Minsk, April 28, 2005 - A two-day national workshop on the "Organization and Dissemination of Information and Educational Work on HIV/AIDS" prepared education professionals to train young students on methods of HIV/AIDS prevention.

The workshop, which ended in Minsk today, was held in the framework of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)'s project “Prevention and Treatment of HIV/AIDS in the Republic of Belarus”. The country's Ministry of Education was a co-organizer of the workshop.

Speaking at the opening ceremony, Head of the Social and Educational Work Department of the Ministry of Education, Georgy Butrim, noted the importance of cooperation between his agency and the UNDP in efforts to prevent the spread of HIV/AIDS among young students. “This work has resulted in the reduction of the infection rate among the 15 to 19 year-old age group,” he said.

More than 30 experts representing regional education departments, methodological services of educational institutions and advanced job training centers attended the workshop.

"At present it is not enough to inform children and youths about the HIV/AIDS problem" Anna Rysevets, Chief Inspector of the Ministry of Education’s Social and Educational Work Department said. "It is also necessary to teach young people habits of safe and responsible behavior so that they will act consciously with regard to their health and protect themselves from HIV infection".

Representatives of regional hygiene, epidemiology and public health centers held a separate working conference in the framework of the workshop which resulted in a joint plan for information and education work in the area of HIV/AIDS prevention.

The international technical assistance project, HIV/AIDS Prevention and Treatment in the Republic of Belarus, was launched in December 2004. It is funded by the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria. The Fund was created as a partnership between governments, civil society and the private sector. Since its foundation in January 2002, the Global Fund has provided a total of more than $2.1 billion for the implementation of 227 programs in 122 countries.

For further information please contact the UNDP Programme Officer, Anna Chernyshova, at 227-81-49, or Public Relations Advisor for the HIV/AIDS Prevention and Treatment in Belarus project, Olga Satsuk, at 8-029-403-96-44.

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