Tony Clement could not offer news of such accomplishments, as Canada has failed to make good on promises to send pills overseas. ” In a moment of incoherence reminiscent of Chretien’s ‘a proof is a proof’ speech, Clement mumbled that “the facts are the facts and the facts are that not one pill has flowed.” He ultimately said that Canada stands alongside four other countries that have also failed to live up to their promises, placing it “in good company. Or, I should say bad company, I guess.”

With any luck, the excitement and enthusiasm of the conference organizers and participants will be able to motivate countries such as Canada into action regarding their domestic and foreign policy on AIDS. Political leaders will be critical allies in the coming years, as the world bands together in an effort to form a sustainable long-term response to the HIV/AIDS crisis.]]> Wed, 16 Aug 2006 12:06:00 EDT http://hrenglich.tigblog.org/post/42045 43.8 -79.416666743.8-79.4166667 http://hrenglich.tigblog.org/post/42043
The Youth Pavilion in the Global Village received three important guests at its commitments desk on August 14th. Melinda and Bill Gates appeared close to 5:00 pm, pledging $500 million to the Global Fund, a commitment they had announced just prior to the commencement of the Toronto AIDS Conference.

To the dismay of the youth media and documentary teams, the visit of the Gates’ was brief; however, shortly after they excitement of the group died down, word arrived that Mary Robinson would be the next personality to grace the desk.

True to her reputation, Mary Robinson, the former President of Ireland and UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, made an appearance the Youth Pavilion with the intent of making two solid commitments to youth. Quite willing to linger and converse with the group gathered to watch her sign her promise, Mary Robinson infused the crowd with new enthusiasm, as she wrote not one, but two commitments to youth.

“I commit to contacting U.S. universities to see whether they actively support undergraduate and graduate students from developing countries and especially positive youth. I also commit to including young people as much as possible in work with Realizing Rights," she declared.

With the support of Mary Robinson, Melinda and Bill Gates, and officials such as Mexican Minister of Health Dr. Julio Frenk, and Toronto Mayor David Miller, the Toronto YouthForce is ensuring that world leaders are being put in a position to be held accountable. Youth will not be satisfied with empty promises, and have harnessed the power contained in a single signature to propel their inclusion and respect.]]> Wed, 16 Aug 2006 12:01:00 EDT http://hrenglich.tigblog.org/post/42043 43.8 -79.416666743.8-79.4166667 http://hrenglich.tigblog.org/post/42010 Not that each of them is not deserving of the attention they are receiving…rather, they have all done tremendous work in their differing foundations and their strength of heart and strength of voice is extremely admirable. Kudos to them for their hard work and passionate response where so many others turn a blind eye.
Unfortunately, the immense popularity of a few is compromising the ability to hear the many. For example, this morning, the Toronto YouthForce hosted a press conference at which there were more speakers than audience members at the outset. This was all due to the fact that two rooms down, Toronto Mayor David Miller was involved in a Press Conference, which drew the attention of the media away from a group that is desperately trying to get its message out. But no worries, the press has time to redeem itself – tomorrow at 10:00, the Toronto YouthForce is hosting a second press conference. See you there.

]]> Tue, 15 Aug 2006 15:51:00 EDT http://hrenglich.tigblog.org/post/42010 43.8 -79.416666743.8-79.4166667 http://hrenglich.tigblog.org/post/41989 However, there is something in common about all of these people. We all come from a socio-economic bracket that has allowed us to participate in the week’s events. We all are able-bodied and well-educated. We all have had too little sleep this week. (Ok, maybe I made that one up, but I’ll certainly vouch for that among the youthforce members.)
We keep talking about youth, youth as a single group, youth as a united front. But in reality, the term youth covers a HUGE expanse. Among us, some are differently-abled. Some use drugs. Some have very little money. Some have committed crimes. Some live in rural and remote communities. Some are stopped at airports. Some don’t have access to information about international conferences.
I’m getting at the idea that youth are just as diverse as the general population, and if we are going to keep speaking about youth in general, we must make sure that we don’t presume to speak on the behalf of those who are not with us, without their permission. Instead we should be working to enable marginalized youth increased participation in the likes of the AIDS Conference and other international dialogues on issues affecting humanity at large.
]]> Tue, 15 Aug 2006 12:05:00 EDT http://hrenglich.tigblog.org/post/41989 43.8 -79.416666743.8-79.4166667 http://hrenglich.tigblog.org/post/41963 The session’s three speakers were grandmothers from South Africa and Rwanda, who shared their personal stories following a moving video about their situation. It was wonderful to hear Jeanette Ariba of South Africa say “I’ve got a hope” and urge the crowd that AIDS orphans “deserve to live a life that other children are living”. A second grandmother, whose name I cannot even attempt to spell, said that she was encouraged to have been able to come to this conference because she “had thought that HIV/AIDS lived in South Africa only, but learned that all people are suffering from this same problem.”
In the two and a half days leading up to the AIDS Conference, 300 grannies from all over the world gathered as part of the Grandmothers to Grandmothers Committee to offer one another support and share their stories. The outcome of the experience was “The Toronto Statement”, which follows in part:

Each of our stories is different, each of our experiences is unique, and yet we are here as representatives of countless women who share in our tragedy: for every grandmother here today, there are fifty, sixty, seventy thousand at home. We have needs today, needs for the short-term and needs that will never go away. It is our solemn duty to the millions of grandmothers whose voices have never been heard that gives us courage to raise those needs to demands – on their behalf, and on behalf of the children in their care.

In the short-term, we do not need a great deal, but we do need enough: enough to safeguard the health of our grandchildren and of ourselves; enough to put food in their mouths, roofs over their heads and clothes on their backs; enough to place them in school and keep them there long enough to secure their futures. For ourselves, we need training, because the skills we learned while raising our children did not prepare us for parenting grandchildren who are bereaved, impoverished, confused and extremely vulnerable. We need the assurance that when help is sent, it goes beyond the cities and reaches the villages where we live. In the long term, we need security. We need regular incomes and economic independence in order to erase forever our constant worry about how and whether our families will survive.

We grandmothers deserve hope. Our children, like all grandchildren, deserve a future. We will not raise children for the grave.

The resilience and strength of these grandmothers is an inspiration to me, and I only hope that their tireless efforts will continue to be recognized, and their cause held high throughout the week and ever after. My own grandmother plays an important part in my life as a mentor and a role model, and I cannot imagine a better or stronger group of people than grandmothers to be playing the role of caregivers in the absence of mothers and fathers. Yet for as much as they have to give, grandmothers need support, and with the cooperation and collaboration of the Stephen Lewis Foundation, many have found a way to sustain themselves and their families through ARV treatment and the ongoing horror of the AIDS pandemic. As a Canadian grandmother promised, “the grandmothers are going to be taking over the world.”
]]> Mon, 14 Aug 2006 19:47:00 EDT http://hrenglich.tigblog.org/post/41963 43.8 -79.416666743.8-79.4166667 http://hrenglich.tigblog.org/post/41959 Earlier this afternoon, Melinda and Bill Gates graced the commitments desk, pledging $500 million to the Global AIDS Fund; however, this left many youth confused, as haven't they already made this commitment?? Does this mean that they are making a second pledge of $500 million? Would they be making this donation specifically to youth? Alas, I think everyone is all too aware that this is not the case and their commitment was rather, in youthspeak, 'weak'. Not to mention, there appearance was brief and not even the youth media team had a chance to speak with them before they headed off again. I can rest happy knowing that should I bump into Mr. or Mrs. Gates along the way this week, I'll be ready and well-prepared to pose some difficult questions about sex education, condom usage, and gender relations!]]> Mon, 14 Aug 2006 18:25:00 EDT http://hrenglich.tigblog.org/post/41959 43.8 -79.416666743.8-79.4166667 http://hrenglich.tigblog.org/post/41919 T-shirts aside, I am the proud new vehicle for a condom pin, the latest fashion trend at the XVI International AIDS Conference. If you stop in at the Condom Project’s booth, you can spend 5 minutes getting funky and creative, and decorating a colourful condom with beautiful handmade paper from India and Thailand. The idea behind the endeavour is to get young people looking at, touching, and talking about condoms. And truth be told, they do look pretty great as pins!
This morning after participating in a youth-run session about youth efforts for the HIV/AIDS fight in Burkina Faso, Malawi, Botswana, and Canada, each attendee was given a clothespin to write on. The message: what you want the world to know. . . As the week progresses, we have been told to pass these pins along in order to spread our messages, share our experiences, and spur on discussions about the things that concern us.
Whereas the media team jokingly asked Dr. Piot if he would wear a condom suit to the opening ceremony, I am starting to wonder if we won’t soon see some among the crowd. I’ll keep you posted.
]]> Mon, 14 Aug 2006 13:12:00 EDT http://hrenglich.tigblog.org/post/41919 43.8 -79.416666743.8-79.4166667 http://hrenglich.tigblog.org/post/41918 T-shirts aside, I am the proud new vehicle for a condom pin, the latest fashion trend at the XVI International AIDS Conference. If you stop in at the Condom Project’s booth, you can spend 5 minutes getting funky and creative, and decorating a colourful condom with beautiful handmade paper from India and Thailand. The idea behind the endeavour is to get young people looking at, touching, and talking about condoms. And truth be told, they do look pretty great as pins!
This morning after participating in a youth-run session about youth efforts for the HIV/AIDS fight in Burkina Faso, Malawi, Botswana, and Canada, each attendee was given a clothespin to write on. The message: what you want the world to know. . . As the week progresses, we have been told to pass these pins along in order to spread our messages, share our experiences, and spur on discussions about the things that concern us.
Whereas the media team jokingly asked Dr. Piot if he would wear a condom suit to the opening ceremony, I am starting to wonder if we won’t soon see some among the crowd. I’ll keep you posted.
]]> Mon, 14 Aug 2006 13:12:00 EDT http://hrenglich.tigblog.org/post/41918 43.8 -79.416666743.8-79.4166667 http://hrenglich.tigblog.org/post/41888 I'm listening to the shouts of audience members demanding of Tony Clement (Canada's federal health minister)"Where is Stephen Harper?" The cries are so loud they are completely distracting me from his speech.
CBC is commenting how they are surprised to hear Mark W, co-chair of the conference and a scientist, take a political stance. This is in reference to his unexpected criticism of Canada's Prime Minister's absence. I guess it is just hard to understand why he would choose to stay absent, as did Jean Chretien stay away from the 1996 AIDS Conference in Vancouver. Is it enough to have the Ontario premier and Mayor of Toronto as representatives of the Canadian political administration? It's your call.]]> Sun, 13 Aug 2006 19:45:00 EDT http://hrenglich.tigblog.org/post/41888 43.8 -79.416666743.8-79.4166667 http://hrenglich.tigblog.org/post/41887 Where are you? Your picture is on the conference website’s list of special speakers, your ministers speak on your behalf and on behalf of the Canadian government, your country plays host to thousands upon thousands of concerned and active delegates and advocates, yet you are in the far north? Or so one rumour goes. Perhaps you are at home, watching the coverage from the faithful broadcasts of the CBC. Or perhaps you have gone on vacation, choosing to block this entire kerfuffle from your mind, preserving your sanity with sangria on a sunny beach.
Mr. Harper, what does your absence say to the world? And beyond your absence, what does your silence tell us…as to why you are not here, why you are not commenting, why you are not contributing? To the youth that have travelled thousands of miles to be present this week to learn and to share their experiences and to press for social change, your invisibility in this issue is alarming. It teaches us that we can choose to turn away, close our eyes, and seal our mouths about the things that scare us. Because AIDS is scary, don’t you think sir?
Some have speculated that your aversion to this conference, and perhaps to this cause, lies with the fundamental misconception that this is a homosexual disease. And we are quite aware that your political and religious persuasion leaves little room for the acceptance and tolerance of this group. But Mr. Harper, we are all vulnerable to HIV/AIDS, yourself included. Bearing this in mind, wouldn’t you agree that it’s important to confront the issue?
A journalist with the Toronto Star pointedly suggested that perhaps it is this knowledge that keeps you from the AIDS Conference – that maybe you are afraid of coming and catching the disease. But I know that you are above and beyond this sort of ignorant behaviour; I trust in your education and your debriefings on world issues. I trust that you are the sort of man who stands up for your country and your citizens, each and every one. And Mr. Harper, more than 60,000 of them are infected with AIDS.
I understand that it’s late too reverse your decision. You are not the sort of man who rides in on a white horse in the eleventh hour, nor do we want you to be. But Mr. Harper, you do have the chance to redeem yourself, because AIDS will not be gone when this conference closes its doors on Friday. As much as we may scream and holler and toil and strive and sweat and cry, this fight has no expiry date. You have the power and the voice to make our concerns priorities. You have the ability to be a role model and a leader for a cause affecting all of humanity. You still have the chance to do us proud.
Yours sincerely,
Hannah Renglich
]]> Sun, 13 Aug 2006 19:12:00 EDT http://hrenglich.tigblog.org/post/41887 43.8 -79.416666743.8-79.4166667 http://hrenglich.tigblog.org/post/41867 From Rhetoric to Action was an opportunity for strong youth activists to take the microphone and challenge important global leaders regarding their action and stance on the AIDS epidemic.
It struck me that the phrase 'at the table' kept being repeated by the likes of Dr. Peter Piot (Executive Director of UNAIDS) as well as Dr. Julio Frenk (Minister of Health, Mexico). They were trying to stress the importance of getting youth involved in discussion, something that the forum ironically provided little time for!
By the time each of the adults (youth leaders, as 11-year-old Goldmark Owoola-Adeojo referred to them) had given their speeches to the audience, there was a very limited amount of time in which the youth sitting behind them could ask questions and engage in any sort of meaninful dialogue.
I cheered along with the rest as Joya Banerjee of the US demanded concrete committments from each of the three remaining global leaders (yes, two left mid-forum for other engagements and by the end, there were only two). She demanded promises and timeframes and promised in return to follow up with each of them.
There's not a real direction to this rambling, other than that my mind keeps wandering back to this 'at the table' idea, which three out of five leaders were unable to fulfill even in a two hour session one morning at this conference. At least I can say, the two men who championed it the most managed to stick around until the applause ended.]]> Sun, 13 Aug 2006 13:17:00 EDT http://hrenglich.tigblog.org/post/41867 43.8 -79.416666743.8-79.4166667 http://hrenglich.tigblog.org/post/41843 Sat, 12 Aug 2006 15:33:00 EDT http://hrenglich.tigblog.org/post/41843 43.8 -79.416666743.8-79.4166667