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<P><FONT face=Arial size=2>Dear Friends,</FONT></P>
<P>Rising Voices (<A
href="http://rising.globalvoicesonline.org/">http://rising.globalvoicesonline.org</A>)
is pleased to announce the release of "Blogging Positively," a collection of
case studies, interviews, and best practices about citizen media related to
HIV/AIDS. </P>
<P><FONT face=Arial size=2>Copies in PDF form can be downloaded here: <A
href="http://rising.globalvoicesonline.org/guides">http://rising.globalvoicesonline.org/guides</A>
</FONT></P>
<P>In this e-guide, you will be introduced to some of the leaders and
veterans of the HIV/AIDS-related blogging community, and also to citizen media
projects which aim to spread more awareness about the pandemic. The guide
contains tips for workshop facilitators and teachers, and points readers to
helpful resources for new bloggers just getting started.</P>
<P>The project began two years ago when Kenyan blogger, Serina
Kalande, volunteered to lead a working group for Rising
Voices--the outreach arm of Global Voices Online--to discuss how citizen
media can best be implemented in the field of HIV/AIDS. </P>
<P>Rising Voices is especially interested in how new media tools can be used
most effectively to spread awareness and encourage discussion about
HIV/AIDS-related topics. We also wanted to better understand some of the risks
and obstacles facing bloggers who are HIV-positive, or who regularly write about
HIV/AIDS-related topics.</P>
<P>Four online chats brought together people from all over the world, and
from a wide range of fields. In addition to this guide, the participants of the
chats and others are collaborating on the creation of a map-based
directory of people and groups who blog about HIV/AIDS.</P>
<P>This is a link to the map: <A href="http://is.gd/545x4"
target=_blank>http://is.gd/545x4</A></P>
<P>If you are an HIV-positive blogger, someone who blogs about HIV/AIDS, or if
you have suggestions for links to add to the directory, please contact Global
Voices Public Health Editor, Juhie Bhatia (<A
href="mailto:juhiebhatia@gmail.com">juhiebhatia@gmail.com</A>), or the Blogging
Positively Guide creator and co-editor, Janet Feldman (<A
href="mailto:kaippg@earthlink.net">kaippg@earthlink.net</A>). </P>
<P>The importance and impact of this guide depends on our collective ability to
get it into the hands of activists, and to encourage their contributions to
the worldwide conversation that is taking place daily at the Global Voices
website (<A
href="http://globalvoicesonline.org/">http://globalvoicesonline.org</A>).
Please consider sharing this with your network of friends and blogging
about it. If there are HIV/AIDS organizations and support groups in your region,
please send them a copy of the guide.</P>
<P><STRONG><FONT face=Arial size=2>World AIDS Day "Blogging Positively"
Chat: December 3, 2009 at 11am EST (USA)</FONT></STRONG><FONT face=Arial
size=2></P>
<P>To join us, please visit: <A
href="http://www.worknets.org/chat/base">http://www.worknets.org/chat/base</A>
</P>
<P>Select "English" and press "Next". We will create chat rooms for other
languages if the opportunity arises. </P>
<P>The chat will begin at 11am EST (Boston-New York). This is 2pm (Buenos
Aires), 4pm (London), 6pm (Cape Town, Beirut), 7pm (Nairobi), 9:30pm (New
Delhi) 12am (Dec 4) (Beijing, Manila), 1am (Tokyo), 3am (Dec
4) (Sydney).</P></FONT>
<P><FONT face=Arial size=2><STRONG>For other WAD coverage at Global Voices
Online: </STRONG><A
href="http://globalvoicesonline.org/">http://globalvoicesonline.org</A>
</FONT></P>
<P>Thanks and hope you will join us for one or all of these activities! </P>
<DIV>Janet Feldman<BR>ActALIVE (<A
href="http://www.actalive.org/">www.actalive.org</A>) </DIV>
<DIV>KAIPPG International (<A href="http://www.kaippg.org/">www.kaippg.org</A>)
<BR>Creator and Co-Editor, Blogging Positively Guide (Rising Voices)</DIV>
<DIV><A href="mailto:kaippg@earthlink.net">kaippg@earthlink.net</A>
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