World AIDS Day Competition

[Guest guest]

First Announcement

We are pleased to announce this year’s UNAIDS India World AIDS Day’s

competition called the ‘Meri Kahani’: A cellphone-ka-chamatkar contest.

This is a unique competition using the latest and most common known technologies

found in your cell phone. The fact that nearly everyone in India has a cell

phone is now well known. But it’s also an easy a tool to communicate directly

with millions using its simple technology. All it requires is lot of gumption, a

creative script and your imagination. So read the following and get going.

Each contestant should use his or hers mobile video recorder or its sound

recorder. Each contestant is allowed to make a video or audio clip running

between 45 to 60 seconds (maximum) and tell a story of

(1) Stigma or discrimination you faced e.g. when accessing health or related

services, lack of family support, etc.

(2)How you fought it/found a solution for it.

We don’t want litanies of laments. We want hard facts, innovative solutions

and what society can learn from you. We want real stories of real people. Your

face and voice will make that difference and if you win you actually get to come

down to Delhi, win a lovely crystal plaque, a cash award given by a VIP, stay in

Delhi for two full days and see the Red Fort, Rajghat and other interesting

places like shopping at Delhi haat or at Chandni Chowk.

Your clip will make history by being part of a whole series of continuous loop

clips. These will be possibly shown on the announcement board in hundreds of

Railway Stations and even on select TV channels, on World AIDS Day on December

1, this year.

What you can do:

Sit down and write what you want to say about the difficult times you’ve had

since finding out about you sexuality/HIV status: Dress up well, rehearse what

you want to say and do a test run. We would like to know when you first learnt

about your

o Your Sexuality

o Or your HIV status

o The stigma and discrimination you faced in your family/community/hospital

after your coming out

o How you tried to face it to find a respectful place in society.

Speak about it clearly and with commitment, passion and poignancy.

Then upload it as an attachment on the following email address to us

In the main body of the message, you must give your name and address, your

consent to use the clip for public viewing and that you bear full responsibility

for the same. Then you email it to

Merikahaniwad@...

Send the video clip as an attachment.

There will be a panel of five judges to select the final 10 winners and their

decision will be final with each point clarified gaining 25 marks.

Each person will be allowed one entry. All entries to reach us before November

10, 2010

So go for it and Jai Ho

Ashok Row Kavi

TO, Sexual Minorities

UNAIDS, India

e-mail: <arowkavi@...>