Young people have the imagination, ideals, energy that can be a major resource in the social mobilization needed to address the concerns and problems we are facing our world and in our country today.

This year, IFMSA -PANAMA is working on a project promoting sexual and health education to high school students. Teenagers are at risk of unhealthy behaviours because they are starting their sexual life, and do not have information about problems they may face in the future. Our project is based in senior high schools in order to target the population who are about to be exposed to this risk.

First, we are educating medical students in these topics, preparing them to answer each question, and how to interact with the students, so that we can freely communicate with the teenagers.

The second part of our work involves promoting an open art contest based on seasonal topics related to sexual and reproductive health. The first contest is entitled "how to prevent HIV", and consists of posters, jingles, and videos related to this prevention.

From September to November, we will work on the third MDG "Promotion of gender equality". We will conduct workshops in public and private companies about the reproductive rights of and health policy towards working women. Items we will focus on include: women as a source of money, as the unique source of earnings in the home, the mother role, mother-father role, wife role, responsibility for the home and self esteem.

Finally, but not less important, on World AIDS Day we will organize a joint march with other NGOs working to prevent AIDS in Panama. At the end of the protest, we will stand to form a human red ribbon using red t-shirts and helium balloons.

We know for sure that young people can make the difference this is why we are focusing this year our energies in the detention and prevention of HIV in young people, as a way of reaching the millennium goals. Greetings from Panama

Maydelin Pecchio (Panama) President IFMSA-PANAMA pres_ifmsapma@yahoo.com

Eric Rodriguez (Panama) Student /NGOs walk against AIDS, Panama December 1 World AIDS Day Coordinator scorapanama@yahoo.com