The International AIDS Society and Future Directions for the International AIDS Conference

It is also one of the best opportunities the AIDS community has to exchange information, network, advocate, and draw international attention to the epidemic.

In the spring edition of EATN, David Haerry contributed an article on Future Directions, a project the International AIDS Society (IAS) initiated in November 2004 to maximize the impact of the International AIDS Conference.

I wanted to respond to several of the issues David raised in his article and give you an update on Future Directions and plans for the XVI International AIDS Conference, to be held 13-18 August 2006 in Toronto, Canada.

During the spring and summer, Future Directions received a wealth of input from a wide variety of stakeholders through confidential interviews, internet forums, and stakeholder-specific meetings. Consultations were held with scientists, activists, large NGOs involved in delivering AIDS services, donors, intergovernmental organizations and pharmaceutical company representatives. We asked people for their perspectives on what is working well at International AIDS Conferences, what needs to change, and how the Conference can better meet the needs of the tens of thousands of people involved.

Draft recommendations based on the comments we received were posted on the Future Directions website (www.iasociety.org/futuredirections) in July. Since then, the International AIDS Society has been accepting additional comments and suggestions. In late July, two open meetings were held at the IAS Pathogenesis Conference in Rio for all stakeholders to discuss the Future Directions recommendations. The draft recommendations from the project will be revised and presented to the IAS Governing Council at its annual retreat in November.

In his article, David raised a concern about the new IAS Freedom of Expression policy and the way in which it was presented at the activist consultation. I announced the policy at the beginning of the meeting because I felt it was important that participants knew up front about the change and had the opportunity to discuss it during the meeting. The Freedom of Expression policy reaffirms the crucial role of activism and advocacy, both in the overall response to AIDS and as a part of the International AIDS Conferences, but explicitly prohibits damage or obstruction to property and total disruption of sessions, actions that have been used by a minority within the activist community at the Conference in the past . The International AIDS Society, as the lead organizer of the Conference, has an obligation to protect the safety and property of all individuals and organizations that attend, and to ensure that all speakers are able to deliver their presentations. Peaceful protest is integral to the fight against HIV/AIDS and will continue to be acceptable at the Conference. The full text of the policy is available on the IAS website (www.iasociety.org).

In his article, David also spoke to the need for concrete action as a follow up to the Future Directions process. Several ideas coming out of Future Directions have already been presented by the IAS to the committees that are responsible for building the programme for Toronto. A number of new initiatives have been endorsed by the committees and will be piloted in Toronto. These include: a new emphasis on innovative, intentionally-designed session formats that encourage dialogue and discussion; a new component of the Conference programme that will focus on key challenges in the response to AIDS; and a structured component to the Conference that will examine lessons from the field in scaling up HIV treatment and prevention services. Space will be made available at the Conference venue for groups to meet free of charge. Accountability will be a major theme. We also plan to use the internet more effectively to make Conference sessions accessible to a wider audience and to engage people in dialogue before, during, and after the Conference.

Another issue that is important to many people is the Conference registration fee. As David reported, the fee for delegates from non-OECD countries will be reduced for the Toronto Conference by more than US$250 and fees for OECD country delegates are being reduced by US$50. In addition, the Conference organizers have made a commitment to expand funding for scholarships by 20%. Information on the fee structure is available on the Conference website at www.aids2006.org.

Already the Toronto Conference has achieved an important advocacy victory with the decision of the Canadian Government to change the wording on its visa application so that there will no longer be an obligation for individuals from countries that require visas to enter Canada to disclose their HIV status on the application form. This accomplishment is an illustration of how the Conference itself can help advance ethical, evidencebased HIV/AIDS policy in countries that host the Conference.

Finally, David noted that many people feel the current decision making structure for the Conference needs to be revised. The Future Directions draft recommendations call for development of an organizational model that expands representation, openness and transparency in decision making. IAS is now developing a proposal for revision of the organizational model that will be available for review and comment early in 2006.

Future Directions is one example of IAS’ commitment to expanded and ongoing engagement with all stakeholders invested in the International AIDS Conference. These conferences are unique opportunities to share experiences and ideas and bring global attention to AIDS. They belong to everyone who is affected by the epidemic and everyone who is engaged in the response. We welcome your comments now and in the future and we look forward to seeing you in Toronto.

Craig McClure, Executive Director, International AIDS Society

EATN - European AIDS Treatment News, Volume 14, II – Autumn 2005

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