AHF schedules safer sex awareness events to mark International Condom Day on Feb 13th

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AIDS Healthcare FoundationFeb 10 2010

AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF), the largest global AIDS organization which currently provides medical care and services to more than 127,000 individuals in 22 countries worldwide, will mark International Condom Day—an informal holiday observed February 13^thin conjunction with Valentine’s Day, February 14^th—with innovative and educational free condom distribution and safer sex awareness events as well as media campaigns held in 32 cities in 13 countries around the world that will be taking place over the days and nights around the weekend holiday.

“To achieve ‘Global AIDS Control’ an aggressive re-integration of condoms is critical to success. The LOVE Condoms Campaign goal is to scale-up to 100% access to free condoms worldwide. The time is now to call for CONDOMS to be brought back to the forefront of HIV prevention”

AHF’s International Condom Day events range from a muscleman themed condom giveaway on famed Muscle Beach on the Boardwalk in Venice Beach, California complete with people on rollerblades handing out condoms as well as a 15-foot tall inflatable muscleman balloon; in Moscow, Russia, a YouTube home video contest and similar writing competition on HIV prevention and condom use as well as several ‘Protect Your Love’ events promoting condom use and HIV testing taking place at popular nightclubs in several Russian cities; in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, volunteers will distribute free condoms—and roses—at entertainment establishments, nightclubs and city parks; in Mombasa, Kenya, free condom distribution targeting workers and patrons around the ferry area of the bustling East African port city; in Tijuana, Mexico, an all day free condom distribution event at the San Ysidro International Border Crossing as well as other condom distribution events in Mexico City and in Tuxtla Gutierres, Chiapas; in South Africa, distribution of condoms and incentives at a university and student residence halls, and in Swaziland—the African country with the highest prevalence of AIDS in the world—stage performances, testing and free condom distribution.

“To achieve ‘Global AIDS Control’ an aggressive re-integration of condoms is critical to success. The LOVE Condoms Campaign goal is to scale-up to 100% access to free condoms worldwide. The time is now to call for CONDOMS to be brought back to the forefront of HIV prevention,” said Terri Ford, AIDS Healthcare Foundation’s Senior Director of Global Policy and Advocacy. “Valentine's Weekend is the perfect time to re-enforce the message to, 'Love yourself, Love your Partner.' As a non-traditional holiday, International Condom Day also offers an unorthodox, yet highly creative opportunity for groups around the world to get the word out about the importance of condom use and HIV testing. The events taking place in these countries and cities are really amazing, and I want to thank each of our dedicated and enthusiastic partners in this worldwide effort.”

Participating Countries/Cities in AHF’s International Condom Day 2010 Celebration

NORTH AMERICA