25,000 free condoms at the 2009 World OutGames in Copenhagen

July 23, 9:59 AMSF Gay Travel ExaminerEd Walsh

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Wolrd OutGame Headquarters Copenhagen. Pix: Ed Walsh

If you are attending the World OutGames July 25-August 2, an AIDS prevention organization hopes to increase awarness of the need for safe sex by handing out free condoms. Below is the press release from Denmark's STOP AIDS.

For my previous post on the OutGames click here.

For my latest article on gay travel to Scandinavia, click here.

STOP AIDS – Gay Men’s Hiv-organization intends to distribute during World Outgames in Copenhagen the last week of July. World Outgames attracts thousands of participants and tourists from all over the world who will undoubtedly come across the STOP AIDS campaign CPHsafe.

The message is to promote safe sex and to inform men who have sex with men, that wherever you see a CPHsafe logo, you can pick up free condoms and lube. Free condoms will be available at various bars, clubs and saunas – and also in the cruising areas where you can find them in little birdhouses.

While the Copenhagen City Council finances the condoms, STOP AIDS is responsible for financing the lube and distributing it to the gay community.

"It would not be possible for us to offer free condoms to men who have sex with men without the support from the Copenhagen City Council – and certainly not during World Outgames with over 10.000 participants and tourists visiting Copenhagen", says Klaus Legau, the executive director of STOP AIDS.

For more than 20 years the Copenhagen City Council has provided the gay community with free condoms.

"We are delighted that the city as far back as the 1980’s has taken a proactive approach to hiv-prevention among men who have sex with men – and that the Copenhagen City Council still maintains this approach. That makes Copenhagen unique – not only in Denmark but also on an international scale", says Klaus Legau, executive director at STOP AIDS.

The mayor for the Health and Care Committee Mogens Lønborg also finds the cooperation valuable. It is of great importance to work with and to be able to consult a professional community based organization such as STOP AIDS.

"It is obvious that STOP AIDS is an organization with great knowledge and years of experience preventing hiv and aids", he says.

The mayor for the Health and Care Committee continues:

"It is truly inspiring to witness the enthusiasm and all the competent ideas shown by the hiv- and aids-organizations in Copenhagen. Both the citizens and visitors in Copenhagen will benefit from their efforts to make Copenhagen a safe sex city".

The cooperation between STOP AIDS and the Copenhagen City Council is very unique. With the current campaign "CPHsafe", STOP AIDS wishes to emphasize this as a good example of cooperation within hiv-prevention – especially to the many foreign visitors who may have much more restricted

access – or no access at all, to information material and prevention in their own countries.

"We hope that our close cooperation with the council will inspire visitors and politicians in other countries to work for a similar mutually beneficial agreement in the fight against hiv and aids", says Klaus Legau, executive director of STOP AIDS.

Cooperation for inspiration

Free condoms for more than 20 years!