stop“Unite For Children,” Unite Against AIDS.”

In Buchanan, on the day of the launch, students, as well as other residents paraded the principal streets of the port city to celebrate World AIDS Day to create adequate awareness about the killer disease as the one year program was being officially started.

Parading students carried printed notices that read worldwide awareness messages such as “Unite For Children,” Unite Against AIDS.” Other slogans during the parade included “Stop Stigmatization and Discrimination; Somebody You Love Might Be HIV Positive.”

Commentators have pointed out that the inclusion of the religious communities in the fight against HIV/AIDS, which has become and still is a global challenge, was a very positive decision taken by policy makers since these communities oversight the significant portion of the population daily in every nation of the world.

Also, comments are that their inclusion in the fight against the killer disease will provide an opportunity for religious people who still doubt the realness and threats posed by HIV/AIDS to know and will open corridors for many of the people to use condoms. Of course, many people believe the use of condoms should be out of the question since such will encourage what they call sex “out-of-marriage.”

Besides students parade, citizens from other walks of life like house wives, business people, mechanics, chauffeurs etc. were on hand to grace the launching. Local cultural performances kept the participants thrilling. Over 250 participants graced the official launch of the UNICEF sponsored Inter-Religious Council HIV/AIDs education program.