PROFILE OF PARTICIPANTS:

Thirty persons were invited and attended the Executive Briefing.
They represented the following:

• State Government Directorate of Information & Public Relations
• State AIDS Control Society, IEC Officers
• Networks of People Living with HIV (PLHIV)
• NGOs, including faith-based organizations
• Local Press
• All India Radio
• North Eastern Council

The participants represented the Seven states of North East India, except Sikkim, i.e.: Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Tripura. Below the details by State of each of the participants:

From Assam:
Mr. Ranjit Sarma, DIPR
Ms. Jahnabi Goswami, Assam Network of Positive People

From Arunachal Pradesh:
Mr. Supriyo Deb, DIPR
Mr. Tashor Pali, IEC, SACS
Ms. Deepali Dodum, Arunachal Pradesh Women’s Welfare Society

From Manipur:
Mr. Mahej Singh, IEC, SACS
Mr. Gautam Sharma, ‘Poknapham’ Newspaper
Mr. Ratan Singh, Manipur Network of Positive People

From Meghalaya:
Deputy of Mr. P. S. Dkhar, DIPR
Ms. C. Marbaniang, IEC In-charge, SACS
Mr. E. H. Chen, Voluntary Health Association of India
Mr. P. P. Shrivastav, Member, North Eastern Council
Mr. N. j. Sharma, Advisor, Health, North Eastern Council
Mr. M. Chakrabarty, Media representative, North Eastern Council
Ms. N. Shadap, Director, AIR Shillong, Director, AIR NE Training
Ms. R. Budon, PAX, AIR Shillong
Mr. Santosh Kumar, News Editor, AIR Shillong
Mr. Akela Bhai, Anchor, AIR NE Services
Ms. Krishna Das Gupta, Anchor, AIR NE Services
Mr. Manas Chaudhuri, The shillong Times Newspaper

From Mizoram:
Ms. Zuiliani Hrahsel, IEC, SACS
Mr. Vanlalrema Vantawl, ‘Zalen’ Newspaper
Mr. Somtea, Mizoram Network of Positive People
Mr. C. Lalrosanga, DDG AIR (NER 1)

From Nagaland:
Mr. Limavati, Deputy DIPR
Ms. Abino Khate, IEC, SACS
Mr. Pamreiso Shimray, Nagaland Post Newspaper
Dr. T. Murry, Inter-denominational Churches Care & Support

From Tripura:
Mr. Jehangir Hussain, IEC, SACS
Mr. Ajit Sarma, Voluntary health Association of India

SPEAKERS SESSION :

During this session, the following speakers exposed their views and perspective from their respective organization on the current HIV/AIDS media situation in North East and its challenges:

• Noble Thalari, Communication Adviser, UNAIDS
  UN vision for the northeast and coping with denials
• Mayank Agrawal, Joint Director, IEC, National Aids Control Organisation
  Combating HIV/AIDS today: a safer world tomorrow
  The North East HIV/AIDS situation in the broader Indian and international context. NACO overall strategy for North East and related communication strategy: NACP III
• C. Lalrosanga, Deputy Director-General,All India Radio,Northeast(NER 1)
  Radio as a critical tool for health communication in the northeast
• Ratan Singh, Chairperson, GIPA Alliance
  Galvanising GIPA in HIV / AIDS policies and communication strategies
• Augustine Veliath, Communications Officer, UNICEF
  Affected Children want you to
  Focus on the results of the national consultation for children affected by HIV/AIDS conducted by UNICEF in May 2006, rising to the public the Children living with HIV daily issues and dreams.
• Manas Chaudhuri, Editor, Shillong Times
  Need for a watchdog print media to combat HIV / AIDS in northeast India
  The difficulties of media related to HIV / AIDS sector in the northeast and possible solutions for creating media linkages in the northeast.
• Rochita Taluker,Communication and Advocacy Manager, DFID PMO,
  Vision of DFID HIV / AIDS programmes in northeast India

The Speakers session was moderated by:
Ms. Lyndal Barry, Project Director, Mekong Project, Internews Europe