| |
Time to Deliver
The AIDS 2006 Conference theme, Time to
Deliver, underscores the continued urgency in bringing
effective HIV prevention and treatment strategies to
communities the world over. Twenty-five years after the
first reports of what was later to be known as AIDS
appeared in the CDC’s Mortality and Morbidity Weekly
Report, the magnitude of this epidemic demands increased
accountability from all stakeholders to fulfill their
commitments, be they financial, programmatic or
political.
While additional resources and continued scientific
research are critical to an effective global response,
the theme recognises that the scientific knowledge and
tools to prevent new infections and prolong life among
those living with HIV/AIDS already exist, even in the
poorest settings. The challenge at hand is to garner the
resources and the collective will to translate that
knowledge and experience into broadly available HIV
treatment and prevention programs.
The International AIDS Conference exists for exactly
these reasons. It is one of the most important
gatherings for the release and discussion of key
scientific developments in the fight against HIV/AIDS.
AIDS 2006 will bring together the movement of people
responding to the HIV/AIDS epidemic to share their
lessons and together stake out the road ahead. In doing
this, the Conference directly affects the lives of those
living with and affected by HIV/AIDS. AIDS 2006 is a
catalyst for change.
Conference Vision
AIDS 2006
is rooted firmly in the vision that the International
AIDS Conference must foster an environment of scientific
inquiry, forthright dialogue, collective action, and
greater accountability among all parties. The conference
theme for AIDS 2006 is Time to Deliver, reminding
us of past and present commitments for action on
HIV/AIDS and demanding accountability for those promises
at every level of the response. AIDS 2006 will be a
landmark opportunity to review our collective experience
with the epidemic and set an agenda for future action.
Specifically, the Conference seeks to:
expand public awareness of the
continued impact of and global response to HIV/AIDS;
highlight recent successes, as well
as current challenges, and the potential to overcome
them;
underscore the central role of basic,
clinical and prevention science in the global response
to HIV/AIDS and the need for evidence-based programming
that is based on sound research.
influence key policy makers to
increase commitment and responsible action based on
evidence;
support the engagement and
destigmatisation of PLWHAs and those working
professionally in HIV/AIDS;
enable those working in the field of
HIV/AIDS to be better prepared to meet the needs of
those affected by and living with HIV/AIDS;
enable those working in the field of
HIV/AIDS to be better prepared to meet the needs of
those affected by and living with HIV/AIDS; and
be inclusive of those engaged in the
response to AIDS, and transparent in the way that it is
planned and implemented.
As a
gathering that brings together so many people to focus
on such a politically charged life and death issue, the
Conference will always generate controversy. It must
also be a place that focuses attention on evidence and
outcomes over rhetoric. To that end, the AIDS 2006
programme and related activities will acknowledge and
disseminate best practices, nurture productive
discourse, highlight successes and shortfalls in the
response to AIDS, and engage the global AIDS community
to collectively tackle the key challenges before us.
The
ability to accomplish these goals depends not just on
the structure and content of the Conference Programme
and activities, but also on the effective engagement of
the broadest possible array of stakeholders. The
expansion of the scholarship programmes, an abstract
mentoring programme, reduced registration
fees––including substantial reductions for those from
less-developed nations––and greater online dissemination
of Conference proceedings for those who cannot attend
will enrich the Conference proceedings and enhance our
collective ability to transfer knowledge to those
settings where it is most needed.
The
Conference Organising Committee and the other programme
committees, reflecting the three components of the
Conference programme––science, community and
leadership––and guided by the ideals and goals described
above, are working collaboratively to translate the
vision for AIDS 2006 into reality.
|
|
