The game of Table Tennis in Liberia received a boost in early April when the United Nations Mission in Liberia through its Public Information Office donated 20 sets of Table Tennis materials to support a two-day competition organized by the Liberian Table Tennis Association in collaboration with UNMIL’s Montserrado County Field Office, HIV/AIDS Unit and the Community Outreach Unit.

The event, during which a month-long campaign to reduce stigma and discrimination against people living with HIV/AIDS was launched, was held at the Liberia Sports Commission complex on Broad Street. Over 200 students from eight High Schools in Monrovia were in attendance.

While presenting the materials on behalf of UNMIL, Head of UN Field Office Tabitha Mbugua, congratulated the Association for organizing the tournament and for using it as a platform to educate the youth on the menace of HIV/AIDS stigmatization. She advised the students to follow healthy lifestyles, support and care for HIV/AIDS carriers and shun acts capable of spreading the virus in their respective communities.

In their remarks, representative of the Chinese embassy and National AIDS Control Programme advised the young participants to promote friendship with all and sundry including HIV carriers through regular sporting events. Officer - in –-charge of HIV/AIDS unit also advised them to avoid acts capable of spreading the AIDS virus.

The newly renovated Table Tennis court was also commissioned to mark a new beginning for the game of Table Tennis in the country.

UNMIL comedian Boutini thrilled the audience with his buffoonery. Sensitization materials including flyers, posters and T-shirts were distributed during the event while trophies and medallions were awarded to winners of the competition.