A two day National Conference under the auspices of the National Commission on Culture (NCC) to evaluate and collate responses on all HIV/AIDS programmes and activities undertaken by the Commission in 2005 has ended in Accra.

 

The conference brought together all the Regional Directors of the Centres of National Culture, selected Theatre groups and other stakeholders who were the main implementers of the first phase of the programme started in 2005.

 

The programme was the initiative of the National Commission on Culture with the support of the Ghana AIDS Commission through the Ghana AIDS Response Fund (GARFUND) for year 2005 - 2006.

 

Addressing the closing ceremony, Prof. George Hagan, Chairman of the National Commission on Culture reiterated the need for all stakeholders in the fight against the spread of the AIDS pandemic to collaborate in their efforts to reduce the spread of the pandemic to the barest minimum. He said the National Commission on Culture was delighted to be associated with the HIV/AIDS project because research has shown that a lot of our cultural practices are mediums for the rapid spread of the disease. He said the Commission would do its best to educate the general public, opinion leaders and traditional authorities about the dangers of these practices and the need to guard against their practices. He was however quick to add that cultural practices which on the other hand help to mitigate the spread of the disease such as the Dipo initiation rites would be encouraged in their refined form.

 

Prof. Hagan underscored the importance of Culture as an indispensable tool in the fight against the pandemic.

 

The Chairman appealed to Media Houses to donate free airtime for the campaign against the disease. He asked the Regional Directors not to relent in their efforts in achieving their desired goals.

 

He further emphasized the need for an effective collaboration and net working with other NGOs in the regions on similar projects. Prof. Hagan announced that the Ghana AIDS Commission has pledged to support the second phase of the project which involves community based programmes using Theatre, Dance and Drama for public education.

 

Earlier the Regional Directors and other Project Co-ordinators presented their research and action reports which were extensively discussed. In all sixty participants attended the conference.