More than 2,000 people from different sectors of the community participated at the 9th annual AIDS Festival, held on Sunday, 1 April 2012 at the Chater Road Pedestrian Precinct, Central, Hong Kong. The theme of the AIDS Festival 2012 was “Zero Infection, Zero Discrimination”.
According to UNAIDS (the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS), at the end of 2010 an estimated 34 million people were globally living with HIV; in 2010 there were 2.7 million new HIV infections and 1.8 million people died of AIDS-related illnesses. Around 2.5 million deaths are estimated to have been averted in low-and middle-income countries due to increased access to HIV treatment since 1995. New HIV infections have been significantly reduced or have stabilized in many parts of the world. A decline in new HIV infections is also being spurred by changes in sexual behaviour, particularly in young people.
In Hong Kong, a total of 438 cases of HIV were reported to the Department of Health in 2011, compared with 389 reported cases in 2010, taking the cumulative total of reported HIV infections to 5,270 since 1984. The record high reported HIV cases in 2011 signals its continued significance as a major public health to Hong Kong.
To reach HIV zero infection, zero discrimination and zero HIV deaths, UNAIDS launched a new strategic approach to investments, focusing on high-impact, evidence-based, high-value strategies to revert the AIDS pandemic. It is strongly advocated that programme activities recognize critical enablers such as reducing stigma, respect for human rights, creating a protective legal environment and capacity building for community based organizations. UNAIDS underlines the importance of shared responsibility in the AIDS response. Shared responsibility is one of the central pillars of UNAIDS’ strategy to reach zero new HIV infections, zero discrimination and zero AIDS-related deaths by 2015.
The AIDS Festival 2012 was the 9th festival organized by the St. John’s Cathedral HIV Education Centre. It was a whole day outdoor event aiming to educate the public about AIDS prevention, to reduce stigma and discrimination, and to contribute to reach the targets of HIV zero infections, zero discrimination and zero deaths. Thirty organizations/teams including local and international schools, AIDS organizations, ethnic groups and 200 volunteers performed at the AIDS Festival 2012. A variety of activities including AIDS and health information booths, yoga demonstration, magic show, poem
reading, fashion show, cultural presentations and a Q & A session were delivered. The ceremony was attended by guests of honour including DG David Harilela, District Governor of the Rotary International District 3450 (Hong Kong, Macao & Mongolia), Mr. Kurosh Massoud Ansari, Vice Consul Economic Affairs of the U.S. Consulate General, Ms. Palida Karkum, Vice Consul Labour of The Royal Thai Consulate General, Ms. Howin Yuen, Chairperson of the Hong Kong Coalition of AIDS Service Organizations (HKCASO), The Revd Canon David Pickering, Acting Dean of St. John’s Cathedral, and representatives from different ethnic groups such as Filipinos, Thais, Nepalese and Sri Lankans.
The St. John’s Cathedral HIV Education Centre was established in 1995. The AIDS Festival is one of its annual major events to limit the spread of the AIDS epidemic in Hong Kong. Other services offered by the Centre include providing AIDS and reproductive health education for school youths, ethnic minorities and the community, conducting research on AIDS and reproductive health issues, cooperation with interfaith groups to combat AIDS in the Asia region, and running internships for students.
For more information, please contact:
Miss Elijah Fung,
Centre Manager & AIDS Festival Coordinator
St. John’s Cathedral HIV Education Centre
4-8 Garden Road, Central, Hong Kong
Tel: (852) 2523 0531 / 2501 0653
Fax: (852) 2523 1581
Email: manager@sjhivctr.com
Website: www.sjhivctr.com