THE OFFICIAL OPENING BY HIS MAJESTY, KING LETSIE III (05.11.2001)AT THE SUB-REGIONAL WORKSHOP (05.11.2001 - 09.11.2001) ON PEOPLE LIVING WITH HIV/AIDS INTERNATIONAL VOLUNTEER AGENCIES - PLWA/IVA’S VENUE - TEYATEYANENG, BEREA DISTRICT
	MASTER OF CEREMONIES, MEMBERS OF THE DIPLOMATIC CORPS, CHIEF EXECUTIVE OF LESOTHO AIDS PROGRAME CO-ORDINATING AUTHORITY, REPRESENTATIVES OF THE INTERNATIONAL AGENCIES, REPRESENTATIVES OF PEOPLE LIVING WITH AIDS ASSOCIATIONS, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, I DEEM IT A GREAT HONOUR AND PREVILEGE FOR ME TO HAVE BEEN INVITED TO OFFICIATE AT THE OPENING SESSION OF THIS IMPORTANT WORKSHOP WHOSE AIM IS TO DISCUSS AND DEVELOP STRATEGIES FOR EMPOWERING HIV POSITIVE INDIVIDUALS AND COMMUNITIES THROUGH COLLABORATION BETWEEN ASSOCIATIONS OF PEOPLE LIVING WITH HIV/AIDS AND INTERNATIONAL VOLUNTEER AGENCIES. THE WORKSHOP IS OPPORTUNE IN THAT IT IS BEING HELD AT A TIME WHEN THE WORLD IS OVERSHADOWED BY DARK CLOUDS OF HIV/AIDS PANDEMIC. IT IS AT TIMES LIKE THIS THAT IT IS IMPORTANT TO CARRY ON TALKING AND DISCUSSING THE CHALLENGES BROUGHT ABOUT BY HIV/AIDS AND SEEK SOLUTIONS TO THE PROBLEM WE FACE AS MANKIND. MASTER OF CEREMONIES, I AM DELIGHTED TO NOTE THAT THE WORKSHOP HAS DRAWN PARTICIPANTS FROM SOUTHERN AFRICA AND AS FAR AFIELD AS NORTH AMERICA AND EUROPE. THIS IS MOST ENCOURAGING AND A POWERFUL REMINDER THAT HIV/AIDS CANNOT BE EASILY LOCALIZED OR CONTAINED WITHIN COUNTRIES OR REGIONS BUT A GLOBAL PROBLEM REQUIRING WORLD ATTENTION. THE OUTBREAK OF HIV/AIDS IN ONE REGION AFFECTS PEOPLE IN OTHER PARTS OF THE WORLD. IT IS THEREFORE IMPERATIVE THAT WE MUST JOIN HANDS – YOUNG AND OLD, BLACK AND WHITE, MEN AND WOMEN, TO SHARE IDEAS AND STAND IN SOLIDARITY IN OUR FIGHT AGAINST THE DEADLY DISEASE OF HIV/AIDS. IT IS ALSO GRATIFYING TO LEARN THAT THIS WORKSHOP HAS BEEN ORGANISED AND FACILITATED BY PEOPLE WHO ARE HIV POSITIVE. TO ME, THIS IS AN INDICATION OF THE SUCCESS OF THIS WORKSHOP EVEN BEFORE IT STARTS. MORE OFTEN THAN NOT, HIV/AIDS STILL GENERATES A SENSE OF FEAR, WHICH PREVENTS OPEN AND FRANK DISCUSSIONS. MANY PEOPLE STILL SUFFER IN SILENCE FOR FEAR OF LOSS OF BASIC HUMAN RIGHTS OR BEING STIGMATISED BY FRIENDS, FAMILY MEMBERS AND THE COMMUNITY. I HOPE THIS WORKSHOP WILL ENCOURAGE MORE PEOPLE TO BE OPEN AND COME TO TERMS WITH HIV/AIDS AS A DISEASE AND NOT AS SOMETHING TO BE ASHAMED OF. MASTER OF CEREMONIES, DISTINGUISHED WORKSHOP PARTICIPANTS, PEOPLE INFECTED WITH HIV/AIDS FACE PERSISTENT MISCONCEPTIONS ABOUT THE VIRUS. TO MANY PEOPLE, HIV IS SYNONYMOUS WITH DEATH. SOMEONE TESTING POSITIVE FOR THE VIRUS IS DEEMED TO BE INCURABLY ILL EVEN THOUGH WE KNOW THAT AN INFECTED ADULT MAY BE WITHOUT HIV/AIDS SYMPTONS FOR YEARS AND LIVE FOR MANY YEARS. THUS, BY ORGANISING AND FACILITATING THIS WORKSHOP, YOU ARE SENDING A POWERFUL MESSAGE THAT YOU ARE NOT HELPLESS VICTIMS BUT THAT YOU CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN THE FIGHT AGAINST HIV/AIDS. THE THEME OF THIS WORKSHOP, ENHANCING COLLABORATION BETWEEN INTERNATIONAL VOLUNTEER AGENCIES AND PEOPLE LIVING WITH HIV/AIDS ASSOCIATIONS IN THE SOUTHERN AFRICA REGION, IS AN APPROPRIATE ONE SINCE IT UNDERSCORES THE NEED FOR COLLABORATION BETWEEN AND AMONG VARIOUS AGENCIES AS A BASIS FOR COMBATING HIV/AIDS IN AN EFFECTIVE MANNER. IT IS ONLY THROUGH REGULAR EXCHANGE OF IDEAS AND COLLECTIVE ACTION THAT WE CAN HOPE TO TRIUMPH AND BECOME VICTORIOUS OVER THIS DISEASE. MASTER OF CEREMONIES, DISTINGUISHED WORKSHOP PARTICIPANTS, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, IN THE AFRICAN SETTING AND, IN PARTICULAR IN LESOTHO, THE DIFFICULTY OF COMING TO TERMS WITH HIV/AIDS IS COMPOUNDED BY THE FACT THAT, CULTURALLY, DISCUSSIONS ABOUT SEX ARE OFTEN REGARDED AS SOCIALLY UNACCEPTABLE. TO OPENELY ENGAGE IN DISCUSSIONS ABOUT SEX AND THEREFORE HIV/AIDS IS DEEMED SHAMEFUL AND DISRESPECTFUL. IT MUST BE NOTED, HOWEVER, THAT THERE IS A NOTICEABLE CHANGE IN ATTITUDE WITHIN SOCIETIES DUE TO THE TIRELESS EDUCATIONAL CAMPAIGNS AND WARNINGS BY INDIVIDUALS LIVING WITH AIDS OR HIV AND BY HIV/AIDS ASSOCIATIONS CAMPAIGNING AGAINST HIGH RISK BEHAVIOUR. MASTER OF CEREMONIES, ONE OF THE MOST DIFFICULT MISCONSEPTIONS TO DISLODGE FROM OUR MINDS IS THE COMMON BELIEF THAT WE MAY GET INFECTED THROUGH CASUAL CONTACT WITH A PERSON WHO HAS HIV OR AIDS. AS A RESULT, WE TEND TO DENY HIV/AIDS PATIENTS THE CARE, SUPPORT AND AFFECTION WHICH THEY NEED WITHIN THE HOME, WITHIN THE COUNTRY AND AT HEALTH CARE FACILITIES. THIS ATTITUDE, WHICH IS OFTEN MOTIVATED BY IGNORANCE AND PREJUDICE, HAS THE UNFORTUNATE EFFECT OF MARGINALISING AND DEMORALISING THE VICTIMS OF THIS HORRIFIC DISEASE. MASTER OF CEREMONIES, DISTINGUISHED WORKSHOP PARTICIPANTS, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, ALLOW ME TO CONCLUDE MY OPENING REMARKS BY ONCE AGAIN THANKING YOU FOR PUTTING YOUR SHOULDERS TO THE WHEEL AND LAUNCHING THIS BRAVE AND NOBLE INITIATIVE OF COLLABORATION BETWEEN INTERNATIONAL VOLUNTEER AGENCIES AND THE ASSOCIATIONS OF PEOPLE LIVING WITH HIV/AIDS. EVEN AFTER THIS WORKSHOP, DO NOT SLACKEN YOUR EFFORTS FOR CLOSER COLLABORATION AND CO-OPERATION IN THE FIGHT AGAINST HIV/AIDS. IT IS ONLY THROUGH DIALOGUE AND EXCHANGE OF IDEAS AND EXPERIENCES THAT WE CAN HOPE TO EMERGE VICTORIOUS OVER THE PRESENT HIV/AIDS SCOURGE. MAY YOUR WORKSHOP PROVE FRUITFUL AND SUCCESSFUL AND HAVE A POSITIVE IMPACT ON THE FUTURE. WITH THESE FEW WORDS, I NOW HAVE THE PLEASURE OF DECLARING THIS WORKSHOP OFFICIALLY OPEN. KHOTSO! PULA!! NALA!!! - PEACE! RAIN!! PLENTY!!!