WASHINGTON – Ayesha Ibrahim and Shekira Ramdass asked people to attend a discussion on techniques used in Nairobi, Kenya, to help create a clean water and sanitation project.
Malcolm Crawford played a game called “Find the Ball” by hiding a tennis ball behind his back with “HIV” written on it to highlight people with the virus resemble those without it.
These and other college students conducted important organizing activities during the 19th International AIDS Conference, which was held in Washington, D.C. The nearly week-long event featured speeches by former First Lady Laura Bush, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, actress Debra Messing and Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Sir Elton John.
The event, which attracted more than 23,000 delegates from 195 countries, was themed “Turning the Tide Together”, highlighting the global dimensions of the fight against HIV/AIDS. Attendees learned that globally more than 2,400 people a day between 15 and 24 were infected with HIV last year and that sub-Saharan Africa accounts for 23.5 million of the 34 million people living with HIV worldwide.
Student volunteers attending this worldwide event said they benefited from hands-on organizing experiences, increased their chances in obtaining health-related employment after graduation, and networked with youth and high-ranking officials from around the world.
Students also took in the education-oriented entertainment, including vibrant dance routines and lively musical performances from performers dedicated to spreading HIV/AIDS awareness. One performance featured a Brazilian theater group that showcased a provocative skit on safe sex with a man holding a banana and a woman strapping a huge condom on it.
Civic engagement is a voluntary act higher education institutions expect students to conduct on a regular basis. However, the topic of HIV/AIDS on some college campuses is overlooked, experts say. It’s conventional wisdom that public health campaigns, which include events such as international conferences, open themselves to student and other volunteers.
