Top cricketers appear in the THINK WISE campaign to raise HIV awareness

Some of the world's best-known cricketers will appear in the latest ICC's THINK WISE public service announcements, which have been released today ahead of the start of the ICC Champions Trophy 2009 in South Africa.

The campaign features messages and information to raise awareness about HIV which the organisers hope will make a positive impact on the lives of young people across the world and help to prevent new HIV infections.

Around 10 million people living with HIV are from Test-playing countries. This accounts for more than a quarter of all the people across the world who are HIV-positive. South Africa is the country most affected with some 5.7 million people living with the disease. According to the Human Sciences Research Council of South Africa nearly nine per cent of young people in SA aged 15-24 are living with HIV.

HIV prevalence in young people does appear to be declining in South Africa. However, concerns remain regarding multiple and concurrent partnerships and intergenerational relationships that contribute to infections among the young.

South Africa captain Graeme Smith, who is also a THINK WISE champion, believes it is very important to address the issues of HIV in his country.

"HIV is a worrying issue in South Africa but we all have the responsibility to make the right decisions and take the right steps forward," said Smith.

"Through my role as a THINK WISE champion I hope to do my bit to raise awareness and reduce the stigma associated with HIV to help the country move forward."

These sentiments were shared by Sri Lanka captain and fellow THINK WISE champion Kumar Sangakkara.

"This is a disease ? it shouldn't make you a social outcast," said Sangakkara.

"People who live with HIV should not have to sit on the sidelines and be victims of ignorance. The stigma around HIV today is very sad and I think we have a long way to go to eradicate it, but we must start somewhere and the THINK WISE initiative is a great stepping stone."

The two captains are joined by Virender Sehwag of India, Australia's Nathan Bracken and England women's cricketer Isa Guha, a member of this year's ICC Women's World Cup and ICC World Twenty 20 winning sides, in championing HIV awareness around major cricket events.

This leg of the campaign builds on the launch of THINK WISE at the ICC World Twenty 2009 and will aim to confront a lack of education and awareness about HIV and the stigma associated with the virus.

Five public service announcements (PSAs) featuring the THINK WISE champions will be shown during the tournament on big screens at grounds, on the official event website (iccevents.yahoo.com) as well as by broadcasters across the globe. The PSAs show some of the champions meeting young people in South Africa and teaching them about how they can 'THINK WISE'.