Remarks

Remarks at the launch of the Three and a Half Lives of Philip Wetu
Ambassador Dennise Mathieu
Goethe Centre
June 30, 2009

Good morning.  It is my great pleasure to join you today to launch this exciting and important new HIV/AIDS prevention tool. 

Three weeks ago, more than 1500 health professionals from 60 nations came together in Windhoek to participate in the 2009 HIV/AIDS Implementers’ Conference.  By any measure, this conference was a huge success.  During the conference, three key themes came up repeatedly:  sustainability, efficiency and effectiveness, and prevention.

I would like to focus on prevention for a moment.  Prevention must be at the center of all HIV/AIDS efforts.  While treatment has been an extraordinary success, especially in Namibia, an unacceptable number of new HIV infections continue to occur.  

One of the conference’s major subthemes focused on the need to engage men in the fight against HIV/AIDS through prevention efforts.  Whether it be getting tested or being faithful, the men of Namibia and the rest of Africa need to play their part.  We also must address the issue of multiple concurrent partnerships. 

The Three and a Half Lives of Philip Wetu does all of this and more.  It is an innovative new Namibian tool.  It raises important questions.  When should you get tested?  Why should you use a condom every time?  What does being faithful mean?  What is your responsibility to your partners and what is the danger of having multiple partners?    It poses these questions by looking at the life of a successful man and allowing the audience to make his choices and learn the consequences.

I applaud the strong work of our partners -- Media Logistics Namibia, the Goethe Center, NawaLife Trust, and especially GTZ -- for creating this new tool.  The American Cultural Center jumped at the chance to assist, because they were so impressed with the scope of the project and the creativity and talent of the Namibian team that scripted, filmed and acted in the video.

I also look forward to the work that Peace Corps Volunteers will do with this video.  It is perfectly positioned for them to use in the field with their students and youth groups.  The American Cultural Center will also distribute the video to local youth groups and PEPFAR partners that we work with on youth prevention issues.

I congratulate all of the team members and look forward to watching the video.