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The following is issued on behalf of the Hong Kong Advisory Council on AIDS:

Three youth groups were awarded the 1999 Best Project Awards of the "Youth Action on AIDS" Funding Scheme today (Saturday) for their innovative projects on AIDS education and publicity.

The three groups were the Hong Kong Federation of Youth Groups Verbena Children and Youth Centre Cum Study Reading Room; Caritas Children and Youth Services; and Kowloon Sam Yuk Secondary School.

They were selected from among 22 youth groups which participated in the scheme in 1999. With a total subsidy of $170,000, projects comprising training courses, educational programmes, exhibitions and competitions were organised by the 22 groups, enabling more than 40 000 young persons to learn more about AIDS and its impact on the community.

Officiating at the prize presentation ceremony today were the Hong Kong UNAIDS Ambassador, pop singer Miss Miriam Yeung Chin-wah; the Assistant Director of Education and Chief Inspector of Schools, Mr Tam Chun-kit; the Assistant Director (Development) of the Hong Kong Council of Social Service, Miss Kay Ku; and the Chairman of the AIDS Prevention and Care Committee of the Hong Kong Advisory Council on AIDS, Mrs Diana Wong.

The "Youth Action on AIDS" Funding Scheme is run by the Task Force on Youth of the AIDS Prevention and Care Committee to mobilise young people to organise educational and publicity projects on AIDS.

Youth groups comprising at least five members each are invited to take part in the "Youth Action on AIDS" Funding Scheme for 2000. Each successful group applicant will be given a subsidy of not more than $8,000 to implement its proposed programme.

Copies of a leaflet on the funding scheme and application forms are available at the Red Ribbon Centre on the First Floor of Wang Tau Hom Jockey Club Clinic, 200 Junction Road, Lok Fu, Kowloon. For enquiries, please contact Mr Mak Sik-yan of the Red Ribbon Centre at 2304 6268 during office hours.

More information on AIDS and AIDS educational programmes is available at Department of Health's AIDS website at http://www.info.gov.hk/aids

End/Saturday, February 26, 2000

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