Results 2014. Conference 2014

The 4th Conference on HIV/AIDS in Easter Europe and Central Asia

Task: arrangements for the Regional Conference on HIV/AIDS
Reporting period: January-March 2014.
1,118 people were registered from 37 countries, 431 men and 680 women as of March 31, 2014. NGOs top the sectors amongst the registered users (430 registrars), 303 of them represent healthcare organizations and 87 represent international and intergovernmental organizations.

Participation of official delegations from Azerbaijan, Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Abkhazia was confirmed.

533 applications for scholarships were obtained mostly from the representatives of HGOs working in the area of HIV/AIDS.

Invitations were sent out to 100 speakers, of which 64 confirmed their participation.
Arrangements continue to plan for the exhibition program and satellite events.

January

  • The concept of EECAAC 2014 was approved, posted on the Conference website in 2 languages
  • Members of the Organizational Committee were approved and the list was posted on EECAAC 2014 website
  • Invitations were sent out to the members of the Organizational Committee to take part in the meeting on January 19, 2014
  • All materials for the meeting of the Organizational Committee meeting on January 19, 2014, were prepared
  • The Organizational Committee meeting was conducted on January 19, 2014
  • All website sections (registration, scholarships, exhibition, satellite events, seminars, etc.) were upgraded and finalized in two languages
  • Technical testing was conducted for the website and all bugs were corrected
  • Minutes of the Organizational Committee meeting were posted on the website in 2 languages
  • Press releases of the meeting were posted to the website in 2 languages
  • Lists of members of program committees were posted on the website in 2 languages
  • Registration was commenced for the participants of ЕЕСААС 2014 on January 21 2014, and registration invitations were sent out to relevant NGOs and all the participants (2,000) of previous conferences
  • Submission was announced open for applications to the exhibition and satellite events on January 28, 2014
  • A meeting of program committees of ЕЕСААС 2014 was conducted on January 29, 2014 (the detailed report attached)
  • Program committees defined session themes and preliminary program on January 29, 2014
  • Members of the Scholarship Committee were appointed: 5 representatives of the Civil Society Committee and 3 of the Committee for International Development Assistance
  • PR-strategy for the Conference was created with an action plan and responsible performers from the Secretariat

February

  • Applications were accepted for theses, scholarships, the exhibition, satellite events and seminars from February 1 till March 15
  • A banner for the Conference was designed in 2 languages, posted to the website and mailed out; 5 municipal organizations uploaded it to their websites too
  • A draft program was prepared based on the consultations with experts; best specialists from Europe and the US were recruited
  • A working conference was conducted, Rospotrebnadzor – Secretariat, February 6
  • Business cards for fundraisers and official letterheads for the Conference were printed out
  • An open submit of applications to participate in the theses evaluation commission was announced: the message was distributed to over 3,5000 specialists. As of February 9, 70 applications were received, 24 experts were selected and approved
  • A meeting with pharmaceutical companies was conducted on February 18, 2014
  • An order by Rospotrebnadzor for sending employees from 89 regions to the Conference was published on the website
  • Invitations are still mailed out for registration, scholarships, theses, posters, seminars and other events. 2,000 mails in total
  • Materials for the Conference are being prepared; arrangements are carried out with the suppliers of souvenir products; the Conference package is being designed: a bag, a pen and a notepad.

March

  • The UNAIDS / Secretariat working meeting was conducted to preliminary discuss the Conference’s final document, PR strategy, press events and regional sessions
  • A letter of reply to SWAN organization was prepared and sent out
  • A document was prepared providing interpretation of the law of the Russian Federation on psychedelic drugs, prostitution and propaganda of homosexuality. The document provides answers to the key questions posed by the communities. The document is published on the Conference’s website in 2 languages
  • A trip to Suzdal was organized: an informational flayer with registration and thesis submission details was created and printed out
  • The Secretariat staff participated in the meeting in Suzdal on March 11-14: 30 participants were registered and meetings with 7 pharmaceutical companies were conducted
  • A meeting with the primary sponsor to the Conference from the business sector was conducted. The Agreement is in the development
  • A small-scale panel session was conducted by the Science and Medicine committee on March 19, 2014
  • The process of theses reviewing was organized: the results will be presented at the session of the Program Committee Science and Medicine (April 3) and Organizational Committee (April 4)
  • Scholars selection process was organized: the results will be presented at the session of the Program Committee Science and Medicine (April 3) and Organizational Committee (April 4)
  • A mail was sent out to registrants from Ukraine requesting to confirm their participation in the Conference
  • The draft program for СМР и ГО was amended due the changes in participation decisions of some speakers
  • Arrangements for the session of the Program Committee Science and Medicine on April 3 were made: agenda agreed, documents prepared, invitations sent out
  • Arrangements for the session of the Organizational Committee on April 4 were made: agenda agreed, documents prepared, invitations sent out
  • 100 invitations were mailed out to all the speakers
  • A consultation with the civil society was organized and recommendations on scholarships for regional journalists were collected: 10 people

April

  • A session of the Program Committee Science and Medicine was conducted on April 3; best theses were selected to be included into the Conference agenda; programs for scientific and medical sessions were compiled
  • A collection of abstracts was compiled, a dummy layout was prepared and the collection was published
  • Scholars were selected, their trips and accommodations were organized for
  • A session of the Organizational Committee was conducted on April 4; the Conference agenda was approved
  • An action plan for the editorial committee was organized to prepare a final document for the Conference

May

The 4th Conference on HIV/AIDS in Eastern Europe and Central Asia was conducted.

The Conference was attended by 1,679 participants from 46 countries of the world. 450 scholarships were granted to the participants.

The conference brought together political figures, healthcare organizers, medical professionals, scientists, representatives of international organizations, NGOs and civil society to discuss issues around HIV/AIDS and jointly produce decisions.

The program scope included:

  • 2 plenary sessions
  • 22 parallel sessions
  • 2 special sessions
  • 12 satellite symposiums
  • 10 seminars
  • 59 posters at the Exhibition
  • A youth ground

A Final Communiqué of the 4th Conference on HIV/AIDS in Eastern Europe and Central Asia was given at the end of the Conference.

June

A sociological study was conducted amongst conference participants. A report on the Conference evaluation was prepared.

Anna Popova meets the representatives of the civil society.

June

A working meeting between Rospotrebnadzor Head Anna Popova and PLHA was prepared and conducted on June 30. Travelling and accommodations for the participants were organized using project funds.

NGO representatives presented analytical materials and their suggestions on various subjects, such as providing HIV mothers with baby formulas to feed their babies, carrying out epidemiological surveillance of HIV via extending diagnostics across to high-risk groups, providing access to HIV/AIDS medical services to labor immigrants and ensuring uninterrupted supply of antiretroviral drugs to treat HIV/AIDS and co-morbidities. After discussing the themes, future steps were defined to overcome existing barriers in implementing efficient measures to fight common diseases and provide comprehensive aid to people with HIV/AIDS.

At the end of the meeting NGO representatives presented a group letter to Anna Popova from civil society organizations in which the success was emphasized of the 4th Conference on HIV/AIDS in Eastern Europe and Central Asia conducted in Moscow in May 2014 under the auspices of the Government of the Russian Federation and suggestion was posed to organize for a 5th regional conference in Moscow in 2015.

Participation in the International AIDS Conference in Melbourne

July

The Head of AIDS Inforshare Ekaterina Peryshkina and Deputy Head Irina Kostetskaya participated in the International AIDS Conference in Melbourne in July 20-25.
The UNAIDS stand at the Conference Exhibition provided the following informational materials on the Conference on HIV/AIDS in Eastern Europe and Central Asia:

  • 2 informational banners
  • Final communiqué of the 4th Conference on HIV/AIDS in Eastern Europe and Central Asia
  • Evaluation report on the 4th Conference
  • Announcement and draft concept of the 5th Conference to take place in March and April 2015
  • CDs with the movie about the 4th Conference in Russian and English

Brief interim reports on the Regional Project were also distributed at the Conference.
A number of meetings was conducted during the Conference with UNAIDS Director Modibo Sidibé, Deputy Executive Director Louis Lures, Elected Chairmen of the International AIDS Society K Bayer and Deputy Executive Director B Kadassiya. Plans for the 5th Conference on HIV/AIDS in Eastern Europe and Central Asia were discussed at the meetings.

All the Conference materials can be downloaded from here and the official website of the 4th Conference on HIV/AIDS in Eastern Europe and Central Asia (EECAAC2014).