Lighthouse’s representative attends the 2023 Asian Stigma and Discrimination Forum.”

On June 8th, 2023, Lighthouse’s representative attended the Asian Forum of Stigma & Discrimination 2023 as a speaker and guest. This annual event discusses the impact of stigma and discrimination in the fight against HIV and strategies to reduce stigma successfully implemented in many Asian countries.

At the forum, Lighthouse presented the K=K communication campaign, a large-scale communication campaign to spread the K=K message in Vietnam, of which Lighthouse SE is a part of. The US CDC initiated the K=K campaign, the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), Health Advancement in Vietnam (HAIVN) under the coordination of the Vietnam Administration of HIV/AIDS Control (VAAC), and implemented by The Lab Saigon, Vero, Lighthouse SE, and many other community-based organizations (CBOs). The campaign has achieved great success, making an impression not only in Vietnam but also in the Asia-Pacific region in raising awareness of HIV/AIDS prevention and the role of the K=K message in particular.

At the event, Lighthouse’s representative also emphasized the importance of factors that determine the success of a communication campaign: clearly and carefully defining communication goals, understanding the target audience (understanding their needs, purposes, concerns, and desires), the importance of creative ideas in spreading communication messages, identifying communication strategies and selecting appropriate communication channels to spread the message effectively.

The below video is the presentation by Lighthouse’s representative:

Panel discussion: