Call to Fight Against HIV/AIDS
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AIDS 30YEARS OFFICIAL NEWSPAPER OF THE 10TH ICAAP IN COOPERATION WITH THE KOREA HERALD 26-30 August 2011, BEXCO, Busan, Republic of Korea DAY 2 / SATURDAY, 27 AUGUST 2011 www.icaap10.org “Diverse Voices, United Action” Myung-Hwan Cho, chairman of the Local Organizing Committee of ICAAP10, delivers a speech during the opening ceremony. Call to fight against HIV/AIDS By Song Sang-ho AIDS must be shared by all,” U.N. are Fiji President Ratu Epeli president of the Knowledge Man- Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon Nailatikau, UNAIDS executive agement and Sustainable Develop- Activists, medical researchers said in his congratulatory speech director Michel Sidibe, WHO West- ment at Asian Development Bank, and other participants in an in- read by U.N. Special Envoy for ern Pacific regional director Shin stressed cooperation among all ternational forum on AIDS here HIV/AIDS in Asia and Pacific Nafis Young-soo and Australian Ambas- sectors to tide over challenges from called for more concerted global Sadik during the opening ceremony. sador for HIV Murray Proctor. the disease. efforts to combat the epidemic and South Korean Health Minister “HIV is treatable. But there are “By working together as gov- end prejudice and the stigma sur- Chin Soo-hee also underscored the challenges to achieving universal ernments, civil society, affected rounding it. crucial need for joint responses. access to prevention, treatment populations, the private sector and The 10th International Congress “In the beginning, AIDS was re- and care. Those challenges are po- faith-based communities — and by on AIDS in Asia and the Pacific be- garded as an incurable disease due litical, financial, logistical, legal, so- maximizing our resources, connec- gan its five-day run at BEXCO in to its high death rate and contagious cial, and cultural,” Shin Young-soo tions and influence — we make a Busan on Friday with more than nature. But with the development of said in his congratulatory remarks. positive impact on this epidemic,” 2,500 people from 64 countries join- medical technology and medications, “HIV remains cloaked in stigma she said. ing this biennial gathering. it is now perceived as a manageable and discrimination. We need to Also on the first day of the forum With the main theme of “Diverse chronic illness,” Chin said. listen more closely to the voices of on AIDS, UNAIDS appointed K- Voices, United Action,” the world’s “I believe that international joint people vulnerable to HIV and peo- pop group JYJ as its regional good- second largest forum on HIV/AIDS responses and cooperation are ple living with HIV.” will ambassadors, who will work drew more global attention than more crucial for this disease than UNAIDS Executive Director to raise HIV awareness and speak ever as it marks the 30th year for other ones. Your attention and Michele Sidibe said, “Let’s accept out against AIDS-related stigma since the first case of AIDS was efforts will become a cornerstone in that our collective effort is impor- and discrimination. identified in the U.S. the endeavors to fight the illness.” tant and our solidarity is critical.” UNAIDS co-hosting the forum “Responsibility for ending HIV/ Among high-profile participants Ursula Schaefer-Preuss, vice Continued on Page 8 Ministry of AIDS Society of UNAIDS AusAID Global Fund WHO Asian Development Health & Welfare Asia and the Pacific Bank World Bank UNFPA US President’s Emergency International Korean Red Cross Korea Tourism Busan Metropolitan City Busan Convention & Plan For AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) AIDS Society (IAS) Organization Visitors Bureau 2 SATURDAY, 27 AUGUST 2011 Day 2 27 August 2011 The official newspaper of the 10th International Congress on AIDS in Asia and the Pacific. “Diverse Voices, United Action” 26-30 August 2011, BEXCO, Busan, Korea Fiji President Ratu Epeli Nailatikau (center, front row in gray suit), World Vision Korea CEO Jong Sam Park (fifth The Organizing Committee of the from right, front row), Chu Clinic president Helen Chu (fourth from right, front row) and other participants pose 10th International Congress on at the end of the AIDS Champions Meeting at Nurimaru APEC House in Busan on Friday. AIDS in Asia and the Pacific com- missioned The Korea Herald, a leading English-language newspaper in Korea, to pub- Leaders convene to build lish an official newspaper that reports on the congress. The editors and the organizers are not responsible for the opinions expressed by the interviewees on U.N. declaration and published in this review or for any consequences arising from the accuracy of the infor- AIDS Champions Meeting looks toward zero deaths, discrimination mation herein. By John Power duction were set at the New York a global perspective,” said Jun. The Korea Herald meeting, including halving the Jun added that raising public Regional leaders in the fight number of HIV infections among awareness on HIV/AIDS, improv- Herald Media Inc. against HIV/AIDS gathered drug users and eliminating new ing the availability of free and CEO & Publisher Byung-chang Yoo prior to the opening ceremony of infections in children by 2015. It is confidential HIV tests, ensuring ICAAP10 on Friday to discuss re- ten years since the U.N. adopted the provision of universal medical The Korea Herald gional responses and build on the the Declaration of Commitment on treatment, and health and social Managing Editor momentum of the U.N. General HIV/AIDS, which was followed in investment in vulnerable popula- Shi-yong Chon Assembly High Level meeting on 2006 by the Declaration of Com- tions were key to reducing the inci- The ICAAP10 Herald Editor AIDS in New York. mitment on HIV/AIDS. dence of HIV/AIDS and improving Sung-jin Yang ICAAP10 Chair Myung-Hwan Dr. Jong Sam Park also cau- the quality of life of sufferers. Cho opened the AIDS Champions tioned against complacency, while But cautious optimism was also Reporters Meeting at Nurimaru APEC House acknowledging the “meaningful on show among participants. Sang-ho Song in Busan by outlining the common progress” ICAAP has made in “It’s a question of doing what John Power goals of the delegates, which in- meeting the U.N.’s Millennium De- works. I think the good news is Graphic Designers cluded president of Fiji, Ratu Epeli velopment Goal 6 to combat HIV/ that if we put the money in the Chang-deok Han Nailatikau, World Vision CEO Dr. AIDS, malaria, and other diseases. right places, relatively small sums Kyung-don Nam Jong Sam Park, and Dr. Helen “Yet we cannot guarantee that of money can have a big impact,” Chu, the discoverer of the first this achievement will continue but David Wilson, Director of Global Photographer Hyun-koo Park HIV-positive person in Korea. we can maintain improvement HIV/AIDS Program at the World “This meeting will highlight the once consistent and sufficient in- Bank, told the ICAAP10 Herald. Local Organizing crucial role of existing and emerg- vestment ... are added to the ongo- Wilson cited India as an example Committee ing leaders across the region to ing progress to solve the potential of best practice in HIV/AIDS reduc- progress the vision for the future: problems that might occur,” Park, tion. Chair Myung-Hwan Cho Zero new HIV infections, zero dis- who chaired the Aids Champions “It recognized it earlier, it devel- crimination and zero AIDS-related Meeting, said. oped the right institutional mecha- Co-Chair deaths,” Cho said. Director of Korea Centers for nisms, it developed good ways of Chul Soo Kim Ensuring that any progress Disease Control and Prevention, funding civil society through the Byeong-Gee Kim made is not wasted was a consist- Byungyoll Jun, who attended as a programs that made a difference, Media & PR Committee Chair ent theme among delegates. representative of the Korean gov- and it’s improved the quality of Mi-Young Chi “We have the declaration that ernment, echoed Park’s sentiments. those programs. Broadly, India is has come out of New York, the “We are still faced with the sober- the exception rather than the rule.” Event & Exhibition HL (high level) meeting. We can- ing reality that globally more than Australia MP John Hyde, mean- Committee Chair Hoon-soo Kim not just accept the declaration and 7,000 people are being infected with while, pointed to the lessening of leave it at that, we have to up the the virus every day. Many people the stigma in his country. Editorial Director ante so that lessons that happened living with HIV are still dying due “We’ve come an incredibly long Hyunok Kang in other parts of the world don’t to no access to proper treatment, way, if we look at the stigma and repeat themselves and I’m afraid especially in low income countries. misinformation regarding the Media Center Hanna Jang they are repeating themselves,” And furthermore, the social atti- transmission of HIV, and that’s Jiyoung Lim said President Nailatikau. tude surrounding people living with been through strong education, re- New targets for HIV/AIDS re- HIV continues to be unfavorable in petitive education,” he said. 3 SATURDAY, 27 AUGUST 2011 Community Statement We are communities of people liv- egy for Women’s and Children’s initiatives such as the feminist and ment and within our communities ing with and affected by HIV, rep- Health integrated a diverse number the SRHR movements. themselves is essential — we must resenting women and girls, youth, of sectors such as health, education, Creating safe spaces for the ar- guard against internally mar- people who use drugs, transgen- gender equality, water and sanita- ticulation of needs, for the empow- ginalizing and homogenizing our ders, sex workers, men who have tion, poverty reduction, and nutri- erment of new leaders, for spaces issues.