Week of July 18, 2009
Harpas
Father Taher Yousseff (right) and Dr. Alaauddin Alhamawi, clerics who have joined together to dispel misunderstandings about HIV and AIDS and have become friends along the way. Photo by Will Everett.
Description
The Middle East has the lowest incidence of HIV and AIDS in the world, but the disease is growing at a rate of 300% per year there. One reason for this is denial: AIDS is seen as a Western phenomenon, and discussing it is taboo. But in Syria, two clerics -- one Muslim, one Christian -- are breaking new ground. They're trying to dispel misunderstandings about AIDS by addressing it directly with their congregations. From Damascus, Will Everett reports.
