November 30, 2009 - On the heels of
World AIDS Day the International AIDS Society (IAS) announced that the 2012 International AIDS Conference will be held in
the Nation’s Capital.
In an event in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building near the West Wing of the White
House participants Hillary Rodman Clinton, Secretary of Health and Human Services Kathleen Sebelious, Ambassador Eric P. Goosby
(US Global AIDS Coordinator), and Valarie Jarrett (Senior Advisor and Assistant to the President for Intergovernmental Affairs
and Public Engagement) spoke on the topic of AIDS each revealing how they’ve been to
Also attending the event was DC Mayor,
Adrian Fenty. Washington DC has one of the highest rates of HIV and AIDS cases
in the nation, with one-in-three people infected.
“With DC being the hardest hit
hopefully the conference will bring attention to the disease and encourage more people to get tested and know their status”,
said Mayor Fenty.
The AIDS Conference is the premier gathering
for those working in the field of HIV, as well as policy makers, and those living with HIV, and others committed to ending
the epidemic. AIDS 2012 is expected to convene more than 25,000 delegates from
nearly 200 countries, and will be held July 22-27 at the Washington Convention Center.
President Obama lifted travel restrictions
on people living with AIDS traveling into the U.S.
Congresswoman Barbara Lee has been in
the forefront of the fight to lift the ban and bring the conference to the Washington.
“It just makes a lot of sense,
and I am pleased the president has signed it into law.”
When we asked if she was surprised of
the amount of cases and deaths due to the disease Lee states, “There has
to be more resources for the education and prevention of the disease.”
Related
HIV-specific travel and residence restrictions -
International AIDS Society
Annual HIV/AIDS Awareness
Celebrities Bring Awarenes To AIDS Epidemic
World AIDS Day
