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The Conference in and around town

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PRESS INFORMATION

The 12th World AIDS Conference is organised first and foremost for professionals and community representatives from all nations. There is a registration fee to attend. Nevertheless, there are many open events for the Geneva public at large to attend.

1. Public Forums at the Arditi-Wilsdorf Auditorium, July 1st and 2nd, 1998
With the objective of informing the general public about the most recent developments in the fight against HIV/AIDS, the 12th World AIDS Conference, in cooperation with the Tribune de Genève and MSD-Chibret AG, are organising two public forums, which will take place July 1st at 6 p.m. and July 2nd at 8 p. m. Some of the most renowned international experts on HIV/AIDS will be speaking about the latest news in HIV/AIDS research, treatment and prevention. Questions from the public will be welcome.

The evening of July 1st, "Research and Novel Therapies'' will focus on biomedical sciences, including how the virus works, treatments against HIV as well as vaccines.

The July 2nd forum will be entitled ''Prevention: the Stakes''.

The forums will take place at the Auditorium Arditi-Wilsdorf. The presentations and debates will be held in French and immediately followed by questions from the audience as an interactive discussion mediated by local journalists. Each forum will last 90 minutes.

For more information please contact Michael Foley Associates,
022/328 71 69 (Séta Kapoian).

2. The Cultural Programme
The 12th World AIDS Conference has developed a cultural programme which reflects the unique character of the host city, Geneva. The primary goal of this programme is to '' bridge the gap '' between conference participants and the citizens of Geneva, and allow people to discover, in the face of the AIDS pandemic, the role of different forms of artistic expression.

Artistic expression has a place in prevention, in sensitisation and in mourning. It provides a platform for people to meet and exchange ideas and experiences.

Amidst the turmoil of the 12th World AIDS Conference in Geneva, the cultural programme at Palexpo will allow participants to have a space in which to breathe and interact. The cultural activities in and around Geneva will take place over several days. These represent a wide range of different forms of artistic expression, thus allowing each person to tailor his or her programme according to his or her interests.

At Palexpo
Most of the performances and exhibitions will take place in Hall 2, which is open to the general public. Different performing artists will present shows using varied genres, such as theatre, puppetry and dance, which represent innovative tools to sensitise different sectors of society about AIDS-related issues.

Pascale Marthine Tayou from Cameroon, Dramaide and the Puppets against AIDS from South Africa, Shriti Dance from Bangladesh, and Komol Gandhar from India are among the artists to be discovered. Dialogai, a Swiss organisation, will also present live performances in Palexpo and in Geneva throughout the Conference.

Several exhibitions are also included in the cultural programme; for example ''Aujourd`hui pour demain " , a Geneva-based group will demonstrate the work of 40 international artists especially created for the Conference. ''From Slogans to T-shirts'', a unique exhibition of 200 AIDS T-shirts from around the globe, and ''AIDS and stamps'', a display of stamps for HIV prevention will be presented by the Philatelic Museum of the UN.

In and around Geneva
In order to both demonstrate the social and cultural diversity throughout the world and the impact that AIDS can have on different societies and to invite the citizens of Geneva to actively participate in the Conference activities, a wide selection of events has been organised in and around Geneva.

Visual Arts

An exhibit of works by 35 artists from around the world, ''World of AIDS : Between Resignation and Hope'' will be on show in the Centre for Contemporary Art from June to September. From May to September, the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Museum will be displaying ''Traces de vie'', an exhibition of paintings by Genevan Daniel Gonthier.

Cinema

A festival of AIDS-related films will be viewing in the Centre for Cinematographic Arts in the Maison du Grutli. Philadelphia, Peter`s Friend and Les Nuits Fauves are but a few examples of the films in the programme.

Other cultural events

• On June 27 at 4 p.m., a commemorative ceremony of the Names Project Quilt will take place on the Pont des Bergues. Approximately 100 quilts will be displayed in the city and will then be exhibited at Palexpo in hall 2.
• An interfaith service of remembrance, hope and healing will take place on the evening of July 1 at 8 p.m. at the Cathedral Saint-Pierre.
• On July 2 at 9 p.m., an audiovisual ritual around the slogan ''Bridging the gap'', with traditional Swiss and African music, will take place near Lake Geneva, near the restaurant ''La Perle du Lac''.
• In and around Geneva there will be other events including dance parties, fashion shows, concerts, free public viewing of the World Football cup and more.

Geneva - the host city
The organisers of the Conference hope that Geneva will once again fulfill its role as an important international meeting place and that its citizens will participate in all ongoing events. Their generosity will greatly contribute and enhance Geneva's established reputation as the International meeting ground for the world.