FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE December 1, 1999 Janice R. Lachance, Director of the US Office of Personnel Management, today issued the following statement on the occasion of WORLD AIDS DAY 1999. STATEMENT BY DIRECTOR LACHANCE The U.S. Office of Personnel Management and the entire Federal community are keeping in our thoughts and prayers all those who have been touched by the tragedy of AIDS over the years. As the Director of the U.S. Office of Personnel Management, I am striving to make the Federal Government the model for inclusion and empowerment throughout the nation and around the world. One of the greatest tragedies of the AIDS epidemic is how it has affected our children. Young people around the world now have the highest rate of new HIV infections. Half of the 5.8 million new infections in the past year occurred among young people between the ages of 15 and 24. And here in the United States, one quarter of all new infections occur in people between the ages of 13 and 21 - a rate of one new infection every hour. This terrible disease will not go away by itself. We all have an obligation to spread the word on how to fight this illness. The theme of this year's World AIDS Day Campaign - LISTEN, LEARN, LIVE! - highlights the need to share the knowledge that we have gained about HIV/AIDS prevention and treatment. It is up to each and every one of us - as parents, as siblings, and as responsible adults - to Listen to our children and young people, and understand what is important in their lives; to Learn about ways to prevent HIV infection; and to create a world where the rights of children and young people are protected and where those with HIV/AIDS are cared for and can LIVE free from discrimination. We must rededicate ourselves to eradicating this scourge from our cities, our towns, and our entire global community. Let us work together to make this the message we learn from today's observation of World AIDS Day. ###

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