HIV & AIDS Awareness
Leading players and officials will be involved in a range of activities during the tournament to show their support for people living with HIV and AIDS.
Players will visit projects in South Africa for young people affected by the disease during the course of the event and wear red ribbons in the Group matches as a symbol of support.
Around a third of the 40 million people living with HIV and AIDS across the world reside in the 10 ICC Full Member countries.
The ICC began working with UNAIDS on HIV and AIDS in September 2003, so the tournament will see the fourth anniversary of the partnership.
Highlights of the campaign so far have included 16 player visits during the CWC 2007 in the Caribbean and a worldwide Public Service Announcement campaign featuring some of the world's leading cricketers, including Ricky Ponting, Rahul Dravid and Kumar Sangakkara.
Other activities have included the production of coach education materials and the wearing of red ribbons by players and officials at all major international events.
The partnership forms an important part of the Spirit of Cricket, which recognises the important role that cricket can play on and off the field in achieving social good.
Michael Hussey - "When I visited an education project in the Caribbean during the ICC Cricket World Cup, I saw for myself the importance of educating young people on HIV and AIDS. UNICEF and UNAIDS play a vital role in addressing this epidemic and by supporting this partnership, by meeting young people and raising awareness of HIV and AIDS, I hope I can personally play a part in reducing discrimination."
Mahmud Ullah - "I know that Twenty20 cricket attracts a young fan base across the world, so I hope we can use this event to raise awareness of HIV and AIDS and encourage young people to take greater responsibility for their actions."
Stuart Broad - "I was shocked to learn about the number of young people across the world who have been affected by HIV and AIDS. I think it is important that international cricketers raise awareness about the challenges young people across the world face so that something can be done to help improve their lives."
Yuvraj Singh - "Any social cause is important for top players playing any sport because people look up to you and you need to make them understand and educate them about issues relating to HIV. Through the ICC working with UNAIDS and UNICEF we can deliver important messages to people all over the world."
Kamran Akmal - "I believe that the International Cricket Council's partnership with UNAIDS and UNICEF on raising awareness of HIV and AIDS offers the opportunity to deliver important messages on this major global issue. By supporting a range of activities at an event which will attract lots of young people, both in South Africa and across the world, I hope that we can play a part in addressing the AIDS epidemic. As a representative of more than 150 million people in Pakistan, I take pride in not only endorsing but actively supporting this initiative by ICC."
Neil McCullum - "At the ICC World Cricket League event earlier in the year in Kenya, I was lucky enough to have the opportunity to visit a project that UNICEF supports in Nairobi. Although I was obviously delighted that we managed to qualify for the ICC World Twenty20 at the event, the highlight of the whole trip was visiting an amazing school, and having the opportunity to meet so many enthusiastic young people, who were at risk of HIV, whose lives have been touched by the work of non governmental organisations such as UNICEF. It was a very humbling experience for me to learn about the work that charities like UNICEF do and hopefully by working alongside some of the world's leading players at this event we will be able to play an important role in highlighting that children are the missing face of AIDS."
AB de Villiers - "I feel a real calling to help wherever I can. The issue of AIDS is close to my heart because of the impact it has had on my country but I think we have a responsibility as high-profile sportsmen to do what we can as it helps to open eyes and it inspires people to do something about the problem. Awareness is a big factor in helping prevent the spread of HIV and AIDS so the more we talk about it and keep it in the public eye the better."
Kumar Sangakkara - "I hope people will listen to cricketers, I hope that our support helps and that it brings a different perspective to building interest in these issues and raising awareness. It's important to raise awareness any way that you can and if different voices and fresh faces help then that is good."
Ramnaresh Sarwan - "I am aware that HIV and AIDS is a serious problem in Africa, as it is in other parts of the world including the Caribbean. By uniting together across the cricketing world, I hope we can play a role in improving the lives of young people."
Vusi Sibanda -"As an international cricketer, I believe that it is very important to raise awareness of important social causes as HIV and AIDS and show the world that it is wrong to discriminate against people with the disease."