Pretoria - The South African National AIDS Council (SANAC) symposium currently taking place in Johannesburg is trying to find ways to use the 2010 FIFA World Cup as a platform to advance awareness about HIV and AIDS.
The symposium is focusing on communication, advocacy platforms and social mobilization platforms that could be used pre, during and post World Cup to raise awareness about HIV and AIDS in South Africa.
2010 FIFA World Cup Local Organising Committee Chief Medical Officer and SANAC Sport & Entertainment Sector Chairperson, Dr Victor Ramathesele, said the symposium will be developing a plan of action to be integrated with the upcoming World Cup.
He said the organisation will engage with FIFA and the Local Organising Committee to use the 2010 logo to co-ordinate activities around HIV and AIDS during the World Cup.
"We have to take some bold steps in striving to convince FIFA courtesy of the LOC to consider endorsing the SANAC Sport and Entertainment Sector as the 2010 World Cup brand associates, because we firmly believe we are better placed to streamline and position the numerous HIV and AIDS prevention and treatment programs," Dr Ramathesele said.
The symposium, which is coordinated by the SANAC Sport and Entertainment Sector, is one of the 19 civil society sectors represented in SANAC.
Its roles and responsibilities are spelled out in the SANAC procedural guidelines and include implementation of the National Strategic Plan (NSP) 2007 - 2011 on HIV and AIDS.
