“Mutual Understanding Implies Real Actions” round-table discussion, dedicated to the problems of HIV (AIDS) prevention and attitude of society to HIV-infected people, was held in Zaporizhzhya national University on November 30.
December 1 was International Solidarity with HIV-positive People Day. To this day All-Ukrainian Network of HIV/AIDS Infected People together with National Coordinating Board on HIV/AIDS Spread Prevention On National and Regional Level carried out “Mutual Understanding Implies Real Actions!” campaign in 42 cities and towns of Ukraine. Our university also joined this initiative, having held the round-table discussion for students and community representatives.
Dean of Faculty of Social Pedagogy and Psychology of ZNU Ol’ga Ponomarenko was the leader of this action. The round-table started with speech given by Head of Zaporizhzhya Regional Organization of Red Cross, Kostyantyn Silin. “We all gathered within the precincts of this leading institute of higher education, where specialists, not indifferent to the problems facing the whole society and ready to help various public organizations, are prepared. Red Cross traditionally popularizes the principles of healthy life-style. Since 90s when HIV (AIDS) epidemic was declared in our country, we didn’t let it pass, but took our active stand on prevention and spread of this dangerous disease. We developed scenarios for different age-groups our activists were working with. Providing the population with adequate awareness level is the most considerable means of counteraction. Seizing an opportunity, I’m inviting the students of the university to close collaboration. Today we are working on a number or programs that require volunteers”, he said. 
President of “Hope” fund Nataliya Dotsenko stressed on the fact that the organization she leads also needs volunteers, especially with higher education. Collaboration with the fund could help the students of SPP Faculty to improve their professional skills and become really good specialists in their field.
The epidemiologist of Zaporizhzhya Region AIDS Center Olena Velygods’ka told that their center had started as an ordinary medical institution, but soon their staff understood they were dealing with the problem that must be solved not by doctors only. The number of HIV-infected people increases by 25 per cent yearly. Owing to social services given by some public organizations, people with AIDS do not feel outcast in society.
Regional representative of Network of HIV/AIDS Infected People Ruslan Parshykov also delivered a speech. The reports of former graduates of SPP Faculty – Deputy Chief of Youth and Sport Department Lesya Sungurova and psychologist of “Friendly to Youth Clinics” Nataliya Kurochka were also of great interest to the audience.
Head of the Chair of Administration Problems and Social Pedagogy of SPP Faculty of ZNU Nataliya Zaveryko, Deputy Chief of regional Red Cross organization Nadiya Bozhok, medical representative of “Pharmasko” company Melena Kryshtal’yan, social worker of “Hope” fund Ol’ga Shershn’ova, outreach worker of the same fund Zhanna Mishchenko and epidemiologist of Zaporizhzhya Region AIDS Center Olena Velygods’ka also took part in the work of the round table.
All the disputants agreed that our society must make much more efforts to tackle the problem.
