In concluding her speech, Vakacereivalu left the participants with a challenge, ‘Today it’s me, tomorrow it could be a member of your family, a close friend or even you! What would you do?’
Also present at the conference were the STOP HIV team headed by program manager, Joanna Ferris. The STOP HIV workshops ran every afternoon of the conference and attracted many young people wanting to learn more about HIV and Human Rights.
One of the STOP HIV workshop participants, Sandra Tomokino of the Cook Islands, said she had never related HIV and AIDS to sports. “The workshops really helped me understand the issue in a more visual and meaningful way and I am happy to implement the idea in our youth programs when I return to my country,” she said.
The week-long Pacific Youth and Sports Conference ended on March 20th.
