3 young journalists report on AIDS 2006 conference

This week (13 -18th August 2006) the XVI International AIDS Conference - the largest international gathering focused on a single health issue- is taking place in Toronto, Canada. Since the world first became aware of the disease in the early 1980s, the Conference has provided a forum for the global community to work together to deal with AIDS.

Scientists, health workers, government representatives, and activists share knowledge and learn from each other, network, build partnerships, and promote best practices for dealing with different HIV/AIDS issues.

Three young journalists from the young people’s news agency, Children’s Express Northern Ireland, have accompanied a Save the Children delegation to the conference.

The young people, Emmet Barr from Derry, Lyra McKee and Ciaran McFarlane from Belfast, are all aged 16 and have been selected by Save the Children and Children’s Express because of their commitment to changing the lives of children affected by AIDS, together with their passion to become journalists.

Lyra recently became the overall UK winner of the prestigious Sky Television “Young Journalist of the Year” competition and her two colleagues have been honing their journalistic skills as members of Children’s Express for over three years.

You can read their daily blogs here www.savethechildren.org.uk