14th International AIDS Conference Barcelona, Spain - July 7-12, 2002

Int Conf AIDS 2002 Jul 7-12; 14:(abstract no. D11106)

Piu G, Pitzalis G, Piu V, Piu E, Tramontin C, Sotgiu AM
Sardinian AIDS Prevention Association (A.S.P.A.), Cagliari, Italy

ISSUES: The Aspino clown and the A.S.P.A. (Sardinian AIDS Prevention Association) were founded in Cagliari, Sardinia, ITALIA in 1990 by a group of Sardinians who are all expert on AIDS. The recent increase, even if only modest, in the number of AIDS cases in Sardinia represents a new challenge for Aspino and the Association.

DESCRIPTION: Aspino and ASPA have been involved in a number of activities since their foundation. These include conferences and debates held by experts aimed at Primary school students, teenagers and adults, musical bands playing the streets around Sardinia, sports tournaments, theatrical shows in Cagliari and sightseeing tours around sardinian towns on the special tourist trains. On 1st December 2001 in coincidence with the 'world AIDS day' Aspino lead the musical band of the "Bersaglieri" around the streets of Cagliari followed by around 1000 people representing a number of schools in the city but primarily the Primary Schools. Even the elderly marched enthusiastically with us. These meetings were publicised and debated by the local media (L'Unione Sarda especially) who over the years, have played an important role in informing on Aspino and ASPA. The association itself printed 142.000 Aspino booklets with information on the illness and 600.000 leaflets on Prevention. These were written by professional experts and distributed at regular intervals over the ten years to children, teenagers and adults. The Aspino post-cards, the pamphlets and the "Aspino gadgets" have crossed many frontiers spreading the message of Prevention to places such as Florence, Amsterdam, Berlin, Yokohama, Vancouver, Geneva and Durban in coincidence with the International Conferences on AIDS held in these cities.

LESSON LEARNED: for those in Sardinia who ten years after his birth still ask: "Who is Aspino?" it is perfectly right to reply "One moment please, Aspino is speaking to me about a very important thing...!".

020707
D11106

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