Adji Vera Hakim
ASEAN Secratariat
Distinguished Guest, Ladies and Gentlemen,

It is a pleasure for me to address you at the closing of this very inspiring and enjoyable workshop.To all the talented youths in this room, I have felt and heard over the past few days your energy, ideas and support for PLWHA. The challenge is to maintain this energy and momentum, and share the knowledge you have learned from this workshop, to other youths in your respective countries, and lead them in the fight to end stigma and discrimination. Your involvement is key because you are the most important asset to your country.

It is important that our governments are involved and commit to the youth and HIV/AIDS issues and to mainstream these issues into their programs and activities. Therefore the follow up activities after this workshop are critical steps towards the realization of a positive environment.

I would like to thank delegates from Member Countries for placing importance to this workshop, which is reflected in the number of participants attending from all over the ASEAN, South Asia, African regions.

I wish to thank Honorable Datuk Seri Mohd Ali Rustam for your vision and support to the youth, to the organizers of the World Youth Foundation, in particular Ms. Varsha, for all her hard work, the speakers and moderators for their information and clapping support, and to all the volunteers who have helped make this a very enjoyable workshop.

Thank you.

Jamuna Shrestha
I am Jamuna Shrestha, I have been working on HIV/AIDS Prevention and Reproductive Health Programme in Nepal Red Cross Society from 1996 to date. In this connection, I had participated many workshop and conference in the mean time, I got another opportunity to participate one workshop in April, which was focusing on HIV/AIDS addressing to Stigma and Discrimination from the World Youth Foundation, Melaka, Malaysia from 25th to 28th April 2003.

I found something in the workshop. That workshop was really very very informative for young people, which is really very memorable. Because, sexual health is very crucial and sensitive issues in all over the world and it is really very difficult to share our sexual heath issues with other because of many problems. Basically, everywhere I found that different our country's religious and culture with some short of environment can't support to get information about Sexual Health. But that workshop could sensitized to all participates it is very important things of our life and we must be know/learnt knowledge regarding sexual health for the better life. In such a situation as a young people I felt that we have to give and share good and adequate information regarding Sexual Health, which really can support to enhance Life Skill of young people. But, young people need enabling environment and support from the family, community and other for learning of sexual health because of good decision and create their own skill for preventing Reproductive Health problem with HIV/AIDS and STIs.

"Workshops have to move from plain talk to solid action. Therefore, to see WYF include the setting up of the ASEAN youth network, as one of the workshop objectives is commendable. However, networks are hard to sustain; for it requires goodwill, patience and consistency as well as the real desire to make it work and serve its function to help young people contribute to their community.

To my peers who are young people of today, leaders of tomorrow.it's time to walk your talk. Let's get out there and give back to our community."

Thank you.

Mahendra Chalise
Nepal

AIDS is a fatal disease like forest -fire which if not checked and controlled in time, is sure to spread out in the countries around the world irrespective of whether they are advanced or developing ones. It is rapidly advancing as elsewhere, in ASEAN Region too because of ignorance of it. This is why HIV/AIDS awareness is a must in order to check it. Adolescent youth is a time when they are very susceptible to various causes of HIV infection (for example peer pressure, impulsiveness, risk-taking etc.). So disseminating the information to them all about HIV/AIDS by various means and Medias must be undertaken. For this, ASEAN Regional Workshop is be very fruitful for me as a participant of an under develop country. I am sure that the gained knowledge definitely helps me to use in my future program

RJ
Malaysia

I have wonderful time when I was in Malacca with participation of youth from all over country. Its impressed me very much. Young people came out and hug me in front of the audience it really touch.. I was so glad that there are so many young people that are so aggressive in doing the job for promoting HIV/AIDS awareness to public.

Severe and widespread stigma and discrimination have been a feature of the HIV pandemic since its emergence, blighting the live of millions of PLWHA and causing denial, complacency and lack of action that proving deadly. This is particularly true within many Asian societies where PLWHA face intolereble levels of stigma and discrimination and where the epedemic is
fuelled by and atmosphere of blame and secrecy.

My personal view it is mainly because of the lack of information and corrective intitutional machanisms beside the judgemental socio cultural, climate and the false of invicibility of people. Discrimination of PLWHA is one of the worst forms of human rights violation. It is also the biggest impediment to applying the vast exprience of PLWHA. 17 years has been a long wait.Now we need to unleash a new campain. This time not just against HIV/AIDS but against stigma and discrimination.

Im just dignose for 2 years and not much exprience in discrimination but still there is. I have no idea how my friend in Kuala Lumpur become know about my status. It is happen when donate my blood than a week after the doctor from the Penang General Hospital call me up in my work place and wanted to see me. At first of course I feel anxiety and so on but I manage
to visit conselor in that hospital and she counsult me nicely.Just imagine your housemate change the pad lock when come home at 2.00am and their give the answer it just can't used anymore and another friend who borrow me a
bath towel throw the towel for the doormate. How could it be if this happen to you. My father he dosen't know about my status he just suspect and simply tell my sibling that not to share food with me and don't hit the mosquito just chase it away from me. I have nowhere to go and I just keep quite. What ever it done is done.Being HIV+ is nobody fault. Society should
not think they are at risk by being close to PLWA. Discrimination is cruel.Mother Theresa said... If you judge people you have no time to love them.

HIV/AIDS is and opportunity for me. It lifts my spritis to a higher status. I may not get all what I want, but surely I will get what I need. Thousand of candles can be lighted from a single candle and the life of candle will not be shortened.The only way of making progress against the epidemic to replace shame with solidarity and fear with hope.