UNIFIL runs in solidarity with World AIDS Day

UNIFIL Head of Mission and Force Commander Major-General Portolano (centre) releasing red balloons to mark the start of the race. There are 35 million people living with HIV today, and some 19 million of them do not know they have the virus.

UNIFIL peacekeepers running 5km around the UNIFIL base to mark World AIDS Day.

UNIFIL Head of Mission and Force Commander Major-General Portolano running alongside fellow peacekeepers at the event organized to mark 2015 World AIDS Day.

Tanzanian peacekeepers during the 2015 World AIDS Day’s race at UNIFIL HQ’s.

UNIFIL senior leadership cutting the cake during the ceremony to mark World AIDS Day. The campaign theme for this 2015 World Aids Day is ‘Fast-Track: ending the AIDS epidemic by 2030’

UNIFIL Malaysian peacekeepers performing a traditional dance during the ceremony to mark 2015 World AIDS Day at Naqoura Headquarters.

An Indian peacekeeper performing at the ceremony held at UNIFIL Headquarters for World AIDS Day.

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2 Dec 2015

UNIFIL runs in solidarity with World AIDS Day

At dawn on the first of December it was lashing rain in South Lebanon, but by the time the UNIFIL joggers gathered to begin the 5km run the clouds had cleared revealing familiar blue skies. The run was organized by UNIFILs HIV/AIDS unit to commemorate World Aids Day.

One of the days organizer's, Dr Basundhara Bharaty, said "This is in solidarity with people who are dying from AIDS diseases and in solidarity with people who are living with HIV." There are 35 million people living with HIV today, and some 19 million of them do not know they have the virus.

There was a huge cheer as UNIFIL Head of Mission and Force Commander Major-General Luciano Portolano released red balloons into the sky starting the run.

United in similar t-shirts and each wearing a red ribbon, colleagues and friends, army battalions and civilian staff jogged together around the base in festive spirits. The campaign theme for the 2015 World Aids Day is "Fast-Track: ending the AIDS epidemic by 2030".

After the event, the runners and their supporters were entertained by traditional dances by military personnel from a few different battalions.

UNIFIL Head of Mission and Force Commander Major-General Portolano also delivered a message by UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon saying "On this World AIDS Day, I call on world leaders to unite in our common cause. We have started to turn the tide. We have set a bold target. Let us end AIDS together by 2030."

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Article: Aoibheann O'Sullivan
Video Editor: Aoibheann O'Sullivan
Video Camera: Mohamad Hamze
Photo: Pascual Gorriz Marcos
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