Jakarta, 2 February 2013 — UNFPA, the United Nations Population Fund, in collaboration with UNAIDS and the National AIDS Commission, held a youth dialogue featuring Miss Universe 2012 Olivia Culpo, Saturday, at @america, the United States Embassy’s cultural center in Jakarta.
Each year's Miss Universe is charged with an advocacy mission: for Culpo, it's HIV prevention. Currently in Indonesia on her first international visit as Miss Universe, Culpo, 21, was eager to hear from youth about their experiences in working to prevent HIV and empower young people in Indonesia.
"UNFPA and UNAIDS want to help Olivia make the most of her year-long advocacy charge by drawing from the experiences and lessons of the UN and our partners in Indonesia," said UNFPA Representative Jose Ferraris. "Today, we've brought together experts and audiences from two of UNFPA's core mandate areas: HIV prevention and youth empowerment."
The dialogue convened young people to answer the question, "What does Olivia need to know as Miss Universe about HIV, especially how it intersects with the situations of youth—their hopes, lives, experiences, and vulnerabilities—in Indonesia and elsewhere in the world?"
The discussion's panelists included Oldri Sherli Mukuan, programme manager for Ikatan Perempuan Positif, a national network of women living with HIV; Angga Dwi Martha, UNFPA Youth Advocate; and Wenita Indrasari, Deputy Secretary for Research and Development of the National AIDS Commission of Indonesia.
Mukuan spoke about HIV's impact on young women. Martha talked about ongoing efforts to ensure young people's right to sexual and reproductive health, and highlighted the involvement of youth in the population and development agenda. Wenita Indrasari brought attention to efforts of the National AIDS Commission, supported by UNAIDS and UNFPA, to prevent HIV among youth in Indonesia.
The event's headline dialogue was preceeded by remarks from Deputy Chief of the United States Mission to Indonesia Kirsten Bauer, UNFPA Representative Jose Ferraris, and a representative of Mustika Ratu and Yayasan Puteri Indonesia, which is hosting Miss Universe's visit to Indonesia. Following welcoming remarks, Culpo sat for an interview with Isyana Bagoes Oka in which she shared the story of her background and journey to becoming Miss Universe. Culpo was accompanied onstage by the new Puteri Indonesia 2013 Whulandary, freshly-crowned Friday night at the Jakarta Convention Center.
Unmoderated press interviews will be held with UNAIDS Country Coordinator Kah Sin Cho and UNFPA Representative Jose Ferraris in the exhibition hall prior to the start of the event's programme. Following the programme's conclusion, another unmoderated press interview will be held with Miss Universe and Puteri Indonesia.
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For further information, please contact Ms. Puji Maharani, UNFPA Indonesia Communications Assistant by email (maharani@unfpa.org) or mobile phone (+6285624771055).
Tags: Young People, HIV/AIDS
