Seventeen writers participated in a workshop on World Theatre Day (March 27) examining and honing messages suitable for several groups identified within a circle of human sexual behaviour. A major outcome of this workshop is the completion of a script by June 2004 and its production to commemorate World AIDS Day on December 1. 2004.

The workshop began on March 27 at Morgan's Harbour Hotel, Kingston Jamaica and ended on Sunday March 28 just after lunch at 2:00 pm. The National HIV/STI Control Programme organized the workshop in association with the Jamaica Association for Dramatic Artists (JADA).

The writers were exposed to basic facts on HIV/AIDS and sexuality and values clarification to understand the various taboos, stigmas, denials and cultural obstacles to protecting oneself from HIV particularly during sexual transmission.

About 63.0 per cent of all reported AIDS cases are attributed to heterosexual transmission making sex the primary method of HIV transmission in Jamaica.

"One interesting experience on World Theatre Day was the presence among us of a person living with HIV," stated Jean Small, one of the participants. "No one knew who he was. We all thought he was just another writer who had joined the group."

Small who is herself a leading writer in Jamaica said the person living with HIV and AIDS (PLWHA) shared the intimate experience of how he acquired HIV, how it affected him at his workplace and in the community where he lives, the resulting change in his sexual behaviour and the care he takes with his health and his current sexual partner.

"He seemed perfectly normal and we all realized that there may be people like him in our environment living with HIV of which we are unaware," stated Small.

Speaking further about the workshop, Small said Jamaica's leading playwright Trevor Rhone facilitated the process of understanding dramatic structure. "The workshop was divided into four small groups who were each given an aspect of the problem as the theme for a skit. A prologue and an epilogue were created. One member brought a musical score to be used as a theme and all four skits were presented with the prologue and epilogue on the last day of the workshop."

According to Small, " the collaboration of minds was exhilarating and everyone was so enthused that a permanent writers' workshop on HIV prevention was established". The writers were encouraged to continue creating scripts and to send them in to be vetted by a sub-committee.

The workshop was led by Faith Hamer, Coordinator, HIV Prevention, National HIV/STI Control Programme, who said that a drama sub-strategy is part of the behaviour change communication strategy. The BCC team including Lovette Byfield, Novia Condell and Faith Hamer collaborated with the Jamaica Association of Dramatic Artists to promote the writing of prevention messages in dramatic scripts that deal with sexual relationships.