Shreepal Saptasagar
UNICEF Intia - Hiv-aids-työn koordinaattori
August 1, 2008
The XVII International AIDS Conference in Mexico
Earlier this month, I attended the XVII International AIDS Conference in Mexico, which was my first visit to Mexico as well as my first international conference. The biennial event, which took place from August 3rd to August 8th, is the most important gathering for the release and discussions of scientific, programmatic and policy developments in the global response to HIV and AIDS. As the largest and most diverse international meeting devoted to a global health issue, the conference brings together an array of people responding to the epidemic and offers a platform to share lessons learned and together stake out the road ahead. More than 23,000 participants attended the event, including 2,000 journalists.
India was one of the countries with a notable presence at the conference because of its strong participation in many activities, including the ones listed below:
▪ Skills building workshops – to train and build the capacity of programme implementers in various skills.
▪ Abstract presentations – These were oral presentations of successful and innovative projects from specific organizations or individuals.
▪ Global village NGO booths – A space in which conference participants could get insight into successful community processes as well as ways of conveying HIV and AIDS information in rural settings. This particular activity presented me with a great opportunity to share my experiences in this international setting.
▪ Cultural programmes – Peer educators and folk artists shared their methods and experience on how to educate rural communities about HIV and AIDS through various means including body language and entertainment.
▪ Poster exhibitions and poster discussions - These showcased the work of groups or individuals which were selected by the conference committee to share their work and interact with other participants.
▪ Networking zone – This was a space dedicated to the networks of people living with HIV and AIDS to share their work and ideas.
As a field-worker, I was one of the members selected to participate in various activities. India held a significant presence at the conference thanks to its youth programmes. Our participation in the event marked the recognition of our ‘Young People HIV and AIDS Programme’ at a global level. It was a great opportunity for me to showcase UNICEF India's programmes and to learn many new things, in particular, innovative ideas for community participation, global HIV and AIDS initiatives designed for rural settings, empowerment initiatives and programmes for the HIV-positive population, communication materials and so much more. I had a unique opportunity to interact with experts and policy makers and meet other field-workers.
I thank UNICEF India for their invaluable support and encouragement in making my participation a success.
