Michael Ballack UNAIDS Goodwill Ambassador GWA sport advocacy

World class footballer and UNAIDS International Goodwill Ambassador Michael Ballack played his official farewell game at the Red Bull Arena in Leipzig, Germany on 5 June.
Credit: EiB, Andreas Schulz 2013

An era in football has drawn to a close as world class footballer and UNAIDS International Goodwill Ambassador Michael Ballack played his official farewell game at the Red Bull Arena in Leipzig, Germany on 5 June. The charity event, which drew a crowd of more than 45 000 fans, was Michael Ballack’s way of thanking his devoted fans for their support throughout his career.

The proceeds of the charity game will be donated to football youth work as well HIV awareness and prevention work. Michael Ballack also acknowledged the natural flood disaster in his home region and spontaneously donated 100 000 euros to help support the re-construction.

The celebrated former German captain was joined by a host of world class stars as he pitched his ‘Michael and Friends’ team against a squad of top international players and stars. Competitors included Didier Drogba as well as Michael Essien and Andrij Schewtschenko and former Formula One World Champion Michael Schumacher. The teams were coached by Jose Mourinho and Rudi Voeller.

A mix of influential leaders from the worlds of sport, entertainment, politics and the arts also attended the match to pay tribute to Michael Ballack’s glittering career in football.  Executive Director of UNAIDS and avid football fan Michel Sidibé took the opportunity to congratulate Mr Ballack on both his sterling achievements on the field and his dedication to the growing global efforts to get to an AIDS-free generation.  He said, “Michael is a captivating football player—and an inspirational leader for millions of young people around the world. Tonight is not all about Ciao Capitano–it’s about looking to the future as his journey continues with UNAIDS. His dedicated support will help us reach our goal of getting to zero new HIV infections, zero discrimination and zero AIDS-related deaths.”

Michael Ballack, known for his leadership on and off the pitch, spoke emotionally to his fans, “You are the ones that make football a great game and I am forever grateful for having had the amazing privilege of sharing my career and love of the game with you."

For the past 7 years Michael Ballack has used his international reputation to convey important HIV prevention messages, empowering young people and helping save lives. He recently travelled to South Africa with the Executive Director of UNAIDS to learn more about the epidemic, visiting local projects and meeting people living with and affected by HIV.  Michael Ballack will continue his work with UNAIDS and is planning to undertake more field missions in near future.

UNAIDS Goodwill ambassador, football player Michael Ballack during his visit to the Health4Men initiative.
Credit: UNAIDS/M.Safodien

In his role as UNAIDS International Goodwill Ambassador, the German football star Michael Ballack conducted a 3-day mission to Johannesburg, South Africa, where he learned about the impact of HIV on communities and used his star-power to raise public awareness of the epidemic.

On 18 January, the first day of his visit, he met with men who have sex with men (MSM), a key population at higher risk of HIV during a visit to the Health4Men initiative at the Yeoville Clinic in Johannesburg. The innovative programme provides free sexual health services to MSM, who often experience stigma and discrimination and struggle with a lack of services catering to their needs. Mr Ballack toured the programme, spoke with health providers and met with MSM.

“I think it is so important that we give attention to HIV because it is everybody’s business,” said Mr Ballack.

“Having somebody like Michael Ballack, who is a big, big celebrity come here to meet people living with HIV, I am very grateful for that and I am very happy,” said one of the Health4men’s clients.

“It is almost impossible to discuss MSM sexual issues openly in South Africa. This is why it is important for these kinds of services to be integrated, into mainstream health care services provided throughout the country,” said Glenn de Swardt, Programme Manager at the Health4Men site.

The Grassroot Soccer project in Soweto was on the itinerary on day two. Along with UNAIDS Executive Director, Michel Sidibé Mr Ballack spent time with participants of the programme. Grassroot Soccer uses football to deliver key life-skills to young people.

“Michael Ballack has done so much to raise awareness of AIDS and UNAIDS is so lucky to have him give his time, energy and name to the HIV movement,” said Mr Sidibé.

UNAIDS Goodwill ambassador, football player Michael Ballack delivering key life-skills to young people during his visit to the Grassroot Soccer project.
Credit: UNAIDS/M.Safodien

Mr Ballack also attended the opening of the 2013 Orange Africa Cup of Nations, which is the continent’s most prestigious football tournament. During the tournament, Mr Ballack met with the President of South Africa, Jacob Zuma as well as with other African Head of States, attending the event. UNAIDS launched its HIV awareness campaign, “Protect the Goal” during the opening.

South Africa has the largest HIV epidemic in the world with an estimated 5.6 million people living with HIV. During the past few years the country has made remarkable progress in reversing the course of the AIDS epidemic. Now, the country has the largest HIV treatment programme in the world with 1.9 million people living with HIV on antiretroviral therapy.

“I have really learnt a lot during this trip and I look forward to continuing to work with UNAIDS on stopping the spread of HIV,” said Mr. Ballack.

The football champion has been a UNAIDS International Goodwill Ambassador since 2006 and he has dedicated time and effort to disseminating HIV prevention messages through the media. 

UNAIDS International Goodwill Ambassador and football star, Michael Ballack witnessed how football is transforming lives in South Africa. On 19 January, he visited the Grassroot Soccer programme in Soweto, South Africa and watched a Skillz Street practice session involving about 50 boys and girls. Grassroot Soccer uses soccer to educate, inspire and mobilize communities to stop the spread of HIV.

Mr Ballack was joined by UNAIDS Executive Director, Michel Sidibé on his tour of the programme.  Mr Ballack is on a 3-day fact-finding mission in South Africa, where he is learning about how HIV impacts lives.

The campaign aims to harness the power of football to raise awareness of HIV

JOHANNESBURG, 19 January 2013— The President of South Africa, Jacob Zuma, UNAIDS Executive Director, Michel Sidibé and the President of the Confederation of African Football, Issa Hayatou launched the “Protect the Goal” initiative on January 19 at the opening ceremony of the Orange Africa Cup of Nations in Johannesburg.

The “Protect the Goal” campaign aims to raise awareness of HIV and mobilize young people to commit to HIV prevention. Globally, an estimated 4.6 million young people (15-24 years of age) are living with HIV. About 2 300 young people are infected with HIV each day. Many young people living with HIV, who are eligible for treatment lack access or do not know their HIV status. The “Protect the Goal” campaign also stresses the need for ensuring all the 15 million people eligible for life-saving antiretroviral treatment can access it by 2015.

“Accelerating large-scale efforts for HIV prevention and treatment is imperative in Africa,” said President Jacob Zuma. “With strong leadership from government and community support, South Africa is showing results and its commitment to ending AIDS.”

Earlier in January, the President of Ghana, John Mahama attended an event to send off the Ghana Black Stars National Football Team to the Africa Cup of Nations. During the event, President Mahama signed a pledge supporting the “Protect the Goal” campaign. The Captain of the Black Stars also signed and read out the pledge. As part of advocacy activities in the lead-up to the tournament, UNAIDS country offices were able to enlist the support of other national football federations to the Protect the Goal campaign. As a result, team captains from Algeria, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Ethiopia, and Niger signed the pledge to support the campaign. Other countries are expected to join the initiative during the three week-long Africa Cup of Nations tournament.

During the Africa Cup of Nations, UNAIDS is partnering with the Confederation of African Football, the South African Football Association and the Tobeka Madiba Zuma Foundation to implement the “Protect the Goal” initiative. During the campaign, UNAIDS and its partners will disseminate HIV prevention messages on large electronic screens to football fans in all stadiums where the Africa Cup of Nations football games are taking place. The captains of each of the 16 teams participating in the games will read a statement calling on players, football fans and young people to support the campaign. The “Protect the Goal” campaign will continue until the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil.

“Football appeals so much to young people and I am thrilled to have such a groundswell of support from the stars of African soccer,” said UNAIDS Executive Director, Michel Sidibé. “I know this is just the start of an astonishing campaign which will generate much enthusiasm among fans all the way to Brazil 2014.”

“We are extremely happy to support UNAIDS in their efforts to roll out this campaign across the continent,” said President of the Confederation of African Football, Issa Hayatou. ”Our teams are committed to an Africa where AIDS is no longer a threat.”

The 29^th edition of the Orange Africa Cup of Nations will last until 10 February, the day of the finale. It is the most prestigious football tournament on the continent and happens every two years. The sixteen teams participating in this year’s championship are: Algeria, Angola, Burkina Faso, Cape Verde, Côte d’Ivoire, Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, Ghana, Mali, Morocco, Niger, Nigeria, South Africa (host), Togo, Tunisia, and Zambia.

Anti-AIDS charitable concert in Kiev, Ukraine, ahead of the 2012 European Football Championship final.

“In football and in life you need to look ahead,” said UNAIDS Goodwill Ambassador Michael Ballack to the TV viewers of the anti-AIDS charitable concert given by Elton John and Queen in Kiev, Ukraine, ahead of the 2012 European Football Championship final. “Every day 3 000 young people become infected with HIV. We can stop that. Protect yourself and your partner!” stated Ballack.

Entitled Your Life is Not a Game. Let's Stop AIDS Together!, the concert was organized by the Elena Pinchuk ANTIAIDS Foundation in collaboration with the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA). It was broadcasted live in Ukraine and Poland as part of the events related to the Euro 2012 tournament hosted by Poland and Ukraine between 8 June and 1 July 2012.

EURO 2012 provided an excellent opportunity to highlight the AIDS epidemic among a large audience across Europe as millions of fans, communities and nations watched the games, listened to football players and engaged in social activism.

UNAIDS Goodwill Ambassador HRH Crown Princess of Norway Mette-Marit also delivered a message to the Ukrainian and regional youth: “I strongly believe in young people,” said Mette-Marit. “Youth leadership and empowerment can make miracles. If you unite your forces and raise your voices, you will be heard by decision makers. And one day you will be the decision makers,” she added. 

Youth opinion leaders can play an important role in social change, including the transformation of prejudice and stigma associated with HIV, as they are known and admired by their peers—young people look up to them as role models. Their voices can help drive important messages on HIV prevention as well as overcome widespread stigma and discrimination.

Regional Youth Team

During the Euro 2012, a new Regional Youth Team comprised of young leaders in sport, music and youth culture in the Eastern Europe and Central Asia region was introduced in Kiev with support from UNAIDS. The Team will focus on galvanizing the commitment of young people in effective HIV prevention and promoting youth activism as a key pillar to change society’s attitude towards people affected by AIDS. Stigma and discrimination continue to be important barriers in effectively responding to HIV in the region.  

“Young people remain at risk in all parts of the region,” said Jean-Elie Malkin, UNAIDS Director, Regional Support Team for Eastern Europe and Central Asia. “There is a need for new voices, new energy and new ideas to address the vulnerability of youth, to promote HIV prevention and to advocate for tolerance towards people affected by AIDS in the region,” he added.

During a three-day programme in Kiev, the Team gave a concert at the main stage of the Euro 2012 Fan-Zone, visited a clinic providing HIV services and talked to HIV-positive patients, played friendly football matches with people affected by the epidemic. The members of the Team also gave TV and radio interviews where they called upon millions of young football fans to avoid actions that put them at risk for HIV and to respect rights of people living with HIV and break down barriers created by stigma and discrimination.

The members of the Regional Youth Team

“Young people are often not aware of the danger of AIDS,” said Farhod Tarifi 2010 Taekwondo Junior World Champion from Tajikistan and member of the Youth Team. “For them, it is just a word, something that can never happen to them. But unfortunately it can happen to anyone. Everybody should be prepared!” he added.

The Youth Team will promote solidarity with people living with HIV in their respective countries through the use of social media networks, fan-clubs, addressing their audiences at concerts and media interviews, participating in World AIDS Day events and other HIV-related activities. The Team will also participate in regional and international music and sport events such as the world university games Universiade 2013 which will take place in Kazan, Russia.

The members of the Regional Youth Team include DJ Vakcina (Disk Jockey, Armenia), Azad Shabanov (composer and singer, Azerbaijan), Ura Vashuk (composer and singer, Belarus), Kanykei (singer, Kyrgyzstan), Dara (composer and singer, Moldova), Julia Lasker (composer and singer, Russia), Farhod Sharifi (2010 Taekwondo Junior World Champion, Tajikistan), Vlad Darwin (composer and singer, Ukraine), Jassur  Mirsagatov (composer and singer, Uzbekistan).

The HIV epidemic in Eastern Europe and Central Asia is still on the rise. An estimated 1.4 million [1.3 million – 1.6 million] people were living with HIV in the region in 2009, almost triple the number reported in 2000.

In the comic UNAIDS International Goodwill Ambassadors Michael Ballack and Emmanuel Adebayor talk about HIV
Credit: 'Score the Goals' An educational comic book about the MDGs

A new comic book for children featuring Michael Ballack and other football stars who are United Nations Goodwill Ambassadors was launched on 24 January at the United Nations in Geneva, Special Adviser to the UN Secretary-General on Sport for Development and Peace, Mr Wilfried Lemke.

“Score the Goals: Teaming Up to Achieve the Millennium Development Goals”  is a 32-page educational comic book aimed at 8 to 12 year old children to provides a fun interactive way to help understand and reflect on the eight Millennium Development Goals.

The story features ten football United Nations Goodwill Ambassadors, including Michael Ballack, Emmanuel Adebayor, Roberto Baggio, Iker Casillas, Didier Drogba, Luis Figo, Raúl, Ronaldo, Patrick Vieira, and Zinédine Zidane.

The star-studded team journey to play an “all-star” charity football game in support of the United Nations. On the way they shipwreck on a deserted island and the story explores how the team copes by team spirit and survivor skills with the challenges that life on a deserted island brings.

The story simultaneously educates and entertains the young readers who are also invited to take action through several activities provided in the adjoining educational guide. The reader is invited to learn about the world’s challenges in ending hunger, universal education, gender equity, child health, maternal health, HIV, environmental sustainability, global partnership.

In 2000, the largest gathering of world leaders at United Nations Headquarters in New York adopted the United Nations Millennium Declaration. The Declaration, endorsed by 189 countries, committed nations to a new global partnership to reduce extreme poverty and it set out a series of targets to be reached by 2015. These have become known as the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

In the comic Michael Ballack and fellow UNAIDS International Goodwill Ambassador Emmanuel Adebayor talk about HIV in reference to Goal 6 which sets out by 2015 to have halted and begun to reverse the spread of HIV.

Michael Ballack who has been a UNAIDS International Goodwill Ambassador since 2006 is convinced of the importance of reaching young people with accurate information about HIV.

“I want people to know more about HIV as well as the other Millennium Development Goals because health and development are interlinked,” said Michael Ballack. “Everybody should have equal access to information and I hope that with this comic book we can reach out to a large young audience with important messages.”

The project has been carried out in a ‘One-UN’ spirit as an inter-agency collaboration between the UN Office for Sport for Development and Peace (UNOSDP), the UN Development Programme (UNDP), the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS), the UN Department of Public Information (DPI), and the Stop TB Partnership.
The comic book is available in English, French and Spanish and other languages, including Arabic, Chinese and Russian, will be made available in the near future.

Michael Ballack, the captain of the German national football team and UNAIDS Goodwill Ambassador, has been awarded the famous German prize “sportler mit Herz,” or ”athlete with heart”, for his committed and outstanding work with UNAIDS.

The award was presented on 6 November 2010 before an audience of almost 3000 which included personalities from the world of sport, art and entertainment as well as national politicians.

At the reception, Mr Ballack said he was honored by the award, and accepted it on behalf of his UNAIDS colleagues.

“UNAIDS has a vision of Zero new infections, Zero discrimination and Zero AIDS-related deaths. This is a vision that I share and I am proud to be doing my part to help,” Mr Ballack noted.

A UNAIDS Goodwill Ambassador since 2006, Mr Ballack along with fellow international soccer player Emmanuel Adebayor, focuses on raising awareness about HIV prevention among young people. As a role model for young men around the world, he has participated in a number of campaigns to raise awareness on how to prevent HIV.

Credit: UNAIDS

Sport has a special ability to unify and galvanize people all over the world and therefore is a powerful vehicle for advocacy at the global down to the community level. In light of the potential of sports for AIDS advocacy, UNAIDS organized a consultation with representatives of several sports organizations and other experts from 24-26 October in Geneva to examine current initiatives and ideas for future activities.

“Sport has tremendous worldwide influence and impact, from the highest level of world championship events to children in remote villages playing with a home-made football,” said UNAIDS Executive Director at the opening of the consultation. “Stronger cooperation with the world of sport can invigorate the global AIDS response in a unique way and help us achieve all the Millennium Development Goals,” he added.

The consultation identified new ways to leverage the convening power of sports to promote HIV prevention, treatment, care and support. Participants also reviewed existing relationships and ways to build and strengthen partnerships between UNAIDS at the global, regional and country-levels, and the world of sports, the private sector, civil society and the media.

UNAIDS has established partnerships with sports personalities and organizations to raise awareness on AIDS issues and to help inform people on how to protect themselves against HIV infection. The 2010 FIFA World Cup initiative “Give AIDS the Red Card”, was backed by international football stars including UNAIDS Goodwill Ambassadors Michael Ballack of Germany and Emmanuel Adebayor of Togo. The campaign used the popularity and the outreach potential of football to unite the world around a common cause—preventing the transmission of HIV from mother-to-child.

This week’s consultation provided a forum to review progress around the “Give AIDS the Red Card” campaign and plan for the next phase. It also enabled discussions on future sports initiatives with UNAIDS’ partners including the International Olympic Committee and the International Cricket Council as well as identifying other cooperation opportunities with sports organizations and sports stars and stronger coordination with Cosponsors.

Participants agreed to explore innovative ways to convey HIV messaging through sports. Because the world of music and culture also has great popular appeal, the meeting also considered linkages with sport-related initiatives to amplify the range of the messages.

Other participants included Mr Adolf Ogi, former President of Switzerland and former Special Advisor to the UN Secretary-General on Sport for Development and Peace; Mr Wilfried Lemke, Special Adviser to the UN Secretary-General on Sport for Development and Peace; Mr Krisrten Nematandani, President, South African Football Association; Mr Lebohang Morake (Lebo M), UNAIDS Goodwill Ambassador and producer of the 2010 FIFA World Cup opening ceremony; Ms Katia Mascagni, International Olympic Committee; Mr Chris Hurst, Corporate Communications Manager, International Cricket Council;  Mr Amadou Fall, Vice President for Development in Africa of the NBA; Mr Adonal Foyle, Retired NBA basketball player and founder of the Kerosene Lamp Foundation; and, Mr Driss Guerraoui, Adviser to the Prime Minister of Morocco and Convener of the Global Youth Forum.

With the ending of the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa, the UNAIDS web contest has come to a close as well. Contestants joined the UNAIDS Goodwill Ambassadors footballers Michael Ballack and Emmanuel Adebayor in the ‘Give AIDS the Red Card’ web competition to learn about HIV and win prizes. The contest engaged hundreds of participants from all corners of the world. Respondents’ thoughtful ideas for a solution to stopping stigma and discrimination were particularly enlightening and promising.

The UNAIDS advocacy campaign, 'From Soweto to Rio de Janeiro, give AIDS the red card to prevent babies from becoming infected with HIV' is one of the initiatives towards ensuring a healthy and HIV-free generation of children.

Lucky winners will soon receive prizes and memorabilia, courtesy of Ballack, Adebayor and UNAIDS. UNAIDS would like to thank participants from all over the globe for their entries – we hope that you will continue to join us in working towards zero new HIV infections, zero discrimination and zero AIDS-related deaths!