Secretary-General, in Video Message, Congratulates UN Cares Award Winners for ‘Creative and Invaluable’ Efforts in Handling AIDS Challenge

Following is the text of UN Secretary‑General Ban Ki‑moon’s video message to the UN Cares award winners, in New York today:

Dear colleagues, ladies and gentlemen,

HIV remains a hugely important issue for the United Nations, as it does for the whole world.

When I launched UN Cares in 2008, I wanted the United Nations to become a model workplace in its handling of this challenge.  I remain determined that the Organization does everything it can to assist those with HIV, including by providing information, counselling and testing for all who need it.

UN Cares volunteers continue their creative and invaluable efforts to implement that vision. 

I congratulate the teams being recognized this year for their outstanding work: Bangladesh, Cambodia, Guyana, Indonesia, Namibia, and Trinidad and Tobago.  I thank the judging panel for having had to choose among many very worthy candidates.

Looking ahead, the United Nations continues to work worldwide to end new HIV infections and AIDS-related deaths, and to combat the stigma and discrimination that so often accompanies the disease.

We can achieve this for our workforce and for our families by working together and by supporting the efforts of UN Cares and UN Plus, the staff organization for people with HIV.  Thank you for all that you are doing.