13 May, Minsk /BELTA/. The Republican Youth Auto Marathon, dedicated to the World AIDS Day, will be held in Belarus from 16 to 20 May. The route includes seven cities: Minsk, Zhirovichi, Baranovichi, Soligorsk, Svetlogorsk, Mogilev, and Orsha, as reported to BELTA by the auto marathon coordinator, Vitaly Nikonovich.
The auto marathon is being held in accordance with the project "Empowering Young People Vulnerable to HIV and Preventing Stigmatization and Discrimination of People Affected by the Epidemic," which is being implemented by the Voluntary Public Association "Belarusian Association of UNESCO Clubs" and the UNESCO Bureau in Moscow. Representatives of the international Y-PEER network in Belarus are actively participating in the auto marathon. The marathon events are supported by the project "HIV/AIDS Prevention and Treatment in Belarus - 2," funded by the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (GF).
Right from the start of the auto marathon, young people will begin creating the resolution "Youth of the Future." Young residents of each city included in the route will write their own paragraph in it. In addition, the youth campaign "Apple Route" will be launched.
"The organisation of the auto race is the result of searching for non-standard solutions to everyday tasks. This, on the one hand, will attract the attention of young people to the problem of HIV infection spread. On the other hand, specialists working with youth will become acquainted with new forms and methods of preventive work," noted Vitaly Nikonovich. "The best practices of preventive work will form the basis of a special collection, which will be published following the auto marathon."
The marathon will start at the Minsk Vocational and Technical College of Trade. Then, participants will continue their work at the Zhirovichi Agricultural Technical College (Grodno Region). In the evening, a litany (prayer for the departed) will be served at the Zhirovichi Holy Assumption Cathedral.
The second day of the auto marathon (17 May) will be dedicated to studying the role of information technologies in HIV infection prevention. On this day, events will be held at the Baranovichi College named after V.E. Chernyshev (Brest Region) and at the Soligorsk Vocational and Technical College (Minsk Region).
On 18 May, participants will focus on the topic of covering the HIV/AIDS problem in the media. On this day, events will be held at the Svetlogorsk Industrial College (Gomel Region). A visit to local HIV service organisations is planned: "Real World" and the Resource Centre for Youth on the Issue of HIV/AIDS.