Young people are careless about sexual transmittable diseases. FIU wanted its students to take a free HIV test and encourage precaution. Taking advantage that the 2015 Miss Universe Pageant was taking place on campus, we saw an opportunity to also educate young people around the world. We created a fake Miss Universe contestant: Miss Hivaria, the voice of more than 35 million people worldwide who are HIV-positive. A big enough population to create an entire country, we call it Republic of Hivaria. She engaged online and offline, did photo shoots, interviews and engaged with famous people. 2 days before the event, she held a press conference and even took an HIV test herself on campus, making an example. Miss Hivaria talked about HIV and HIV became a global conversation.
