Edward M. Kennedy Institute and Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation to host virtual conversation with activists and experts on international COVID-19 and HIV pandemic outbreaks

BOSTON – On Friday, June 12, the Edward M. Kennedy Institute for the United States Senate and Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation (EGPAF) will welcome young advocates from Uganda and the United States for an informative and timely online program about the parallels between the coronavirus (COVID-19) and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) as they continue to directly affect people around the world.

As COVID-19 has changed how societies across the world function, global leaders, national governments, and health care providers are rallying to protect the communities they serve. There are many parallels between the current-day situation and the early days of the HIV epidemic when Senator Edward M. Kennedy made the fight for resources and understanding the disease a legislative priority. An increasingly prevalent challenge today is that the novel coronavirus is placing strains on HIV service delivery as lockdowns increase globally, borders are closed, supply chains are disrupted and the public health system is increasingly strained.

This conversation from the Kennedy Institute and the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation (EGPAF) will include youth leaders to discuss the realities that young people face in managing their HIV, adapting peer support, and confronting COVID-19 and HIV as these two pandemics impact our communities simultaneously.

While the Institute’s facility remains closed for now, the commitment to civic engagement and civic education is as strong and vibrant as ever. This program marks the Institute’s fourth offering held entirely online and it will be available both as a live event in addition to a recorded resource afterward. Any member of the general public who would like to attend can register here.

WHO:
• Victoria Reggie Kennedy, co-founder and president of the Board, Edward M. Kennedy Institute for the United States Senate
• Chip Lyons, president & CEO, Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation
• Josephine Nabukenya, HIV-positive youth advocate, Uganda
• Lucas Courtney, HIV-positive youth advocate, United States
• Michael Gerson, columnist at The Washington Post, moderator

WHAT:
Dual Pandemics: Global Youth Perspectives on Fighting HIV and COVID-19

WHEN: Friday, June 12, 2020, 10:00 a.m. ET

WHERE:
This program will be conducted through a Zoom video conference. Registration is recommended and available here.

The program’s livestream can be accessed here.
This event is OPEN PRESS. RSVP to press@emkinstitute.org.

About the Edward M. Kennedy Institute
The Edward M. Kennedy Institute for the United States Senate is dedicated to educating the public about the important role of the Senate in our government, encouraging participatory democracy, invigorating civil discourse, and inspiring the next generation of citizens and leaders to engage in the civic life of their communities. Learn more via emkinstitute.org.

About the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation
EGPAF is the global leader in the fight against pediatric HIV/AIDS and has reached nearly 30 million pregnant women with services to prevent transmission of HIV to their babies. Founded in 1988, EGPAF today has a footprint in 19 countries and over 5,000 sites to implement prevention, care, and treatment services; to further advance innovative research; and to execute global advocacy activities that bring dramatic change to the lives of millions of women, children, and families worldwide. For more information, visit www.pedaids.org.