Prince Harry is continuing to support the fight against HIV/AIDS. On July 6, the Duke of Sussex made a virtual appearance at the 2020 AIDS conference on behalf of his Sentebale charity [1]. Harry began his speech by emphasising the importance of resilience within the HIV/AIDS community.
"This year's theme is resilience, something all of us around the globe have understood, specifically over recent months," he began. "And for many, digging deep to find that resilience has been a challenging experience. For those of you affected by HIV and AIDS, the examples of resilience within one's self and within the community has been felt and fostered for decades. At Sentebale, we see the resilience of young people every single day."
"When they face setbacks, they not only push back, they bounce back. They are resilience personified."
Harry then introduced Sentebale youth advocates Sekgabo Seselamaruno and Rethabile Sereba to share their stories on overcoming the social stigmas of HIV/AIDS and explain what resilience means to them. "These young people are willing to speak out on its injustice, be role models to their peers, support HIV prevention, and challenge limiting systems in the hope of a more inclusive and accepting environment for all," Harry continued. "When they face setbacks, they not only push back, they bounce back. They are resilience personified. We all succeed when they are empowered."
The prince set up Sentebale (which means "forget me not" in the Sesotho language) in 2006 with his friend Prince Seeiso of Lesotho. The charity aims to help young people [4] living with or affected by HIV and AIDS in Lesotho and Botswana. Watch Harry's inspiring speech above.