back to today's front page

Having trouble finding what you need?
Please scroll down.

Community Rendez-Vous
The Community Rendez-Vous will be a forum for community exchange and skills development. The focus will be on discussing mechanisms for improving networking on five themes (human rights, migration, community-based research, sex work, and living with AIDS). Limited registration will be available on-site on Friday 26 June.

Orientation sessions are one hour long and are especially designed to help newcomers and persons who do not have English as a first language to get the most out of the Conference. They will provide helpful hints to understand and plan for the Conference programme, to help orient oneself to the Conference site and to provide a sense of the key issues and language used. Everyone is welcome.

1. Strategic Lobbying (translated into French and Spanish)

Monday, June 29. Hall I. 5.30 PM - 8 PM

Format involving an expert panel, case study examples and group work to inform participants of the scope of actions necessary for effective lobbying, and provide an opportunity to develop lobbying plans for four key topics. Depending on interest and proportionate numbers, one group developing a lobbying plan may operate in French, one in Spanish and two groups will operate in English.
Chairs
Ms Sophie Mukasa-Monico, Director, TASO, Uganda
Mr Bill Whittaker, NSW Ministerial Advisory Committee On AIDS, Australia
Panel
Ms Sally Cowal, Director, External Relations, UNAIDS
Influencing decision-makers
Ms Rita Arauz, Director, Fundacion Nimehuatzin, Nicaragua
Lobbying governments across the political spectrum
Mr Paul di Donato, Executive Director, Funders Concerned about AIDS, USA
How to mobilise foundations and corporate philanthropists to fund AIDS
Dr Victor Ortega, Senior Consultant, Senate Committee on Health and Demography, Republic of the Philippines
Lobbying from within the system
Mr Paul Kawata, Executive Director, National Minority AIDS Council, USA
Building alliances as a base for lobbying
Lobbying Plan Facilitators
Mr Arnaud Marty-Lavauzelle, Executive Director, AIDES Federation Nationale, France
Mr Juan Jacobo Hernandez, Executive Director, Colectivo Sol, Mexico
Ms Patsy Fleming, Consultant to UNAIDS, USA
Ms Sue Lucas, Executive Director, UK NGO AIDS Consortium, UK

2. HIV and Religion: Faith, Hope, and Fatalism in dealing with AIDS

Monday, June 29. Hall II. 5.30 PM – 8 PM

This symposium aims to explore the role of various faiths and religious bodies in regard to the spread of HIV. A number of religious "insiders" will participate in a structured roundtable discussing the ways in which they have been involved in the response to HIV/AIDS, and how their actions fit in with the teachings of their respective faiths.
Chairs
Jim Simmons, CAFOD, UK
Rev Dominique Roulin, Ministère SIDA, Switzerland
Speakers
Antoine Lion, President, Chrétiens et SIDA, France
Christian Faith and spiritual issues: a Response?
Rev Gideon Byamugisha, Project Manager, HIV Prevention and AIDS Care Project, Namirembe Diocese, Uganda
Condoms and the Roman Catholic Church: Are They Compatible?
Rev Robert J. Vitillo, Co-chair, Caritas International Task Force on HIV/AIDS, USA Church Response to AIDS - Far Beyond the Condom Debate
Bonze Jerome Ducor, Switzerland Buddhism and AIDS
Tariq Ramadan, Switzerland
Jewish faith representative

3. Facing a Future: Long-term Survival with HIV

Monday, June 29. Hall III. 5.30 PM – 8 PM

This symposium aims to facilitate the empowerment of long-term survivors (and would-be long term survivors) by examining the social and psychological aspects of long-term survival, and to identify priority areas for action to improve the provision of services for long-term survivors. The session will use a structured roundtable format, with short introductory presentations and distribution of materials on key topics.
Chairs
Mr Ian Kramer, Deputy Chair, UK Coalition of PWAs, UK
Ms Haydee Pellegrini, Asociacion Personas Con VIH/SIDA, Argentina
Speakers
Mr Arjen Broekhuizen, Executive Director, EATG, The Netherlands
Managing life with HIV as a chronic condition
Ms Mercy Makhlamele, NAWP Kwazulu, South Africa
Multiple loss and bereavement
Mr Jonathan Grimshaw, Director of Health Promotion, The Terrence Higgins Trust, UK
Biological status: survivors vs. non-progressors, long-term HIV vs. AIDS
Mr Jairo Pedraza, GNP+ North America, USA
Coping and support needs: does it get easier or harder with time?
Mr Xevi Garcia Floris, Plataforma NATC and ACTUA, Spain
Lifestyle choices: nutrition, spiritual, social networks
Ms Phillipa Lawson, Development Worker, ICW, UK
To work or not to work?

4. Commercial Sex and Health in the Second Decade of HIV

Monday, June 29. Hall IV. 5.30 PM – 8 PM

Roundtable approach, with a panel of people speaking for five minutes each, followed by small group discussion on the lessons to be learnt, and strategies for the future.
Chairs
Dr Smarajit Jana, STD/HIV Intervention Programme, Calcutta, India
Ms Norma Jean Almodovar, Chair, ISWFACE, USA
Speakers
Dr Werasit Sittitrai, Associate Director, Department of Policy, Strategy and Research, UNAIDS
What do we know about the place of commercial sex in local epidemics and the global pandemic?
Mr Christopher Castle, Horizons Project, Population Council, USA
Introducing a new programme
Dr Carol Jenkins, Head, Social and Behavioural Sciences Programme, ICDDRB, Bangladesh
Competing views about how to measure successes and failures of sex worker programmes and policies
Ms Lucy Platt, AIDS Infoshare, Russia
Starting out: identifying the obstacles and finding the right strategies to overcome them
Dr Camille Cabral, PASST, France
Anatomy of a targeted intervention
Mr Julian Hows, UK Coalition of People with HIV, UK
Work, pleasure, money, sex, identity, survival, gender and other things
Dr Debasish Bose, Calcutta, India
Empowerment is more than a word - the health promotion/ politics interface in practice

5. The Critical Need for Nutritional Interventions in HIV/AIDS

Monday, June 29. Hall VI. 5.30 PM – 8 PM

Interactive roundtable with panel of speakers, followed by general discussion.
Chairs
Ms Maguette Ndiaye, BASICS/USAID, Senegal
Mr Kees Rümke, The Netherlands
Speakers
Dr Lark Lands, USA
Nutrition in HIV
Dr Ron Simmons, Executive Director, Us Helping Us, Inc., USA
Instituting Nutrition Programmes despite Poverty - North Perspective
Ms Loretta Wong, AIDS Concern, Hong Kong, China
Instituting Nutrition Programmes despite Poverty - South Perspective
Mr David Chipanta, President, Network of Zambian PLWHA, Zambia
Nutrition and Long Term Survival
Mr Rick Stephens, NAPWA South Africa, South Africa
Developing nutrition & HIV educational materials
Ms Lynde Francis, Director, The Center, Zimbabwe
Nutritional outreach training programs for PWAs and their caregivers
Dr Rafael Mazin, Regional Advisor on HIV/AIDS and STDs, Pan American Health Organization
Developing Home Care Training Materials addressing Nutrition Issues
Mr George Carter, Director, Treatment Information Development, DAAIR, USA
Overcoming Political Realities to Get What You Need

6. Treatment Access by the South for the South

Tuesday, June 30. Hall I. 5.30 PM – 8 PM

This session aims to review the state of access to treatment in a number of developing countries, including efforts being made by various agencies, and develop recommendations for a plan of action. The session will involve a short overview of the issues; short presentations on the state of access to treatment within each region and efforts to address problems; and small group work on practical solutions.
Chairs
Dr Usa Duongsaa, AIDSNET, Thailand
Dr Marcio Soares Serra, Praca Serzedelo Correa, Brazil
Speakers
Ms Noerine Kaleeba, Community Mobilisation Advisor, UNAIDS
Overview
Dr Jorge Beloqui, Brazil
Issues for Latin America
Dr Moustapha Gueye, Programme Manager, Enda Sante, Senegal
Issues for Africa
Dr Tuti Merati, APCASO, Indonesia
Issues for Asia
Mr Zdenek Kurka, CREDUM, Czech Republic
Issues for Eastern Europe
Treatment Access Plan Facilitators
Mr Ezio dos Santos Filho, Executive Co-ordinator, Grupo Pela Vidda/RJ, Brazil
(Plan for Latin America)
Ms Miriam Maluwa, Human Rights Adviser, UNAIDS
(Plan for Africa)
Ms Susana Murni, Spiritia Foundation, Indonesia
(Plan for Asia)
Ms Kasia Malinowska-Sempruch, UNDP, Poland
(Plan for Eastern Europe)

7. Developing National and International Networks

Tuesday, June 30. Hall II. 5.30 PM – 8 PM

Interactive panel discussion, focussing on the role of networking in strengthening the response to HIV/AIDS through advocacy and lobbying. The session has been designed to ensure that the audience is informed of the tenets of networking; becomes familiar with different networking approaches; and has an opportunity to discuss strategies and barriers to effective networking. Materials and documents to aid networking will be briefly reviewed, with an emphasis on. the Networking Guide, produced by the International Council of AIDS Service Organisations (ICASO).
Chairs/ Facilitators
Mr Shaun Mellors, GNP+ Coordinator, Netherlands
Ms Jacqueline Coleman, NACASO, USA
Resource People
Mr Richard Burzynski, Executive Director, ICASO, Canada
Dr Abdelkader Bacha, President AfriCASO, Senegal
Ms Annie Madden, International Drug Users Action Group, Australia
Ms Iren Bischofberger, Board Member, European Association of Nurses in AIDS Care (EANAC), Switzerland
Dr Mabel Bianco, LACCASO, Argentina

8. Community Development and the Private Sector: Are they Compatible Partners?

Tuesday, June 30. Hall III. 5.30 PM – 8 PM

Roundtable discussion with leaders in the business sector who are involved in AIDS-related activities, involving initial short statements by panel members, moderated discussion between participants, and discussion with the audience.
Chairs
Dr José Llados, Manager, Donor and Corporate Relations, UNAIDS
Ms Marina Mahathir, President, Malaysian Council on AIDS
Speakers
Dr Mead Over, Senior Economist, Policy Research Department, World Bank
Overview and Economic Situation
Ms Ros Tennyson, Associate Director, Prince of Wales Business Leaders Forum, UK
Tools for Partnership
Mr Philippe Nordmann, Chair, Sid'Aide, Swizerland
Private Sector Mobilisation: Geneva as a Case Study
Mrs Sesel Hartshorne, Rotary, Small Business Managing Director, South Africa
Private Sector and Community Partnerships in South Africa
Dr Anthony Pramualratana, Executive Director, Thailand Business Coalition on AIDS
Involving the Business Sector in Southeast Asia
Ms Catherine Taylor, Group Marketing Controller, London International Group, UK
Internet and Mobilisation related to HIV
Mr Alan Christie, Community Affairs Director, Levi Strauss Europe
The Levi Strauss Experience
Ms Liz Thebe-Mookitsi, EAP-Advisor, ES/COM, South Africa
Expanding Workplace Initiatives
Mr Trevor Sharp, Building Trades Group Drug and Alcohol Committee, Australia
The Role of Unions in Community Development and HIV

9. Storytelling: Personal Tales of People Living with HIV/AIDS

Tuesday, June 30. Hall IV. 5.30 PM –8 PM

Panel speaking about their personal experiences and/or the active role of such stories in influencing others, followed by facilitated discussion on the lessons to be learnt from such approaches.
Chairs/ Facilitators
Dr Kim Blankenship, Yale AIDS Program, USA
Ms Martina Clark, NGO Liaison Officer, UNAIDS
Speakers
Ms Susan Paxton, Asia Pacific Network PLWHA, Australia
Influence of Positive People going Public on HIV Policy and Prevention - Commonalities across Continents
Ms Pimjai Internoon, Thailand
Working for and with the community
Mr Richard Constant Okou, Uganda
Coping as an elite in the workplace
Mr Carsten Schatz, POSITIV National Network of PWAs, Germany
Your life story by someone else: Growing up with HIV in the 90s
Ms Hortencia Donaldson, The Blooming Society, USA
PWA mothers coping with family issues in an urban environment
Ms Nabaggala Scovia Kasolo, Community Educator, NACWOLA, Uganda
Developing memory books to leave for children (South perspective)
Ms Vivienne Munro, HIV Peer Support Officer, ACON, Australia
Developing memory books to leave for children (North perspective)

10. Culture: Art and Artists Responding to AIDS

Tuesday, June 30. Performance Space, Hall 2. 5.30 PM – 8 PM

Interactive roundtable, with short performances, followed by speakers and then general discussion.
Chairs
Dennis Altman, Professor of Politics, La Trobe University, Australia
Kate Shindle, 1998 Miss America, USA
Performers
Puppets Against AIDS, South Africa
DramAidE, South Africa
Bandhu SW, Bangladesh
Komol Gandhar, India
Speakers
Frank Wagner, Neue Gesellschaft für Bildende Kunst, Germany
Art evolving with an epidemic
Gordon Bilbrough, Manager, Puppets Against AIDS, South Africa
The Use of Theatre in Social Education
Godfrey Sealy, Trinidad
RAPSO: singing youth as educators
Lynn Dalrymple, University of Zululand, South Africa
Drama and Prevention
Jovesa Speith, Program Manager, AIDS Task Force of Fiji
Cultural Traditions and AIDS

11. Alternative and Traditional Healing Practices

Wednesday, July 1. Hall I. 5.30 PM – 8 PM

Short presentations by an expert panel, followed by separate group discussion of each topic, and then plenary discussion of a declaration/ recommendations and the possible formation of a network.
Chairs
Ms Kaiya Montaocean, The Center for Natural and Traditional Medicines, USA
Mr Xevi Garcia Floris, Plataforma NATC and ACTUA, Spain
Speakers
Dr Donna Kabatesi, THETA, Uganda
Research and Traditional Medicine
Ms Mercy Manci, South Africa
Traditional and Herbal Medicines: examples of what is being used and requested in selected communities
Dr Erick Gbodossou, Senegal
Collaboration between traditional and modern medical practitioners
Dr Dorjee Rapten Neshar, Tibetan Medical and Astro Institute, India
Life philosophy and Spiritual practices
Group Facilitators
Dr Luke Kwamya, THETA, UK
Ms Lynde Francis, Director, The Center, Zimbabwe
Dr Edward Green, USA
Mr Jamie McHugh, USA/ Switzerland

12. AIDS, Human Rights and Activism

Wednesday, July 1. Hall III. 5.30 PM – 8 PM

Keynote speeches from 2 speakers, followed by small group work considering case studies, and back to plenary session for report back, recommendations, and discussion of the role of International Guidelines on HIV/AIDS and Human Rights.
Chairs
Ms Bai Bagasao, Programme Development Officer, Department of Country Support, UNAIDS
Mr Florian Hubner, Executive Officer, Groupe SIDA Genève, Switzerland
Speakers
Mr Jamal Benomar, formerly with the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, Switzerland
The perspective of a human rights activist
Mr Mark Heywood, Head, AIDS Law Project, South Africa
The perspective of an AIDS activist

13. AIDS and Media Responsibility

Wednesday, July 1. Hall III. 5.30 PM – 8 PM

"Talk show presentation" with a panel of respondents. Pertinent and controversial questions will be posed by the host to the panel, who will encourage dialogue and challenge them on responses given, as well as involve and encourage audience participation. This symposium aims to encourage community activists to develop working partnerships with the media, and to explore some constraints in practice. However, the session is intended to be both entertaining and informative.
Host
Nigel Wrench, BBC, UK
Panelists
George Strait, ABC News, USA
Georgia Franklin, MTV, UK
Kate Shindle, 1998 Miss America, USA
Shreedhar Rajan, India
Dr Nobby Gilmore, McGill Centre for Medicine, Ethics and Law, McGill University, Canada
Ms Vasiti Waqa, Islands Business News, Fiji
Ms Miriam Patsanza, Talent Consortium, South Africa

14. Positive Prevention: the Role of HIV+ people in Prevention

Wednesday, July 1. Hall IV. 5.30 PM – 8 PM

Presentations from a number of perspectives, followed by small group discussion on some of the issues.
Chairs
Mr René Lavoie, Action Sero-Zero, Canada
Ms River Huston, ICW, USA
Speakers
Ms Colleen Perez, Palao’an Plus, Guam
Positive Prevention in the Pacific Islands
Mr Gary Scott, The Terrence Higgins Trust, UK
The involvement of People with HIV in Developing Government Operations and Programs
Mr Andrew Little, NAPWA Communications Officer, Australia
Positive people’s education with self esteem leading to better outcomes in prevention
Ms Beatrice Were, NACWALA, Uganda
The "Faces" Project
Mr Christopher Park, Positive Speakers Group, Swiss AIDS Federation, Switzerland Projet-Ecole: Bringing Positive Lives to School and Beyond
Ms Emily Mabote, Soweto HOPE Programme, South Africa
The Soweto HOPE model
Mr Anuar Luna-Cadena, Colectivo Sol, Mexico
Mobilising positive people in an unsupportive environment

C O M M U N I T Y    S C H E D U L E S

back to today's front page

Skills Building