Cricket World Cup campaign on AIDS and children kicks off in Jamaica

© UNICEF Jamaica/2007

The Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2007, Chris Dehring, addresses media at a UNICEF-organized press conference in Jamaica.

By David Singh

KINGSTON, Jamaica, 7 March 2007 – The infectious beat of Love and Protection, gliding seamlessly between soca, reggae and R&B and performed by Jamaica’s Ashe Ensemble, moved the feet of many to a tap along this morning at the Terra Nova Hotel in Kingston Jamaica.

“Children are crying every day, we have got to find a way, to protect our future, we’ve got to show them the way. Unite for the children, unite against AIDS, jump up, jump up,” the singers belted out to journalists as well as representatives of the International Cricket Council (ICC) Cricket World Cup West Indies 2007, UNAIDS, UNICEF and the Caribbean Broadcast Media Partnership (CBMP).

The occasion: a press conference organized by UNICEF’s Jamaica country office on the partnership launched globally yesterday by the five partners to promote the Unite for Children. Unite against AIDS campaign.

Importance of HIV prevention

UNICEF’s Representative in Jamaica, Bertrand Bainvel, underscored the point that the current partnership would awaken the world to the fact that “AIDS is robbing tens of millions of children of childhood itself. The joint endeavour would also empower young people to protect themselves against HIV and fight AIDS-related stigma and discrimination,” he said.

The UNAIDS Country Coordinator for Jamaica, Bahamas and Cuba, Miriam Maluwa, said: “As the epidemic grows it is essential that other non-traditional partners get on board to expand the HIV response. The more partnerships formed, the more people will be reached with the AIDS message. The more people reached, the fewer new infections are likely to occur.”

Retired West Indies cricket legend Courtney Walsh, United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime Goodwill Ambassador and current holder of the world record for the most test wickets ever taken, stressed the importance of prevention. “We must advise children from an early age so that they do the right thing when it comes to protecting themselves from AIDS,” he said.

Over the next two months South African Jonty Rhodes, Australia’s Michael Hussey, England’s Michael Flintoff and many other cricketers will remind cricket-playing nations, their governments and 2.2 billion fans that children are hard hit by AIDS.

Leaving a legacy

Jamaican Minister of Health Horace Daley applauded the partnership launched yesterday, stating that “it is these partnerships that have he potential to stimulate political will, enlist public support and mobilize additional resources in the AIDS response.”

The Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2007, Chris Dehring, called sport “an incredibly powerful platform” that breaks down barriers and teaches life lessons. He said the intention of the ICC was to leave a legacy that went beyond just the current tournament.

Activities during the tournament will highlight issues facing children and young people affected by HIV. The CBMP will launch its ‘LIVE UP’ campaign targeting young people through innovative, youth-friendly approaches. And a series of 30-second PSAs have been produced and are now available to broadcasters free of charge. These video messages feature leading players, including Ricky Ponting of Australia and Rahul Dravid of India, speaking about how HIV affects children.