Regional broadcasters link up for Live Up

The Caribbean’s first media led campaign on HIV/AIDS was launched last Thursday during a telephone press conference with participating media houses and organizers.

LIVE UP: Love , Protect, Respect is the theme of the campaign which is geared towards inspiring and empowering people across the region, especially youth, to help stem the spread of the disease and reduce stigma and discrimination against people living with HIV/AIDS.{{more}}

The campaign kicked off in earnest at the opening ceremony of the 2007 ICC Cricket World Cup, with 30 seconds of airtime per hour dedicated to a set of locally produced public service commercials.

The campaign was developed by the Caribbean Broadcast Media Partnership (CBMP), and more than 50 television and radio broadcasters from 23 countries across the region have committed to airing these commercials. CBMP will also produce and air additional programming to reinforce LIVE UP themes.

Speaking at Thursday’s launching were Dr. Allyson Leacock, Chair person of the CBMP on HIV/AIDS, Sir George Alleyne UN Secretary General and Special Envoy on HIV/AIDS in the Caribbean, Jon Long member of the International Cricket Council (ICC), Jennifer Grant, Vice President of broadcasting services CVM Communications, Dr. Amery Browne, Technical Director of the National AIDS Coordinating Committee and Ainsley Reid, an AIDS educator who has been living with HIV for the past 15 years.

According to the United Nations, the Caribbean has the second highest rate of HIV in the world, after Sub Saharan Africa. HIV/AIDS is still often marked in silence, stigma and mis-information across the region. This is the first such effort in the region led by media to inspire and empower people to help stem the spread of HIV/AIDS.

Persons wishing to gain more information about the LIVE Up campaign can do so by logging on to www.iliveup.com