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HIV Planning Group Forum by Marilyn Knudsen The Guam HIV Prevention Community Planning Group is organizing a series of forums around the theme "Breaking Barriers, Building Bridges Towards HIV Prevention." The objective of inviting members of different community groups to share discussion is to identify difficulties and find solutions to delivering the HIV prevention message in our community. The first forum, held on June 26th at the Cliff Hotel, attracted 31 participants. Approximately one - third represented Guam's medical community and the others were from various religious organizations. The discussion identified 3 barriers to HIV prevention on Guam: 1. 1 - Lack of reinforcement of positive (Christian/traditional family) values; instead there is too much emphasis on individual pleasure values 2. 2 - There is moral/judgmental labeling of church doctrines and religious beliefs 3. 3 - Conflict and confusion over WHO SHOULD BE INVOLVED in preventing and reducing the spread of HIV. Some solutions suggested in the discussions included greater collaboration among groups in taking message activities to the community; focus on abstinence; peer education; use of high profile figures, for example D.J's to promote programs; and commercial messages via media spots and billboards. Forum participants suggested formation of a LEAD GROUP, representative of the community, to identify a united HIV prevention message. A number of participants volunteered to join such a group. Another suggestion was to link the message to the current drug problems on Guam. The continued working together and sharing of information between the participating groups was encouraged during the forum's closing discussion. Participating of people with AIDS should be included in future forums, the group concluded. Guam's village leaders were invited to participate in the second forum, scheduled for August 15th.