Zero New Hiv Infections, Zero Discrimination

PRESS RELEASE 1 April 2012

ZERO NEW HIV INFECTIONS, ZERO DISCRIMINATION

More than 2,000 people from different sectors of the community participated at the 9 th 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), 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: [email protected] Website: www.sjhivctr.com Participants at the AIDS Festival 2012:

1 Christian Action – Domestic Helpers and Migrant Workers 2 Association of Sri Lankans in Hong Kong 3 CUSCS The Chinese University of Hong Kong 4 Equal Opportunities Commission 5 Fashion Show by a team of young fashion designers 6 Filipino Reflexology Therapists Association Hong Kong Chapter (FILREFLEX) 7 Hong Kong Christian Service – Centre for Harmony and Enhancement of Ethnic Minority Residents (CHEER) 8 Hong Kong St. John’s Ambulance 9 KOMADRONA – Hong Kong 10 League of Overseas Filipino Midwives – Hong Kong 11 Leyte Achievers Club International 12 LMC – Love Multi Culture 13 Marching Band of The Carmel Bunnan Tong Memorial Secondary School 14 Miss Ana Maria Da Roza 15 Miss Chona Grace Aranas 16 Ms. Bhakti Tanya Wong, BBA, Certified Yoga Instructor 17 New Shake 18 Overseas Nepali Workers Union Hong Kong 19 Philippine International Dance Group, Hong Kong 20 Red Ribbon Centre – Department of Health 21 Rotary Club of Queensway 22 Sanggar Budaya Kjri Hong Kong 23 Sanngar Budaya Indonesian Consulate 24 Sekar Bumi 25 Skipper’z Rope Skipping Team 26 TeenAIDerS, Li Po Chun United World College of Hong Kong 27 Thai Regional Alliance in Hong Kong 28 The California School of Professional Psychology / Alliant International University 29 The Chinese Rhenish Church (HK) Synod Mission – FDWP 30 The Society of Rehabilitation and Crime Prevention, Hong Kong 31 Yu’s Magic

新聞稿 1-4-2012

愛滋病零感染、零歧視

二零一二年四月一日(星期日)第九屆「愛之節」在中環遮打道行人專用區成功舉行，有超過 2000 多名來自社會不同階層的人士參與是次活動。今屆活動主題是“零感染，零歧視”。

根據聯合國愛滋病規劃署（UNAIDS）指出，在 2010 年年底估計全球約有三千四百萬愛滋病帶菌者，同年有約二百七十萬新感染愛滋病病毒個案，更有一百八十萬人死於與愛滋病相關的併發症。由於近年愛滋病藥物治療普及，減低了在低收入至中等收入國家的愛滋病病患者的死亡達二百五十萬人。新感染個案已明顯減少，並在世界各地取到穩定性的控制，而且新的愛滋病感染個案受到青少年的性行為改變的刺激下取得更低的增長。

香港衛生署在 2011 年，共錄得 438 宗愛滋病病毒的感染個案，而 2010 年, 則發現 389 個感染個案，自 1984 年以來累計報告愛滋病病毒感染達到 5,270 宗。根據 2011 年感染個案報告顯示愛滋病仍然是香港一個藉得關注的公共衛生項目。

值得公眾關注的是愛滋病的流行尚未結束。聯合國愛滋病規劃署推出新的策略方向，以投放在能產生高影響力，並以證據為基礎、高價值的策略，以竭止愛滋病的流行。策略方針強烈主張必須關顧到，如何減少歧視、尊重人權、建立一個法治保護的環境和以社區組織為基礎的行動策略。聯合國愛滋病規劃署強調回應愛滋病的重要性是，共同承擔責任；並希望在 2015 年能達到愛滋病零感染和零歧視相關的死亡。

二零一二年第九屆「愛之節」是由聖約翰座堂「愛之家」諮詢及服務中心所舉辦。透過是次整天的戶外節目，旨在教育公眾有關預防愛滋病，減少歧視及達到愛滋病零感染、零歧視的目標。是日有超過三十個機構，包括本地及國際學校、愛滋病組織、各個少數族裔人士組織和 200 名義工參與。一連串精彩活動包括愛滋病和健康信息展覽、瑜伽示範、魔術表演、詩歌朗讀、時裝表演、民族文化表演及有獎問題比賽等。

當日的慶祝典禮的頒獎嘉賓，包括國際扶輪會 3450 地區（香港，澳門及蒙古）區長總幹事大衛夏利里拉先生，香港愛滋病服務機構聯盟主席袁巧仙女士、聖約翰座堂署理堂主任白嘉榮法政牧師和印尼、菲律賓，泰國，尼泊爾和斯里蘭卡少數族裔代表等。

聖約翰座堂「愛之家」諮詢及服務中心成立於 1995 年。「愛之節」是一個一年一度的重點活動項目，目的是為了更有效減少愛滋病在香港繼續蔓延。本中心的其他服務項目包括為在學青

少年、少數族裔、社會大眾、舉辦愛滋病及生殖健康等相關工作坊及進行一連串愛滋病的研究項目、為本地各大院校提供學生實習的機會，並與不同宗教團體合作，以打擊愛滋病在亞洲地區傳播。

查詢，請聯絡﹕

馮伊妮小姐 (中心經理及「愛之節」統籌) 聖約翰座堂「愛之家」諮詢及服務中心香港中環花園道 4-8 道電話： (852) 2523 0531 / 2501 0653 傳真： (852) 2523 1581 電子郵件： [email protected] 網址： www.sjhivctr.com 参與 2012 年「愛之節」的組織如下﹕

1 基督教勵行會 – 外籍傭工事工 2 斯里蘭卡團體 Association of Sri Lankans in Hong Kong 3 香港中文大學專業進修學院 4 平等機會委員會 5 時裝表演- 青年時裝設計師 6 菲律賓團體 Filipino Reflexology Therapists Association Hong Kong Chapter (FILREFLEX) 7 香港基督教服務處融滙 – 少數族裔人士支援服務中心 8 香港聖約翰救傷隊 9 菲律賓團體 KOMADRONA – Hong Kong 10 菲律賓團體 League of Overseas Filipino Midwives – Hong Kong 11 菲律賓舞蹈團 Leyte Achievers Club 12 香港聖公會麥理浩夫人中心「愛.服.飾」南亞創藝 13 迦密唐賓南紀念中學步操隊 14 Miss Ana Maria Da Roza 15 Miss Chona Grace Aranas 16 Ms. Bhakti Tanya Wong, BBA, Certified Yoga Instructor 17 New Shake 自然淨化 18 尼泊爾團體 Overseas Nepali Workers Union Hong Kong 19 菲律賓團體 Philippine International Dance Group, Hong Kong 20 衛生署紅絲帶中心 21 君域扶輪會 22 印尼團體 Sanggar Budaya Kjri Hong Kong 23 印尼團體 Sanngar Budaya Indonesian Consulate 24 印尼團體 Sekar Bumi 25 Skipper’z Rope Skipping Team 26 香港李寶椿聯合世界書院 TeenAIDerS 27 泰國團體 Thai Regional Alliance in Hong Kong 28 美國加利福尼亞洲專業心理學學院 29 中華基督教禮賢會香港區會外籍傭工事工 30 香港善導會 31 Yu’s Magic