Ukraine Group Wins ‘Red Ribbon’ Award at Toronto HIV/AIDS Conference

The All-Ukrainian Network of People Living with HIV/AIDS was among the winners honoured for its local AIDS initiatives

17 August 2006 - Five local communities from around the world were honoured last night at the XVI International AIDS Conference in Toronto with the newly created Red Ribbon Awards for their outstanding contributions to the frontline response to HIV and AIDS.

The All-Ukrainian Network of People Living with HIV/AIDS won for its work in addressing stigma and discrimination related to HIV/AIDS. Established as a lobbying group in 1999 by people living with HIV/AIDS, the Network works closely with public institutions to draw attention to discrimination issues, secure medical treatment and help to empower people living with HIV/AIDS. Through a range of diverse activities the Network has supported some 14,240 people, including 1,677 children, around the country.

The 2006 Red Ribbon Award winners also include The Girl Child Network, Zimbabwe; Thai Network of People Living with HIV/AIDS, Thailand; Durjoy Nari Shongo, Bangladesh; and Mboole Rural Development, Zambia. Each of the five winners receives US $20,000 in prize money, while the other 20 finalist communities are each awarded US $5,000. The checks will be presented to the finalists on World AIDS Day, 1 December 2006.

Nearly 600 communities around the world were nominated for the Award, and 25 shortlisted candidates were invited to attend the AIDS 2006 conference. An international jury that included the Crown Princess Mette-Marit of Norway, Oscar nominee Naomi Watts, former President of Ireland Mary Robinson and pioneering doctor Paul Farmer selected the five winners.

“The Red Ribbon Award is a great opportunity to bring communities together that have fought this disease,” said Kemal Dervis, United Nations Development Programme Administrator. “Sometimes they work in extremely difficult situations, in contexts of war or extreme poverty, and yet they have found ways despite these obstacles to make things happen, to generate some real success on the ground.”

The Red Ribbon Award, making its debut this week in Toronto, will henceforth be presented every two years at the International AIDS Conference. It provides a unique opportunity to support and publicize the most outstanding and least recognized experts in the global effort to stop the epidemic.

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) is leading the Red Ribbon Award, working in partnership with UNAIDS, the Community and Leadership Program Committees of the XVI International AIDS Conference and the governments of Canada, Norway, Austria, Finland and Ireland. Other partners include Care International and UNESCO.

More details are available at: www.undp.org.ua and www.redribbonaward.org.

MEDIA INQUIRIES:

New York/Toronto: Ms. Niamh Collier-Smith, UNDP New York: + 1 212 906 6111, niamh This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it ;

Ms. Snizhana Kolomiiets, UNDP Moscow +7 916 1079416, This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it ;

Ms. Mariya Klymovych, UNDP Kyiv +38 044 254 00 35, This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it .