All Thai'ed Up - the HIVAN team in Bangkok

Eleven of HIVAN?’s staff members attended the XV International AIDS Conference in bustling Bangkok during July 2004. The Conference hosted approximately 20000 delegates, featured many tracks and a varied cultural programme, all centred on the theme ?“access for all?”.

The Centre for HIV/AIDS Networking (HIVAN) made its presence felt through various media. HIVAN?’s ?‘home?’ for the duration of the Conference was the NGO Booth, secured in order to provide the Centre, and specifically its Artist Action Around AIDS Campaign, with a global presence. The focus was on an African perspective of the HIV/AIDS epidemic. The NGO booth was well-received and was often re-visited by delegates due to its dynamic nature. The HIVAN Booth featured a myriad of informative material about the Centre, large-scale banners boasting a graphic representation of HIVAN?’s theoretical and practical activities, and a slideshow depicting the Artists?’ Action Around AIDS Campaign. Visitors to the booth were attended to by members of the HIVAN team, predominantly Jill Kruger (Deputy Director, Social and Behavioural Sciences) and Bren Brophy (Artists?’ Action Around AIDS Project Facilitator).

Sbongile Maimane, a fieldworker on HIVAN?’s Community Responses to HIV/AIDS project, gave an oral presentation on The Role of Volunteer Community Health Workers in a Rural Setting. Sbongile Maimane and Xoliswa Keke, both Junior Researchers at HIVAN, received scholarships to attend the Conference.

Ten poster presentations by HIVAN Staff were on display at the Conference. Every poster elicited positive responses from delegates, and the clarity of these presentations was commended. The consistent format of the poster presentations distinguished HIVAN from the thousands of other posters on display, and several delegates remarked that HIVAN had made a favourable impression at the conference. HIVAN was congratulated for its progressive activities around HIV/AIDS, especially in KwaZulu-Natal.

?“Deadly Myths??”, a HIVAN-produced documentary, was screened at the Conference to a good audience, and received great praise.

The HIVAN team regards the XV International AIDS Conference as a success. Although the scientific component of the Conference did not prove to be of the expected high standard, the team found the skills builders and other training and intervention initiatives of value for their personal and professional lives.

Furthermore, the Conference exposed the team to a multitude of ideas, presentations, expertise and cultures. Their attendance helped to put HIVAN firmly on the global map, and provided unique networking opportunities.