XVI International AIDS Conference, 2006
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The XVI International AIDS Conference is currently being held in Toronto, Canada during the week of 13-18 August 2006. It is the third time that Canada has hosted the International AIDS Conference, after Montréal in 1989 and Vancouver in 1996. The main venue for the conference is the Metro Toronto Convention Centre (MTCC) in downtown Toronto.
The conference theme will be Time to Deliver. The conference will be focused on the promises and progress made to scale-up treatment, care and prevention.
In particularly:
- Accelerating research to end the epidemic
- Expanding and sustaining human resources to scale-up treatment and prevention
- Intensifying the involvement of affeceted communities
- Building new leadership to advance the response
Activities include cultural, youth and outreach programmes as well as a Global Village, which will serve as an international gathering place with displays of culture, food, community, and a marketplace.
Events open to delegates and the public include The International AIDS Vigil, a public memorial to all those who have died of HIV/AIDS. The Vigil takes place, rain or shine, Thursday, August 17, 9 PM, at Yonge-Dundas Square, Toronto.
Well-known attendees and speakers included Governor General Michaëlle Jean, Stephen Lewis (the United Nations special envoy for HIV/AIDS in Africa), Bill and Melinda Gates (for the Gates Foundation), Richard Gere, Alicia Keys, and Bill Clinton.
Harper controversy
Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper drew strong criticism due to his decision to not attend the AIDS Conference. In his place Canadian Minister of Health Tony Clement attended. During his speech, Conference co-chairman Dr. Mark Wainberg criticized Harper for his absence,"We are dismayed that the prime minister of Canada, Mr. Stephen Harper, is not here this evening...The role of prime minister includes the responsibility to show leadership on the world stage. Your absence sends the message that you do not consider HIV/AIDS as a critical priority, and clearly all of us here disagree with you".[1]
See also
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