A National Olympic Committee youth representative from Nigeria shares her thoughts on gender equality at the Olympic Youth Camp in Beijing. Copyright: James Zeng Huang/UNICEF China

"Knowing the facts on AIDS is one of your greatest tools in fighting discrimination in your schools, sports teams, and communities," Mr. Legins said. "As Olympic Youth Camp participants and representatives of your countries, you can take these facts and experiences home from China to remind your peers we all have the right to learn and participate in sports."

"I think we young people can definitely help spread knowledge about HIV/AIDS to others to combat the issue," said 17-year-old camp participant Yin Danqing from Anhui province.

UNICEF China has worked to rally the world's attention and advocate for the most vulnerable children in China during the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing. UNICEF recently launched the 5th Annual Summer Camp for Children Affected by HIV/AIDS and held a "Champions for Children" reception to advocate for continued support for children affected by the Sichuan earthquake, children affected by HIV/AIDS, and girls' equality, activities which reflect the Olympic values of harmony, compassion, and shared prosperity.

(China.org.cn August 15, 2008)