Date: Tuesday, November 7, and Thursday, November 9, 2006
Times: See time slots for videoconferences below
Grades: 8- 12
Topics: Current Events, Social Studies, World Issues
Cost (2 videoconferences):  non members - $240 | members - $180

Experts estimate that 40 million people worldwide are HIV positive or have AIDS, including 2.3 million children. Young people (15-24 years old) account for half of all new HIV infections worldwide (around 6,000 become infected with HIV every day!). Now, more than ever, talking about HIV/AID S and its dangers is crucial. Watch a video about the HIV/AIDS problem in South Africa.

Tuesday, November 7: In the first part of this videoconferencing series, students discussed the global problem of HIV/AIDS, shared the ways the virus affects them and looked at the challenges of overcoming this worldwide epidemic. The videoconference was moderated by Christopher Plutte, co-founder of the Global Nomads Group.

Thursday, November 9: In this follow-up session, students had the opportunity to speak directly with two advocates for HIV/AIDS awareness. Levon Ford, a leading expert on HIV/AIDS and founder of Project Y.O.U.T.H. (Youth Outreach United for Teen Health), spoke about the youth movement to combat the AIDS virus. The conference also featured Jeselle, an HIV/AIDS activist and founder of Voices from Heaven—A Voice From Those Who Didn’t Make It, To Those Who Still Have A Chance. This organization is dedicated to HIV outreach, education and support through arts and entertainment. Levon opened the discussion with an overview of the HIV/AIDS virus and the situation as it pertains to New York City. “We still stigmatize the virus to be an isolated virus set to one demographic,” he explained. Jeselle spoke about her activism with HIV/AIDS and also about her own personal experiences as an HIV positive person. Following these presentations, students had the opportunity to comment and ask questions. One student at Wydown Middle School commented, “I think it is important for people to recognize that it is not just a disease that happens to people in Africa and it is not just a disease that happens to homosexual people, it can happen to anybody very, very easily.” This session was moderated by Joanna Cyprys, Post-Production Coordinator of Global Nomads Group.

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