Bermuda?s young people underestimate the dangers of HIV, the head of the Island?s HIV/AIDS awareness group has warned.

Michael Fox, executive director of the Allan Vincent Smith Foundation, made his comments yesterday at a Proclamation ceremony for World AIDS day held at Camden.

He said the younger generation may be making uninformed sexual decisions because they are less informed of the dangers of the disease and of the toll it has taken on the community.

?The young people in our community, having been born after the most serious thrust of the pandemic in the 80s and early 90s, don?t really have an understanding of what we have been through,? Mr. Fox said. ?Consequently (they) are subjected to making similar uninformed decisions that can have a severe impact on their lives and their futures.?

The ceremony took place next to the tree of life, an olive tree, which was planted in 1997 for Bermudians who died of AIDS. To date 382 people have died in Bermuda as a result of the disease.

Later, red ribbons were tied to it to honour people living with AIDS and those that have died due to the disease.

?The theme of this year?s global effort is to fight stigma and discrimination associated with HIV,? Mr. Fox said.

Also on hand at the ceremony, which takes place in countries around the world every December, were Health Minister Patrice Minors, Shadow Health Minister Michael Dunkley, STAR director Carolyn Armstrong, Pastor Dean Smith and chief nursing officer Gaylia Landry.

?We need to expand and strengthen world-wide effort against AIDS,? said Mrs. Minors as she read the official proclamation.

Mr. Dunkley added that the message must be spread to greater community. ?The numbers are truly shocking, not only in Bermuda but world-wide,? he said.

While sombre, the ceremony also focussed on achievements, making awards to people and organisations who have been a major help with HIV/AIDS work and support.

Both the Allan Vincent Smith Foundation and STAR received awards along with individuals Russ Ford and Brenda Williams.

Berkley Institute won first prize for a poster students created about HIV/AIDS and The Christian Academy won second prize.

While all the schools were invited to participate in the contest, only two entered, Kimberley Ball of the Department of Health told .