A new manual “AIDS in Belarus: Christian Churches’ Response” was presented on 26 February in Minsk. The publication consisting of a multimedia and a printed version was prepared by an interdenominational mission “Christian Social Service” under UNDP/UNAIDS project “Contributing to the HIV and AIDS Activities of Christian Churches in Belarus”.

The manual is intended for priests and parishioners. It reflects in an easy and modern way the position of Christian Churches of Belarus on HIV/AIDS, and tells about medical and social aspects of the issue. Video–interviews present the opinions of people facing HIV: priests supporting HIV–positive, epidemiologists, staff of international and public organizations, people living with HIV.

“This is a unique publication, for it provides answers to questions, which neither medical personnel, nor public officials, or staff of NGOs often have no answer to”, noted  UNDP Programme Manager Valiantsina Stalyho. “Conversations arranged with many people facing HIV helped identify important aspects of the problem and find what people are really concerned with”.

The value of the manual is emphasized by the fact that the presentation was attended by heads and representatives of Christian Churches of Belarus: H.E. Archbishop Metropolitan of Minsk and Mogilev Tadeush Kandrusevich, Leader of the Union of Evangelical Christian–Baptist Bishop Nikolai Sinkovets, Cross of Christ Lutheran Church Pastor Nikolai Badrusev, head of the education department of Minsk eparchy of the Belarusian Orthodox Church Farther Alexander Shimbalev, and Deputy Minister of Health of Belarus Valentina Kachan.

“AIDS in Belarus: Christian Churches’ Response” is the first comprehensive manual on Church service in responding to HIV/AIDS. The project representatives believe that the manual will be useful for the whole Europe though it absorbed the experience of Churches in Belarus.

For additional information please refer to Project Manager Anastasiya Kryvitskaya at +375–17 252 22 65.

Print version