St. Lucian representation at 17th International AIDS Conference

St. Lucia civil society working in HIV/AIDS is being represented at the 17th International AIDS Conference (AIDS 2008) currently underway in Mexico City Mexico until August 8th 2008. The St. Lucia delegation comprises Dr. Marcus Day of the Caribbean Drug Abuse Institute, Ms. Veronica Cenac, and Ms. Joan Didier of the AIDS Action Foundation. The three St. Lucian delegates are also members of the Caribbean Vulnerable Communities Coalition, a regional NGO working with vulnerable populations.
Miss Veronica Cenac is part of the PANCAP team and has been invited to participate in a panel for the PANCAP High Level Satelite Meeting under the theme “Universal Access Now Where are we””. Miss Cenac is expected to make an 8 minute presentation on the topic Structural Drivers to Stigma and Discrimination
AIDS 2008 expects to important new scientific research and facilitate productive, structured dialogue on the major challenges facing the global response to AIDS. Conference organizers are developing a wide variety of session types that meet the needs of various participants and support collective efforts to expand delivery of HIV prevention and treatment to communities worldwide.

Central to many of these sessions will be the transfer of knowledge and sharing of best practices.
In addition to conference sessions, the program comprises a number of activities, including satellite meetings, exhibitions, the Global Village and the Cultural Programme, that are integral to delegates’ experience at the conference.
Dr. Marcus Day and Ms Joan Didier, whose participation is sponsored by the International AIDS Conference Committee, are expected to play an active role in Global village where civil society organisations will meet to network and showcase their work.
AIDS 2008 also marks the midpoint of the 2010 Global Target on Universal Access for HIV/AIDS treatment, prevention, care and support.