FIRST LADY RECEIVES HIV/AIDS CONGRESS OC

Cikeas, Bogor, July 31 (ANTARA) - First Lady Ani Yudhoyono in her private residence at Cikeas, here on Friday, received members of the organizing committee (OC) of the Asia-Pacific Congress on HIV/AIDS which will be held at Nusa Dua, Bali, next August.

The Ninth International Congress on AIDS in Asia and the Pacific (ICAAP) would be held in Bali, on August 9-13, 2009, the OC Chairman Prof. Dr. Zubairi Djoerban, concurrently chairman of the Community's Concern about AIDS, said in the meeting the First Lady.

The congress would be attended by around 3,000 participants representing 51 countries in Asia and 14 nations in the Pacific, he said.

The theme of the international congress will be "Empowering People, Strengthening Networks."
The empowerment of people - both HIV-positive and HIV-negative vulnerable to HIV - and the strengthening of networks - PLHIV groups, faith-based organizations, communities, governments, regions, sectors, as well as individuals - are important components to addressing this change.

With increased mobility in-country and across borders, nations can no longer expect to work alone in its response to HIV and AIDS.

The 9th International Congress on AIDS in Asia and the Pacific in Bali in August 2009 aims to address, among others, issues of mobility, migration, as well as gender and people with disabilities in order to empower the people and strengthen networks to effectively respond to AIDS.

Before the opening ceremony of the Congress in Bali on August 9, Ani Yudhoyono, concurrently Indonesia's AIDS ambassador, together with Australia's AIDS ambassador Murray Proctor, will hold a high level meeting of AIDS ambassadors.

The AIDS Ambassadors' Meeting will address the role of AIDS Ambassadors in the Asia and Pacific region and how they can be mobilized for greater action and accountability for the response.