Dr. Harold Katner, Chief of Infectious Diseases and Professor of Internal Medicine at Mercer University School of Medicine and Belynda Dunn, an African American specialist at AIDS Action Boston, will take part in a variety of activities this week.

On Friday, the Allan Vincent Smith Foundation got things underway by donating three videos -- In Our Own Words: Teens and AIDS, Don't Forget Sherrie and Reasons to Care: The many Faces of HIV -- to the Bermuda Library.

While the whole of May has been designated as AIDS Awareness Month, a series of major events have been scheduled for this week.

Ms Dunn will speak at a public forum at the Bermuda High School for Girls on Monday at 7 p.m. and will visit Warwick Secondary on Tuesday and Whitney Institute and Warwick Academy on Wednesday.

Dr. Katner will visit Warwick Secondary on Thursday and Warwick Academy on Friday.

Chairperson of the AIDS Awareness Committee Gaylia Landry said yesterday: "We are pleased that Dr. Katner and Belynda Dunn were able to come to Bermuda for AIDS Awareness Month. Both of them are dynamic speakers who can help us to get the message across to the Bermuda community that HIV/AIDS is an epidemic that we cannot ignore.

"Young persons in particular need to be educated about the dangers and methods of prevention.'' The Allan Vincent Smith Foundation will host a open house on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday evenings to allow the public a chance to meet the volunteers and directors of the organisation.

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