The 2012 International AIDS Conference hosted by Washington, D.C., officially has closed with the next event slated for Melbourne, Australia, in 2014.
During the closing ceremony on July 27, Washington D.C. Mayor Vincent Gray passed on the Conference Globe to Victorian Minister for Health David Davis and AIDS International Conference 2014 co-chairs Francoise Barre-Sinoussi, president of the International AIDS Society, and Sharon Lewin, director of the Infectious Diseases Unit at Melbourne’s Alfred Hospital.
The spotlight was on the 2014 host city during the closing ceremony with a major focus on what is to be expected when Melbourne takes the reins for what will be the largest medical conference ever held in Australia. The closing ceremony was an opportunity to showcase Melbourne’s unique international offering and why it is a fitting choice for the next International AIDS Conference.
“The Asia-Pacific region has the largest geographic area, and experts from the region have a unique perspective on the HIV epidemic,” Davis said.“The opportunity to stand with global leaders in the fight against HIV/AIDS at the closing ceremony was a privilege and further strengthens Melbourne’s reputation as an international leader in medical innovation – especially in HIV/AIDS research, prevention and clinical care.”
The upcoming international AIDS conference would be the first to be held in the Asia-Pacific region since 2004, and the timing is integral in the broader international HIV/AIDS context.
“2015 has been identified by the United Nations as the target for specific HIV/AIDS treatments and new millennium goals, so AIDS 2014 will provide an important opportunity for researchers, scientists, doctors, business leaders and government to come together and assess these pressing priorities,” said Lewin. “The most effective global response to HIV must include access to treatment and continued investment to find a vaccine and a cure. This will be a major focus for AIDS 2014 in Melbourne.”
The Melbourne Convention and Visitors Bureau (MCVB) led the bid process in securing Melbourne as the host city for the International AIDS Conference 2014, a six-day event to be held at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre. The semi-annual International AIDS Conference is among the most significant and esteemed medical events in the world, but it is only one of many international events scheduled for Melbourne’s lineup of international conferences.
“The next two and a half years will see Melbourne host seven major international conferences, including the World Diabetes Conference, the International Congress of Pediatrics in 2013, and the World Congress of Cardiology and the World Cancer Congress in 2014, leaving little doubt in our extraordinary biotech and medical capabilities,” said Karen Bolinger, CEO, MCVB.
The International AIDS Conference 2014 will be hosted in Melbourne at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre from July 20 through July 25, 2014. More information is available online at www.aids2014.org.
