Press Conference on United Nations Global Media Initiative on HIV/AIDS

Executives from major news and entertainment organizations from around the world gathered today at UN Headquarters for a discussion on how the media can contribute to the fight against AIDS. Hosted by Secretary-General Kofi Annan, the Global Media AIDS Initiative explored how the media can create long-lasting public education campaigns and generate further attention to the pandemic. Following the meeting, a press conference was held at UN Headquarters. At the press conference, Peter Piot, Executive Director of UNAIDS, said, ""The media can save more lives than physicians can."" Today's meeting was one of the most important events in the 20-year history of the fight against AIDS, Mr. Piot said. At the meeting, consensus had been reached in establishing a global resource centre on which smaller networks and media organizations could draw for material free of charge and agreement had been reached to scale up the global campaign on AIDS awareness.
Peter Piot, Executive Director of UNAIDS, briefing correspondents at today's press conference following the launch of the Global Media HIV/AIDS Initiative.