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TORONTO, ON - World political leaders will join with 20,000 scientific and community leaders and others working on the front lines of the AIDS epidemic when the XVI International AIDS Conference (“AIDS 2006") convenes its biennial event in Toronto August 13-18, 2006.
To be held primarily at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre (MTCC), the event is considered the largest and most diverse gathering of people engaged in the global response to HIV/AIDS. It is expected to do more for AIDS education and awareness than any other single event. Toronto is the third Canadian city to host the International AIDS Conference; it was held in Montreal in 1989, and in Vancouver in 1996.
The gathering will offer attendees over 400 sessions, meetings and workshops featuring important scientific advances, the latest in research, and discussions of current AIDS policy issues and practice. With the 25th anniversary of the first reported cases of AIDS approaching, the Conference theme of Time to Deliver underscores the urgency of bringing effective HIV prevention, care and treatment to communities the world over, as well as the need for increased accountability on the part of all stakeholders.
The need for effective prevention, care and treatment programs is emphasized by the reality of AIDS today: despite the fact that breakthroughs in antiretroviral therapies has led to dramatic declines in AIDS-related mortality over the past decade, the vast majority of the estimated 40.3 million people living with HIV/AIDS worldwide, particularly those in the developing world, continue to be without access to these treatments. The linkage between prevention and treatment cannot be overstated when worldwide only one in five individuals at risk for HIV infection has access to prevention information and only one in ten people living with HIV has been tested and knows their serostatus.
Key speakers will include Bill and Melinda Gates, Co-Chairs of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation; former Irish President Mary Robinson and former U.S. President Bill Clinton; HRH Crown Princess Mette-Marit of Norway; and, actor Richard Gere. In addition, United Nations Special Envoy for HIV/AIDS in Africa Stephen Lewis, NIAID Director Anthony Fauci, UNAIDS Executive Peter Piot and Bill Roedy of MTV Networks will also make major presentations.
“We are extremely pleased to have such esteemed partners as we gather in Toronto to discuss the latest research findings and chart a path towards ending the AIDS pandemic,” said conference Co-Chair Dr. Helene Gayle, President of the International AIDS Society (IAS) and President and CEO of CARE USA. “The recent UN General Assembly Special Session on AIDS underscored just how much work we have ahead.”
“The AIDS 2006 program is designed to harness the knowledge, skills and commitment of thousands of dedicated stakeholders from across the world,” said conference Co-Chair Dr. Mark Wainberg, Chair of the Toronto Local Host Board and Director of the McGill University AIDS Centre. “Canada is eager to welcome delegates to Toronto to build support for eliminating disparities in access to HIV prevention, treatment and care throughout the world.”
“We are delighted to be welcoming such a prestigious group of international leaders and AIDS professionals to Toronto and to the MTCC,” added Barry Smith, the Centre’s CEO. “The AIDS 2006 theme recognizes the need to accelerate scientific research while also dramatically expanding access to the knowledge and tools currently available to prevent new infections and prolong life among people living with HIV/AIDS.”
Smith added that the MTCC anticipates this major convention will produce significant revenue for Toronto’s hotels, restaurants, shops and entertainment venues, with an overall economic impact of approximately $32 million in direct spending.
About AIDS 2006 and IAS
The International AIDS Conference is convened every other year by the International AIDS Society (IAS), the world’s leading independent association of HIV professionals, with more than 7,000 members from 153 countries. The Toronto Local Host is a not-for-profit organization created specifically to host the Conference, and is governed by a Board of Directors comprised of leaders engaged in the Canadian response to HIV/AIDS.
The co-organizers of AIDS 2006 are the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS; the Global Network of People Living with HIV; the International Community of Women Living with HIV/AIDS; the International Council of AIDS Service Organizations; and the Canadian AIDS Society. For more information about the conference, please visit www.aids2006.org.
About the MTCC
The Metro Toronto Convention Centre is Canada’s #1 convention and trade show facility and one of the finest in North America. With more than 2 million square feet of state-of-the-art space, it is considered a world-class, tier-one facility. Since its opening in 1984, the MTCC has hosted approximately 10,000 events, entertained nearly 40 million guests and has had a multi-billion dollar direct and indirect economic impact on the City and Province.
For Further Information Please Contact:
Heather Evans Karen Bennett
MTCC Marketing Manager Tel: +41 22 710 0832 (Geneva, Switzerland)
OR
Nicole Amoroso
(416) 840-3334 X 304
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