XVII International AIDS Conference

August 3 – 8, 2008
GV Concept Paper Draft for Discussion

AIDS 2008

AIDS 2008 presents an important opportunity for science, government, community and
leadership from around the world to advance our collective response to the epidemic.

The Global Village provides a space to share knowledge and skills, build coalitions, and
promote interactive learning among communities living with and affected by HIV/AIDS,
policymakers, researchers and other stakeholder groups. The Global Village also allows the
general public to access the conference and learn about HIV/AIDS, in particular the
community response.

The Global Village will strengthen and support the conference theme Universal Action
Now! It will also use the vision of the Community Programme Committee (CPC) to guide
the development of activities including the Youth and Cultural Programmes.

The CPC vision has the five following principles1:

- Reclaiming ownership of the agenda

- Addressing human rights and social justice
- Bringing together community and evidence-based science
- Ensuring a long-term legacy for the regions
- Demanding accountability and action at all levels

The Global Village will be a community-driven space involving community, science and
leadership that will reflect the Conference’s overall theme of Universal Action Now!
Among the many communities participating in the Global Village programme, people living
with HIV are playing a central role in creating this unique space and in shaping and
implementing this distinctive programme.

Global Village Working Group

The purpose of the working group is to provide overall planning and guidance for the
development of the GV to take place at the XVII International AIDS Conference in August
2008 in Mexico City.

The GV working group has the following objectives and outcomes:

- Develop key objectives for programme activities

- Develop selection criteria for the application, review and selection process
- Identify potential programming ideas and initiatives
- Review submitted applications and participate in selection process
- Assist with resource identification and recommendations
- Provide on-going support in planning for the programme activity

The working group is composed of 14 people:

1
For more detailed information please go to Annex 1
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August 3 – 8, 2008
GV Concept Paper Draft for Discussion

- 2 co-chairs from Community Programme Committee

- 3 programme committee members (1 from Community Programme Committee, 1
from Leadership Programme Committee, 1 from Scientific Programme Committee)
- 2 local representatives (Mexico)
- 1 Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) regional rep
- 4 International Representatives
- 2 working group members (1 from each of the youth and cultural programmes)

The working group has the support of a GV Programme Coordinator, staff of the Conference
Secretariat at Mexico City.

To ensure full programme integration and cohesion, some decisions made by the working
groups will be subject to endorsement/approval by other conference organizing bodies such
as the Community Programme Committee and Conference Coordination Committee. All
working groups (GV, Youth and Cultural) will also work in close partnership with each other.

Background

Initially introduced at the International AIDS Conference in Thailand in 2004, the Global
Village in Mexico will be open to both Conference delegates and the general public
thus enabling greater civil society involvement and exchange.

The Global Village in Mexico City will cover more than 8,000 square metres (54,000
square feet) same as the International AIDS Conference in Toronto in 2006. The GV will be
housed in a large marquee or tent in the center of Mexico City´s Las Americas Hippodrome
next to the Banamex Convention Center. Current plans show that it will include the
conference registration area (as with AIDS 2006). This will benefit from this busy,
transitional space but it will challenge spaces for booths.

This unique space will enable diverse communities affected by HIV/AIDS to interact, learn
from and network with each other, and share all facets of the human experience in the
response to HIV/AIDS. While also interacting with researchers, artists, policymakers,
business leaders, clinicians, politicians and general public.

Guiding Principles

• Meaningfully involve historically and traditionally most affected communities. These

included, for example, people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA), youth, women, children,
people of colour, Aboriginal and Indigenous peoples, gay/lesbian /bisexual/transsexual/
transgendered people (LGBTQ), sex workers, prisoners/former prisoners; people who
are street-involved or homeless, people living with disabilities, and the elderly, migrants
and mobile populations, drug users.

• Promotion of Greater Involvement of People with AIDS (GIPA) and specifically the
leadership and empowerment of people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA).

• Fight Stigma and Discrimination

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August 3 – 8, 2008
GV Concept Paper Draft for Discussion

• Value the diversity and greater involvement of HIV-affected individuals and

communities;

• Uphold the principles of human rights, non-discrimination, access, Gender, equity,

Justice and inclusion;

• Emphasize the human, social, economic and cultural aspects of local, national and global
responses to HIV/AIDS;

• Build solidarity and encourage collaboration and partnership between and among
stakeholders;

• Conduct a transparent/inclusive process and commit to accountable decision-making.

Global Village Objectives

The Global Village was intended to:

• Engage the most affected communities in the XVI International AIDS Conference
through the Global Village programme, providing opportunities to raise priority issues
and to create change on key challenges they face in responding to HIV/AIDS issues;

• Host activities at the forefront of the debate surrounding key current HIV-related issues
while at the same time provoking discussion on new and emerging challenges in the
field;

• Provide opportunities for change, by providing an environment for delegates and

members of the public to learn and connect in ways that will enhance their work when
they return home;

• Provide space and opportunities for the creation of new or strengthened coalitions;

• Provide opportunities and support for marginalized individuals and communities to

organise; share lessons learned; advocate to influence policy and programme change;
network including across sectors; deliver care, support and prevention programmes.

• Promote regional efforts to strengthen the diverse communities’ involvement and

participation in shaping region’s agenda.

• Provide opportunity to remind our own responsibilities and to remind Donors,

Government's, UN and other international agencies commitment and responsibilities as
well as renew commitments

Programme

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August 3 – 8, 2008
GV Concept Paper Draft for Discussion

The Global Village is a key community programme of AIDS 2008. Organizing the AIDS 2008
Global Village falls under the Global Village Working Group’s mandate, under the guidance
of the (international) Community Programme Committee of the Conference.

The Global Village continues to evolve as an integral programme within the overall
Conference. It provides the space, activities and opportunities for connecting and
integrating multiple and cross-sectoral issues, experiences and identities.

The Global Village programme will enhance the coherence of the community
programme by linking community issues, voices and perspectives that are shared
throughout Conference sessions, community activities, and associated symposia
and events happening around the Conference.

Through free, interactive and participatory space, the Global Village programme will
highlight key HIV-related issues (on prevention and treatment) concerns and priorities
facing various HIV-affected communities. The programme will promote dialogue, encourage
networking, build solidarity, and promote inclusion in the global community.

Themes and Issues2

The critical HIV/AIDS themes and priority issues identified through the Community
Programme Committee, the Joint Programme Committees (Scientific, Community and
Leadership), including engagement with a broad range of partner organizations will be
considered to the Global Village.

Specific Populations3

The Global Village programme will engage leaders, speakers, and participants from a broad
range of community interests, especially traditionally marginalized populations, including
but not limited to the communities and groups identified through the Community
Programme Committee, the Joint Programme Committees (Scientific, Community and
Leadership), the Global Village Working Group, including engagement with a broad range of
partner organizations. The resources and tools of the Global Village programme will engage
the participation of these groups and provide support to bring their participation into the
Global Village and the Conference.

The Programme will also focus on and address particular challenges of the response in
affected regions.

Programme methods

• Forums, panels and debate sessions will focus on current and emerging HIV
topics as well as priority populations and geographic regions. Sessions tend to be
smaller and more interactive then in the main part of the conference, and innovative
and creative formats will be encouraged.

2
Annex 2
3
Annex 2
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August 3 – 8, 2008
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• Networking zones will bring local and international groups together to plan and
implement exciting spaces focused on key populations or geographic regions. These
spaces aim to facilitate engagement and exchanges to enhance learning.

• Meet the plenary speaker sessions will allow greater interaction and dialogue
with speakers of the plenary sessions.

• The on-site community radio will include interviews with Conference presenters,
and delegates, discussions and debates on HIV-related topics, Conference news and
updates and more.

• The Virtual Village – will be a website, linked from the main Conference site, and
will include the following activities that will broaden the Conference’s reach globally:
moderated electronic discussion boards on a range of HIV-related topics, live
moderated chat sessions focused on specific HIV-related topics and live web
broadcasts of all Global Village events and activities.

• Interactive Video Lounge – will feature HIV-related videos, documentaries and

other short screenings that highlight the impact of HIV/AIDS, as well as the
influential role of film and video in raising HIV awareness.

• Meeting rooms will be available for groups who seek to benefit from the Conference
experience by organizing their own private meetings with other stakeholders,
networks or coalitions.

• Main Stage (open space) will be a specific space for public discourse, debates,
forums, and presentations on key issues and challenges, that are featured not only
in the Global Village programme but in the overall Conference Programme.
Rapporteur reports from Global Village activities, from community priorities in
Conference sessions, and from associated Conference symposia and events could be
featured.

• Youth Pavillion - The Youth Programme supports meaningful participation and

pourposeful dialogue of youth throughout the Conference. As the access point for
young people at AIDS 2006, the Youth Pavilion in the Global Village will be a space to
host meetings and forums, highlight and showcase youth achievements, facilitate
networking opportunities, engage adults in dialogue, and carry on the momentum
from the youth pre-conference. The Youth Advisory Committee will hold daily
sessions on navigating the Conference, advocacy tactics, how to record and report
back lessons learned, and summaries from the youth rapporteur.

• NGO and marketplace booths – will provide non-governmental, grassroots

organisations the opportunity to interact with delegates and the general public and to
showcase their HIV-specific income-generating projects.

• Cultural and Art theatre- will provide local artists and CBOs to perform,
opportunity to exchange and share ideas, experience, lessons to address HIV
through art and Culture.
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August 3 – 8, 2008
GV Concept Paper Draft for Discussion

• Community Dialogue Space – A space run by the winners of the Red Ribbon
Awards for AIDS2008. Representatives from 25 grassroots initiatives and community
organizations from around the globe will present on their innovative work,
recognized by the Red Ribbon Award celebrating community leadership and action on
HIV/AIDS.

• A space in the daily conference news paper with relevant information about
Global Village dialogues and activities.

Anticipated impacts

• Engaged most affected communities

• Exchange knowledge and learning – and concerns -
• Create and strengthen linkages and coalitions
• Strengthened community response to HIV/AIDS

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XVII International AIDS Conference
August 3 – 8, 2008
GV Concept Paper Draft for Discussion

ANEX 1
CPC vision principles

Reclaiming ownership of the agenda

Building on the history of community involvement in the International AIDS conferences,
AIDS 2008 provides an opportunity to reach and involve diverse communities affected by
HIV and provide spaces for wide-spread representation and dialogue. The conference must
be a catalyst for those communities most affected by HIV to regain an urgency and
momentum to their activism in order to reclaim ownership of the agenda through the
creation of strategic alliances and articulation of each others’ needs.

Addressing human rights and social justice

AIDS 2008 must create a platform for the re-establishment and reinforcement of linkages
among communities and the most marginalized to address issues of human rights, social
justice and economic inequality, including south-south and south- north differences and
access issues.

Bringing together community and evidence-based science

The conference must offer the potential to highlight new challenges threatening our
communities and for evidence- based science and community to come together to jointly
address these issues.

Ensuring a long-term legacy for the region

Taking place in Latin America, and close to the Caribbean, the conference is an excellent
opportunity to focus on concentrated epidemics, which are linked intrinsically to generalized
epidemics in other parts of the world. It must leave a lasting legacy in the region,
empowering local communities and promoting meaningful community involvement at local
and regional levels.

Demanding accountability and action

Remaining action-oriented, harnessing community power and strength and demanding
accountability from all stakeholders must be underlying principles for our involvement in
AIDS 2008 if universal access to prevention, treatment and care are to be achieved by
2010.

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XVII International AIDS Conference
August 3 – 8, 2008
GV Concept Paper Draft for Discussion

ANEX 2
HIV/AIDS themes, priority issues and Specific Populations

Themes and Priority Issues

CPC

Accountability
• Talk about targets (millennium development goals, Global Fund, etc)
• Issue to discuss from the community perspective
• Revisit the community’s relationship with donors in view of issues related with
targets
• Sustainability – efforts by community

a) Leadership
• Political leadership, political will
• Community leadership

b) Evidence based
• Revisit abstinence, circumcision, scaling up

Universal access
• Continuum of universal access not only drugs for treatment
• Vaccines
• Harm reduction
• Infrastructure and health systems not working
• Health care workers and care givers burn out, HIV + health care workers

Social Justice
• Human rights
• Stigma and Discrimination
• Violence = gender violence women, transgender
• Human rights in the social justice framework: livelihoods for HIV+ people
• Testing
• Criminalization of HIV

SPC Cross-Cutting themes

Globalization
Scaling up Programmes
Health Systems

JPC Priority Issues

Accountability: funding
Accountability: implementation
Linkages of AIDS to broader issues on global agenda
Synergy and integration (eg. Care and prevention, other health issues)
Gender justice
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August 3 – 8, 2008
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Strong religious voices

Latin America and Caribbean
AIDS and HR/social justice
Women & girls
Special leadership issues for youth

Specific Populations

CPC

1. Scientists/Researchers
2. Governments (federal, States, Local, Law makers)
3. Donors (Private and public)
4. Multi-lateral Organizations e.g. UN
5. Bilateral Organizations e.g. USAID
6. Religious Leaders
7. Media (Mainstream and Community)
8. Focus populations
9. National AIDS Programmes
10. Celebrities e.g. AIDS Ambassadors, AIDS activists (identify priority for HIV
response), community heroes (to be screened)
11. Business Community
12. Pharmaceutical companies
13. NGO’s CBO’s FBO.s
14. Health care professionals/workers

Population groups

From young to old, HIV+ and disabled and dealing with co-infection

1. MSM – Gay- Transgender

2. Women
• Indigenous
• Disabled
• Partners of msm and other concentrated populations
• IDUs
• Prisoners
• Migrants
• Young women
3. Prisoners (male)
4. Youth
5. Sex workers
• Men
• Women
• Transgender
6. Children (orphaned and vulnerable children)
7. Indigenous people and ethnic groups
8. Migrant, mobile populations, Internally Displaced People

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August 3 – 8, 2008
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9. Injecting Drug Users

10. People of color in developed countries

SPC
Latin American and Caribbean Scientists
Non-HIV Scientists
Young Scientists
PLWHA Professionals
Prominent Scientists that are no longer attending conference

LPC

Leaders
- formal (elected or appointed, senior officers from government or UN system)
- religious
- young
- emerging leaders
- private/business
- media
- scientific
- Nobel Prize laureates
- Funders
- Women
- Gay
- Sex workers
- Transgender/transsexuals
- Indigenous/ethnic groups
- Migrants
- PLHIV
- Latin American & Caribbean

Population groups

- People at work
- Health workers
- Religious
- Youth
- Grandmothers
- Women
- Gay/MSM
- Transgender/transsexuals
- Indigenous/ethnic groups
- Migrants, Displace population/communities
- PLHIV
- IDU
- Children (OVC)
- Prisoners
- People living with disabilities
- Latin American & Caribbean
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