BEIRUT: Lebanese celebrities launched the “Let’s Talk” campaign Friday aimed at breaking taboos surrounding HIV and AIDS, at the office of the U.N. Population Fund in Beirut. Indie band Mashrou3 Leila, DJs Ronin and Nesta, and actress and Miss Lebanon 2004 Nadine Njeim are fronting the campaign, having been chosen by young activists involved to spearhead the efforts.
Possibly due to Lebanon having a relatively low HIV and AIDS prevalence, knowledge on the subject of the disease is low among the country’s youth. A 2005 global school-based survey revealed 20 percent of Lebanese youth had never heard of HIV/AIDS.
For campaigners, this statistic shows why an educational campaign should be aimed at a demographic that still finds itself at risk. Those under the age of 30 represented 18 percent of all HIV/AIDS cases in Lebanon through November 2010, according to the National AIDS program.
Andre Chedid, guitarist with Mashrou3 Leila, was not surprised by these statistics. “I’m sure most young people in Beirut know about it, but take Lebanon as a whole and I can well believe it,” he told The Daily Star.
Chedid urged young people to get tested for HIV/AIDS. “It’s not something to be scared of. It should just be part of your personal hygiene routine,” he said.
He also stressed the “100 percent anonymity” of the testing process, which is considered a key part of the Let’s Talk campaign, alongside “0 percent discrimination.”
The Let’s Talk campaign is being implemented by UNFPA and Y-PEER Lebanon, the national branch of an international organization that promotes youth awareness and advocacy surrounding sexual health, and in conjunction with the Masar Association, a Lebanese NGO that works in youth community development.
Mashrou3 Leila, whose members have been involved in AIDS awareness campaigns before, including a 2010 performance at a concert for World AIDS day, began working on “Let’s Talk” after speaking at a Y-PEER conference in Egypt a couple of months ago.
Featuring a multimedia campaign launched this month, with TV, radio spots, billboards and posters, the campaign highlights the need to discuss the issue of HIV/AIDS.
Nadine Njeim, after signing a Memorandum of Understanding with the Y-PEER network and the other celebrities, said that HIV/AIDS still remains a taboo subject for many. “I joined this campaign to help send out this message to young people,” she added.
DJ Ronin also emphasized the need for young people to protect themselves against HIV/AIDS. “We want to tell all the young people who come to our concerts to check their status,” he said at the launch.
As of November 2010, there were 1,346 reported cases of HIV/AIDS in Lebanon, however the campaign managers stress that the real numbers are actually larger.
Dr. Mustafa Naqib, from the Health Ministry, spoke at the launch and said that it was vital to stamp out the stigma and discrimination often associated with HIV/AIDS in Lebanon and to allow those who needed help to come forward and get it.
Since June, the Y-PEER network has been working with schools, Scouts and youth groups to bring a debate about HIV/AIDS into the public forum.
The multimedia campaign will culminate with a concert featuring the celebrities on Dec. 4 at the Democratic Republic of Music in Hamra, on the occasion of World AIDS Day Dec. 1.
Let’s Talk, co-sponsored by clothing retailer H&M, falls under their wider Fashion Against AIDS campaign, and is also currently being implemented in Egypt.
The campaign’s website, at letstalkleb.com, includes information on all centers in Lebanon where HIV testing is free, anonymous and voluntary.
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