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"Virtually anywhere in the world you can find a TV, there is a good chance a youth will be watching MTV. And whether you watch your MTV in Japanese, French or Swahili, it will not be long before you see programming from the network’s much heralded youth education campaign, Staying Alive".

Staying Alive is an MTV international initiative to encourage HIV prevention, promote safer lifestyle choices and fight the stigma and discrimination which fuels the HIV epidemic. Staying Alive is now the world’s largest HIV mass media awareness and prevention campaign. It features the world’s biggest stars from Beyonce to Justin Timberlake, Mary J Blige, Diddy, Kanye West, Kelly Rowland, to Nelson Mandela and Bill Clinton. It produces TV programming in the form of concerts, documentaries, public service announcements, TV film, film competitions and others. It also boasts a 13 language website which is both informative and interactive – www.staying-alive.org – with exclusive celebrity content talking about safe sex, from Wyclef to Shaggy, to Nicole Scherzinger, all the biggest and best names in entertainment have lent their voice to this crucial campaign.

Goals
Staying Alive’s aim is to reduce HIV infections among young people globally. It does this by using entertainment to bring across vital safe sex information so that young people are empowered to make safer sexual and lifestyle decisions.

Objectives
• To raise awareness and knowledge about HIV/AIDS and safer sex skills for young people. • To fight the stigma and discrimination associated with HIV/AIDS. • To empower young people to take concrete action to protect themselves and others against HIV/AIDS. • To engage other businesses, media and organisations to form their own response to HIV/AIDS. This includes broadcasting or using Staying Alive material rights free, at no cost.

Reach
MTV Staying Alive has the capacity to provide high quality HIV prevention education to a mass audience. Staying Alive currently reaches 64% of the world’s TV households, and 90% of the top 50 AIDS impacted countries. Staying Alive’s distribution reach extends to all but thirteen countries in the world. Staying Alive does this, not only through MTV’s extensive global reach, but also with its rights free strategy, enabling all broadcasters around the world to air Staying Alive content at no cost.

History
Staying Alive began in 1998 as a one off award winning documentary, of the same name, about six young people from around the world and how their lives were affected by HIV and AIDS and hosted by George Michael. In 2002, Staying Alive expanded into an ongoing global multi media campaign that provides targeted information about HIV and AIDS using a wide range of interventions that include programming, advocacy and grant-making. Staying Alive is now the world’s leading media response to HIV and AIDS, developing widely recognised cutting edge products as part of its comprehensive approach. In 2005, Staying Alive launched the Staying Alive Foundation to provide small grants to young people who are responding to the multiple threats of HIV, through prevention and create enabling environments for HIV+ people in their communities.

Evaluation
The evidence shows that Staying Alive is making a difference. The 2005 evaluation of Staying Alive found that the campaign resulted in significantly more interpersonal communication about HIV/AIDS amongst those who were exposed to the campaign and that this in turn had a positive effect on social norms. More young people exposed to the campaign felt it was important to use a condom, discussed HIV with a sexual partner and reported getting tested for HIV.

The Staying Alive Foundation
In 2005 the Staying Alive Foundation was launched. The Staying Alive Foundation is a US-based 501c3 public charity hosted by MTV. Twice yearly, the Foundation presents the Staying Alive Awards: small grants that support innovative projects in schools, youth centers, and clubs using radio, TV, print, on-line and personal interactions that reach at-risk youth and protect them from the multiple threats posed by HIV and AIDS. The Foundation's mandate to support individuals fighting AIDS on the frontlines is an unusual grant-making strategy that is showing extraordinary results as more and more young Award winners become HIV-prevention leaders in their communities. In 2008 the R&B singer-songwriter Kelly Rowland has been appointed as the global Ambassador for the MTV Staying Alive Foundation. The multi-platinum selling artist and Destiny’s Child alumnus is to be the public face of Staying Alive, dedicating herself to raising the profile of the global charitable foundation. In June 2008, Kelly Rowland visited SAF projects in Kenya, Tanzania and South Africa, see her trip at www.kellyrowlandafrica.com

Programming
The multimedia campaign includes full-length programming such as documentaries about young people living with, impacted by and responding to HIV; concert featuring some of the biggest stars of the music scene; discussion programmes; public service announcements and more. All Staying Alive programming is offered rights free and at no cost to any TV broadcaster that wants to use it. As a result, Staying Alive regularly reaches more than 90% of the top 50 AIDS-affected countries. MTV commits over $50million of airtime annually to air Staying Alive programming.

Transit
In 2005 Staying Alive produced its first film: Transit. Shot in Los Angeles, Mexico City, St Petersburg, and Nairobi, it deals with the complexities of sexual relationships in a time of HIV and globalisation. Transit raised issues of self–esteem, violence in relationships, drugs, multiple partners, condom use and HIV testing. The film was accompanied by a teaching kit and discussion guide used to discuss some of the issues raised in the story. Transit has been translated into 16 languages.

Xpress
From the lively streets of Brazil, the dizzy heights of Mexico, to the colourful landscapes of Jamaica, this one-hour documentary takes you on a Latin American journey during which young adults from different cultures and religions are given the opportunity to genuinely express themselves without taboo on sex-related topics and how they are perceived in their community. From HIV/AIDS to homophobia and violence, a wide array of themes is passionately discussed by these individuals, who want to share their views with the rest of the world in order for their peers to learn from their experiences. Featuring interviews from local celebrities, including MVBill in Brazil, Ce’cile and Tanya Stephens in Jamaica and Ilana Sod (MTV VJ) in Mexico.

Thoko's Diary
Hailing from South Africa, where in 2006 alone, over 54,000 rapes were reported, Thokozile Budaza, shares her personal experience in this emotionally honest diary on her various incidents of rape and how it's impacted her life.

Meeting Mandela
A special programme produced in honor of Nelson Mandela’s 85th birthday, celebrating his life and moral leadership. Offering viewers a historical look at Mr. Mandela’s life, the special also profiles four young people from diverse backgrounds, who traveled to Johannesburg to meet Mr. Mandela and discuss topical issues such as HIV/AIDS, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and the fight for democracy in Burma. Hosted by Beyoncé Knowles, Meeting Mandela showcases not only the impact Nelson Mandela has on our world, it also provides inspiration for future generations to raise their voices and become actively involved in the issues they care. In 2008 the program has been updated and introduced by Kelly Rowland to honor Mandela 90th birthday.