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Words of Welcome
On behalf of the Leadership Program Committee, we are pleased and honored to welcome you to the XV International AIDS Conference in Bangkok, Thailand, 11-16 July 2004.
For the first time ever, this year’s international conference will feature a full programme focusing on leadership in responding to HIV/AIDS. The Leadership Programme will bring global attention to the role and concrete contribution of leadership – from all sectors and all levels from all parts of the world – and obtain commitments in reversing HIV infection and containing the epidemic.
In all countries where significant progress has been made against HIV/AIDS, leaders from presidential palaces to boardrooms and the remotest village worked together in the fight against the epidemic. In 2004, as we confront both unprecedented opportunities and an epidemic that continues expanding, leadership is needed now more than ever.
In communities, among other things, leadership means combating HIV/AIDS stigma and discrimination. In donor countries, leadership means advocating for substantial new funds to address this global problem. In countries affected by the epidemic, leadership means enacting the policies needed for an effective, comprehensive response. In businesses, schools, faith-based organizations, and civil society, leadership is needed to recognize that HIV/AIDS is more than a health problem but a crisis that requires the active involvement of all of us.
Despite the growth in global commitment to the fight against HIV/AIDS, a critical mass of leadership has yet to develop. Many concerned leaders attend meetings on HIV/AIDS, but follow-through is often lacking. Leaders in one sector often lack partners in other sectors that are critical to an effective response. The Leadership Programme seeks to generate leadership that is stronger, sustained, more diverse, and more passionate.
Leaders from all sectors and in all parts of the world will be invited and they will include: Leaders from Governments, multilateral and international institutions, community, people living with HIV/AIDS, NGOs, youth, women, religious institutions, scientific community, the private sector, media, entertainment industry, as well as political leaders, artists, intellectual leaders, and sports personalities. The Leadership Programme has been structured to reinforce the need for leaders to increase commitment in five key areas:
- Supportive policies
- Scaled up programme in prevention, care and treatment
- Increased human and financial resources
- Mobilizing their peers in the response
- Accountability
In addition to plenary sessions that will focus on key aspects of leadership in the global response, leadership meetings will bring together leaders from throughout the world and from diverse sectors to strategize with their peers on ways to strengthen and accelerate the fight against the epidemic. The result will be the Leadership Statement 2004, which will pledge the commitment of the assembled leaders to undertake concrete actions to ensure achievement of the goals set forth in the UNGASS Declaration of Commitment.
The “Leadership Statement 2004” will be presented during the Closing Ceremony and will include concrete follow-up actions. Progress against actions will be presented in 2006 at the XVI International AIDS Conference.
We welcome you and we wish you an inspiring conference!
Dr. Pakdee Pothisiri - Leadership Program Co-Chair
Dr. Debrework Zewdie - Leadership Program Co-Chair
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