There is nothing more powerful than hearing the life experiences of people affected by HIV & AIDS to motivate you to take action.
That’s why we host the Speaker Tour – a month long journey around the UK, where you can hear first hand the inspiring stories of young people from the Global South & the UK overcoming the toughest hurdles to make a change.
Last year, we were joined by 5 inspirational young activists as they delivered inspirational speeches to over 700 people across the country. People were moved to tears and laughter as their powerful stories weaved between humour, positivity and their emotionally hard-hitting experiences, such as being orphaned to AIDS or being pressurised to disclose their HIV status on TV Show ‘First Dates’.
Every year, the Speaker Tour supports one of our key campaign’s and this year we’re telling people It Ain’t Over. Youth Stop AIDS campaigners will use the Tour to call on the UK government to commit funding to the Robert Carr Fund. This vital fund specifically supports groups most adversely affected by HIV & AIDS, including sex workers, who are 10 times more at risk of HIV compared to the general population.
AIDS is no longer a death sentence and new HIV infections are easily preventable. But with serious political will and funding, we can beat AIDS for good. Find out more about our It Ain’t Over campaign here.
This year we are joined by five inspirational speakers, each with their own unique perspective on what it’s like to live with HIV:
“Being very ill and experiencing loss – motivated me to become an activist”
“I believe in the power of shared experience and peer mentoring”
“I engaged in sex to have a place to sleep – this is when I came face to face with HIV’
“I didn’t think for a moment it would be positive”
“Stigma kills. I became an agent of change, not a bystander”
Come and join us at your nearest city!
Monday 5th February: ROCHESTER Book your place
Monday 5th February: CANTERBURY Book your place
Wednesday 7th February: BRIGHTON Book your place
Thursday 8th February: PLYMOUTH Book your place
Friday 9th February: CARDIFF Book your place
Monday 12th February: LONDON Book your place
Tuesday 13th February: LEICESTER Book your place
Wednesday 14th February: LEEDS Book your place
Thursday 15th February: MANCHESTER Book your place
Monday 19th February: ABERDEEN Book your place
Tuesday 20th February: DUNDEE Book your place
Wednesday 21st February: EDINBURGH Book your place
Thursday 22nd February: GLASGOW Book your place
James Cole, Youth Stop AIDS Coordinator