In Brazil, Ceilândia's Citizen Square will host AIDS tests this Saturday

Health mobilization will take place at the event Cultural Saturday, organized by the Youth of Expression Program, during dance contest and charm ball

Brasília, 29 May 2013 - For the first time, a cultural event for young people at Ceilândia's Citizen Square, in Brazil's Federal District, will include an activity for the prevention of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) and AIDS. The tests for HIV will happen on 1st June, along with a charm ball and a dance contest. The Cultural Saturday, promoted by the Youth of Expression Program, begins at 1 pm and runs until early evening, with free entry.

A "prevention stand" will complement the health promotion activities at the event. Condoms and informational materials will be distributed at the stand, where professionals will be available to have casual conversations about STDs and AIDS.

Informative posters will also be hung at the site, showing data that clarifies the doubts and difficulties of young people related to the prevention of STDs and AIDS. The posters aim to make participants think about the subject and also to encourage them to do the quick AIDS test. The examination will be conducted by health professionals from the Quero fazer project, a mobile voluntary counseling and HIV testing project coordinated by the NGO Association Space of Prevention and Humane Care (EPAH).

"The importance of testing at this event is that young people often do not seek health services. So we move to their environment, where they feel at ease and we can speak his language, without any bureaucracy" explains Lidiane Andrade, responsible for the Quero fazer project in Brasília.

Data

The research Youth, Behavior and STD/AIDS, released last December, revealed that four out of ten young Brazilians think they do not need to use condoms in a stable relationship and three of them would be suspicious of a partner's loyalty if he/she proposed the use of condoms. In addition, 24% think that it is possible to get HIV/AIDS from saliva, while 15% believe that malaria, dengue, leprosy or tuberculosis are STDs. The research - carried out at the request of the Youth of Expression Program, with the accompaniment of Brazil's Ministry of Health and the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) - heard 1,208 young people between 18 and 29 years old, in 15 Brazilian states and the Federal District.

Cultural Attractions

The event will be livened up by a charm ball - a party inspired by American black music - with the presence of DJ's Celsão and Edgar Fortunato. After the party, the participants of the dance contest will stir up the place. It is expected that 15 to 20 groups from several cities of the Federal District will participate, featuring different dance styles, such as street dance, swingueira, axé, pop, funk, among others.

What is Youth of Expression? Youth of Expression is a social program which aims to promote the health of young people between 18 and 29 years oldd, reduce their exposure to violence and vulnerability to STD/AIDS, and support entrepreneurial actions. The project is carried out by Caixa Seguros Group, in partnership with the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO in Brazil), the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), and the Central Única das Favelas (Cufa/DF).

To find out more about the program, visit  www.jovemdeexpressao.com.br or  like the Youth of Expression page on Facebook.

Service: Cultural Saturday, 1st June, 1 pm, at Citizen Square, QNM 18/20, North Ceilândia.

Press contact:

Paula Crepaldi
UNESCO Communication Consultant/Youth of Expression Program
Phone.: (+55) 61 9363-3332/9123-5385

 

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