News & events

14 Feb 2023

IAS announces global rotation of all its conferences

Munich, Germany, will host AIDS 2024; the IAS will invite bids from Africa for IAS 2025 and from Latin America and the Caribbean for AIDS 2026 14 February 2023 (Geneva, Switzerland) – IAS – the International AIDS Society – today announced that the International AIDS Conference, the IAS Conference on HIV Science and the HIV Research for Prevention Conference will rotate to all regions of the world and that conferences will continue to offer virtual participation. The in-person component of IAS conferences will rotate among five world regions – Africa, Asia and the Pacific, Europe, Latin America and the Caribbean, and the US and Canada – and will not take place consecutively in any region. AIDS 2024, the 25th International AIDS Conference, will take place in Munich, Germany, and virtually from 22 to 26 July 2024. Pre-conferences are set to start on 20 July 2024. “The global rotation will help ensure that people from around the world have an opportunity to participate in our conferences in person. It will also allow us to shine a spotlight on critical HIV issues in every region,” IAS President Sharon Lewin said. “AIDS 2024 will welcome people living with, affected by and working on HIV from around the world to gather and accelerate an HIV response that puts people first.” The IAS will invite bids from potential host cities in Africa for IAS 2025, the 13th IAS Conference on HIV Science, and from cities in Latin America and the Caribbean for AIDS 2026, the 26th International AIDS Conference. Additionally, the IAS will continue to offer virtual access to delegates around the world and work to provide thousands of scholarships to keep its conferences inclusive. Due to Munich’s proximity to eastern Europe with its rapidly growing HIV epidemic, AIDS 2024 will feature a third Co-Chair, Andriy Klepikov, representing eastern Europe. Klepikov will join International Co-Chair Sharon Lewin and Local Co-Chair Christoph Spinner. “Munich – Kyiv’s official partner city – offers a safe and welcoming space for conference delegates who hail from this region and beyond, including people living with and affected by HIV,” Andriy Klepikov said. “AIDS 2024 will provide an opportunity to shine a spotlight on one of the fastest-growing HIV epidemics in the world, driven by a lack of access to health services for people who use drugs and exacerbated by the disruption and instability of the war in Ukraine, mass migration and faltering economies.” “Germany is proud to host AIDS 2024, the 25th International AIDS Conference, and to welcome the global HIV community in all its diversity to the beautiful city of Munich,” Germany’s Federal Minister of Health Karl Lauterbach said. “The alarming and fast-rising rates of new HIV acquisitions in eastern Europe are a powerful reminder that the epidemic is far from being over in our wider region. As UNAIDS reports, without addressing inequalities and structural barriers to accessing services, we will not meet global targets on AIDS. Our goal is to leverage AIDS 2024 as an opportunity to address these challenges head on.” “Munich will provide a welcoming environment for the worlds of science and policy and especially for marginalized people to come together to exchange knowledge and ideas without fearing for their health and safety,” Local Co-Chair Christoph Spinner said. “Munich’s HIV response, specifically, has had excellent outcomes and we look forward to sharing our evidence-based approach that puts people first with the rest of the world.” Background on conference location selection The IAS Conference Committee and the IAS Executive Board review bids from potential host cities and make the final selection of the host cities for IAS conferences. The committee considers bids and selects the conference location based on six key criteria used to evaluate the potential host city’s ability to: Safeguard the rights of delegates, especially key populations Advance the local and/or global response Meet the health needs of our delegates, many of whom are immunocompromised Meet infrastructure and access needs for conferences for up to 20,000 people Remain independent from outside pressure Ensure the long-term viability of the conference Additionally, as part of its commitment to inclusivity, the IAS affirmed that AIDS 2024 and future IAS conferences will: Offer virtual participation for those unable or who do not wish to attend in person Provide thousands of scholarships to ensure that travel and cost barriers don’t prevent people from the most affected regions of the world from attending Offer registration rates for young people and people from lower-income countries up to 90% below the full registration fee Continue bringing the latest science emerging at the conference to various locations around the globe – at no cost to participants – through the IAS Educational Fund Provide free online access to all major conference sessions one month after the conference for IAS Members and two months after the conference for the general public   # # #   About the IAS IAS – the International AIDS Society – convenes, educates and advocates for a world in which HIV no longer presents a threat to public health and individual well-being. After the emergence of HIV and AIDS, concerned scientists created the IAS to bring together experts from across the world and disciplines to promote a concerted HIV response. Today, the IAS and its members unite scientists, policy makers and activists to galvanize the scientific response, build global solidarity and enhance human dignity for all those living with and affected by HIV. The IAS also hosts the world’s most prestigious HIV conferences: the International AIDS Conference, the IAS Conference on HIV Science and the HIV Research for Prevention Conference. Find out more at https://www.iasociety.org.  Media contact [email protected]