27 de julio | 2010
The International AIDS Society (IAS) organised a special regional session on Latin America, bringing together four very prestigious and well-known panellists, both regionally and globally: Pedro Cahn, former president of the IAS; Mario Bronfman, regional representative of the Ford Foundation; Lilian Abracinskas of Women and Health (Mujer y Salud) in Uruguay; and Gloria Careaga, Mexican academician and researcher. It was one of the few sessions in Spanish which allowed delegates from our region to participate actively in a debate and in the conference itself.
The 2010 Red Ribbon Awards were announced at a celebratory dinner on Wednesday night. The Red Ribbon honors and celebrates NGOs, CBOs and groups from around the world for their outstanding contribution to the HIV/AIDS response. This year, three Latin American organisations were amongst the Award winners: AMMAR (Argentina), COCOSI (El Salvador) and Colectivo Sergay (Mexico). 
Last Tuesday at the International AIDS Conference, the Global Health Council organised the satellite “Haiti after the earthquake: Sustaining HIV/AIDS Care and Prevention During a Crisis Response”. The main topic discussed was the much-needed coordination in order to effectively channel donated resources and urgently rebuild the country. 
On the first day of the International Conference, two important figures in the HIV/AIDS field gave a speech: Bill Clinton, former President of the [Bill Clinton] United States, and his fellow countryman, businessman and philanthropist, Bill Gates. With a different approach and style, they called upon everyone involved in the HIV/AIDS response to make every invested cent work. 
The opening of the 18th World AIDS Conference in Vienna was backed by a large demonstration by activists and delegates from all around the world demanding donor governments keep their promises on funding the global AIDS response. Under the slogan “Broken promises kill – No retreat fund AIDS”, demonstrators marched to the conference hall and finally lay down at the main entrance to the opening ceremony, dramatising a slaughter. 
para los corresponsales clave |