Announcement:11th International Conference of People Living HIV/AIDS - GNP+, The Netherlands ********************************* 11th INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE FOR PEOPLE LIVING WITH HIV/AIDS "The Dawn of New Positive Leadership" Kampala, Uganda October 26-30, 2003 The Global Network of People Living with HIV/AIDS (GNP+) and the National Guidance and Empowerment Network of Uganda (NGEN+) invite HIV+ people worldwide and their allies to the 11th International Conference for People Living with HIV/AIDS, to be held October 26-30 at the Speke Resort and Country Lodge Munyonyo, Kampala, Uganda. The theme of this conference is "The Dawn of New Positive Leadership". The 11th International Conference for People Living with HIV/AIDS aims to be a turning point in the global response to the HIV epidemic. The purpose of the Conference is to reposition the role of people living with HIV/AIDS as the leaders in the global response. The Conference will provide a platform for advocates for the implementation of the UNGASS Declaration of Commitment, the Global Fund to Fight HIV/AIDS, TB and Malaria, and the emergence of new initiatives at the national and community level. The Conference will also be an exciting learning process for new activists and recently diagnosed people, especially from Africa, where they can learn firsthand the best practices and know-how for responding to the epidemic. The International Conferences for People Living with HIV/AIDS are the signature program of the Global Network of People Living with HIV/AIDS. These meetings have been organized since 1987. They are the only international events where the agenda is completely set by the global community of people living with HIV/AIDS. Initially a European gathering to highlight the need for mutual support, they have become a principal hothouse for policy thinking among HIV+ leaders worldwide. Uganda's much praised multisectoral approach to HIV/AIDS has succeeded in turning the tide of the epidemic in Uganda, and largely because of community level involvement. The Conference will provide an opportunity to fortify and further expand this approach, and to obtain the skills and information necessary to reproduce it elsewhere. The 11th Conference specifically intends to: - Enhance the leadership skills of people living with HIV/AIDS, especially in developing countries, as policy partners in the response to HIV/AIDS; - Strengthen collaboration among people living with HIV/AIDS and affected communities, with government, business and international civil society in a multisectoral approach; - Reflect on the experience of the community response in Africa to combating HIV/AIDS; - Equip people living with HIV/AIDS to make maximum impact on treatment preparedness efforts in low resource settings; - Provide a forum for children and young people living with HIV/AIDS to articulate their views and needs, supporting them in generating their futures; - Forge important new community alliances in the response to HIV/AIDS, such as with our churches, mosques, temples and synagogues. ************************************************************* CONFERENCE DETAILS Application opportunities: - As of April 15 it will be possible to register and apply for scholarships in English, French, and Spanish directly online via the GNP+ website (http://www.gnpplus.net). Please select the "Conference" link from the menu. - It will also be possible to download registration and scholarship application forms (Microsoft Word format) in English, French, and Spanish from the Conference page of the GNP+ website. All forms should be sent to GNP+. Please see contact information below: GNP+ P.O. Box 11726 1001 GS Amsterdam The Netherlands Telephone: +31.(0)20.423.4114 Fax: +31.(0)20.423.4224 E-mail for conference-related correspondence: kampalaconference@gnpplus.net E-mail address for general correspondence: infognp@gnpplus.net Important deadlines: Registration applications are due: September 15, 2003 Scholarship applications are due: July 17, 2003 Conference location: Speke Resort and Country Lodge Munyonyo, 12 km from central Kampala. Please see http://www.spekeresort.com/. Fees: Registration fee: USD 450.00 Accommodation fee: The price range for the various accommodation options is approximately from USD 25 to USD 90. Rates depend on the type of accommodation chosen. A full description of the options available will be listed on the Conference page of the GNP+ website. Conference program: The conference program will also be available on the Conference page of the GNP+ website. The publication date will be announced on the site and in various electronic discussion fora. ----------------------------------------------------------------- For editors: The Global Network of People Living with HIV/AIDS +Improving the Quality of Life GNP+ is a global network for and by people with HIV/AIDS. The central secretariat of the network is based in Amsterdam, The Netherlands. GNP+ has a board of 12 members representing six international regions: Africa, Asia/Pacific, the Caribbean, Europe, Latin America, and North America. The overall aim of GNP+ is to improve the quality of life of people living with HIV/AIDS. GNP+ is based on a policy platform, "The Global Advocacy Agenda", which focuses on promoting global access to HIV care and treatment, ending stigma and discrimination against people living with HIV/AIDS, and promoting the greater and more meaningful involvement of PLWHA in the decisions that affect their lives and the lives of their communities. National Guidance and Empowerment Network of People Living with HIV/AIDS in Uganda(NGEN+) NGEN+ fights for the rights of people living with HIV/AIDS and other marginalized groups and people. NGEN+ is one of the oldest and most established national Networks of people living with HIV/AIDS in Africa. With representation in over thirty districts in Uganda, NGEN+ remains a force for unity among the various communities. NGEN+ activities include: mobilizing resources to confront the epidemic; designing and implementing training programs and ensuring their implementation; and mounting public campaigns for HIV prevention in institutions such as schools, the Army, the Police and the prisons. Contact information: GNP+ P.O. Box 11726 1001 GS Amsterdam The Netherlands Telephone: +31.(0)20.423.4114 Fax: +31.(0)20.423.4224 Web site: www.gnpplus.net E-mail for media: news@gnpplus.net NGEN+ P.O. Box 10028 Kampala, Uganda Tel +256.77.701.820/256.41.343301 Fax +256.77.250.820/256.41.334301 Email: ngen@infocom.co.ug *---* A posting from AF-AIDS (af-aids@healthdev.net) AF-AIDS is the regional forum on HIV/AIDS in Africa, moderated by the Health & Development Networks Moderation Team (HDN, www.hdnet.org) with technical support from Health Systems Trust (HST) on behalf of the AF-AIDS Policy and Steering Committee (HST, HDN & SAfAIDS) The views expressed in this forum do not necessarily reflect those of HDN, HST or SAfAIDS. Reproduction welcomed provided source is cited as follows: Copyright AF-AIDS 2002 [Internet: http://archives.healthdev.net/af-aids Email: af-aids@healthdev.net]