Smith champions ICC Aids campaign

South Africa's captain, Graeme Smith, is one of a group of leading cricketers who will be using the forthcoming Champions Trophy to promote the ICC's THINK WISE campaign, a new global AIDS awareness initiative designed to provide young people with information about how to protect themselves from HIV.

Around 10 million people living with HIV are from major cricketing countries, which accounts for more than a quarter of all the people across the world who are HIV-positive. South Africa is the country most affected with some 5.7 million people living with the disease. According to the Human Sciences Research Council of South Africa nearly 9% of young people aged 15-24 are living with HIV in the country.

"AIDS is a massive issue in South Africa and India, two of the biggest cricket countries in the world, and as a young South African who has been a role model since a young age, I hope to have an impact on youngsters coming through," Smith told Cricinfo. "This really is an opportunity for me as a national captain to use the platform to educate and promote awareness. The ICC campaigns offer a platform to encourage South Africans to learn about the disease."

Smith has been appointed as one of five champions of the campaign, alongside Sri Lanka's captain, Kumar Sangakkara; India's opening batsman, Virender Sehwag; the Australia fast bowler Nathan Bracken, and the England women's World Cup winner, Isa Guha. The players have released a series of Public Service Announcements to coincide with the Champions Trophy.

"We have been to social events with people affected by the disease, and interacted with South African charities to push the education side of the campaign, because that is the most important thing, especially for people in disadvantaged areas of South Africa," said Smith. "My country's role in promoting awareness about HIV Aids is far greater than just this ICC event, but this is a great opportunity to promote social awareness around the disease. It's a platform to get the message through to a lot of people who don't have the opportunity on a daily basis."

"I have seen first-hand the impact that HIV has had in my country. I hope that cricket fans and youngsters around the world can respect the disease and also those living with HIV. By making informed decisions we can help reduce new infections and develop strong communities."

The THINK WISE initiative builds on a long-term partnership between the ICC, the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS), UNICEF and the Global Media AIDS Initiative, that for more than five years has reached out to the cricketing community to respond to the global AIDS epidemic.

The partnership seeks to educate cricket players, coaches, commentators, broadcasters, volunteers and spectators about the AIDS epidemic, particularly around prevention, and deliver these messages at major ICC events and through broadcast which reaches an audience in excess of 200 countries.

Smith added that the thrust of his message was aimed at the youth of his country, and hoped that the current wave of sporting events taking place in South Africa - from the Lions tour to the Champions Trophy and through to the football World Cup in 2010 would help to inspire the next generation, and help them sidestep the pitfalls that they face along the way.

"For any youngster growing up, I think having a dream is a crucial aspect to enjoying how you grow," he said. "Cricket is now being successful at the moment, and with 2010 around the corner, sport is a massive cornerstone for any youngster growing up in South Africa. It's something to dream about, think about, and get into, to get away from the distractions of youth.

"That's our challenge, and our focus this year is to play our best cricket possible, to keep the Proteas as strong as possible, and give the youngsters an idea of what it is to represent your country."