On April, 20 2010 during the ceremony of the First Ukrainian Awards in Fashion BEST FASHION AWARDS in the cultural and art complex "Mystetskiy Arsenal" Elena Franchuk, the founder of ANTIAIDS Foundation, was awarded in the nomination "Inspiration".

This award is presented to the person who inspires designers by his actions and achievements and personifies style and fashion. The decision was made by designers - participants of Ukrainian Fashion Week.

Besides that, Elena Franchuk presented one of the main awards - "The best designer of women clothes" - to Liliya Poustovit.

On March, 16 2010 the main fashion event of the season - Ukrainian Fashion Week - close up with the social fashion show of Sexy Safety lingerie collection initiated by Elena Franchuk ANTIAIDS Foundation and created by the best Ukrainian designers.

To reveal AIDS problem, to emphasize that safety and protection can be fashionable and sexy - is the goal of join project of Elena Franchuk ANTIAIDS Foundation and Ukrainian Fashion Weeks. Defile was on air on March, 16 2010 at 10pm on Novy Channel - the partner of Sexy Safety project.

Photo report from the fashion show is here.

Updated March, 03 2010

Elena Franchuk ANTIAIDS Foundation announced the launch of social graphic design contest Naked Street Fashion targeting safe sex issue. The task of the contest is to develop copy and images to be placed on the underwear. Our goal is to present the idea that "good sex is safe sex" into day-to-day life of youth.

Winners will get two prize - 5 000 USD both

Brief and rules of the contest can be found here. Results and/or information about changes and all current updates can be found here.

Deadline: works for the contest should be submitted before 12 am, March, 24 2010.

Contact information: Pavel Piminov, Communications Director, Elena Franchuk ANTIAIDS Foundation, +380 67 466 8736, design@antiaids.org.

We'll appreciate if you forward this information to your colleagues that can be interested in participating. There are no restrictions for participation - no age, professional or geographical specifics.

The song was aired live on December,6 2009 on Novy TV channel during gala-concert of the most popular TV show of this season - "Star factory 3". It was performed by Factory' participants and a guest of the Star' house - HIV-positive young man. By ANTIAIDS Foundation' request he was staying at the Star House together with its inhabitants. The same day and the same show presented new social TV spot of Elena Franchuk ANTIAIDS Foundation "Chain". That TV spot and presence of a special guest inspired project' participants and music producer of "Star Factory 3" Konstantyn Meladze to create and perform a single. Elena Franchuk ANTIAIDS Foundation launched the "Chain" TV spot on Novy, ICTV, STB, M1 and QTV channels on December, 7.

PSA "Chain" can be downloaded here.

Photo report from the concert is here.

Audio and video can be downloaded here.

On November, 11 2009 Elena Franchuk, Founder of ANTIAIDS Foundation, conducted first press-conference as Head of StarLightMedia TV group supervisory board, which consolidated leading channels at Ukrainian media market - Novy, ICTV, STB, M1, M2, QTV. These channels are the main Foundation' partners in conducting large-scale media campaigns aimed at the fight against AIDS in Ukraine. According to the estimates of the media experts, commercial cost of the social campaigns placed on the StarLightMedia Group channels by ANTIAIDS Foundation during six years of its work is almost 50 millions USD.

On September 12, 2009 in a specialized orphanage for HIV-positive children the first results of the "Children plus" project were presented. The overall goal of the project is to mitigate the impact of HIV/AIDS on children infected with or severely affected by HIV/AIDS in Ukraine, from early childhood through to teenage years. This includes ensuring such children are not ostracised or discriminated against in society; changing public attitudes towards them, particularly in schools, and helping them to move from orphanages to adoptive, fostering and guardianship families.

A press conference was held with the participation of world rock star Elton John, the founder of the ANTIAIDS Foundation Elena Franchuk and head of the coordinating council of All-Ukrainian Network people living with HIV, Vladimir Zhovtyak. The project implementers described how the lives of hundreds of HIV-positive children have changed over the past eighteen months.

Photo report from the event is here.

"Children plus" film is here.

On September, 12 2009 during a visit to the "Children Plus" project at Makeyevka orphanage in Ukraine, world-famous musician Elton John performed a real concert for a group of HIV-positive orphans at the centre.

Presenting the children with a new piano - a gift from the Elena Franchuk ANTIAIDS Foundation which co-funds the Children Plus project, he played his famous hit ‘Circle of Life' from the movie "Lion King".

Sir Elton's spontaneous performance of the song was very emotional as it followed a short play by the orphans about how every child wants a mother.

Photo gallery from this event could be downloaded here.