The Global Village

Greta Hughson
Published: 27 July 2012
Art in action at the Life In My Shoes stand (www.lifeinmyshoes.org)

The 19th International AIDS Conference (AIDS 2012) is not just the sum of its presentations and posters. Alongside the conference sessions, the exhibition halls and the global village have also been a hive of activity this week.

The global village is an established part of the conference, with its own programme of debates, art, music, theatre, and a wide range of organisations setting up exhibition stands.

It's a colourful, noisy, sociable place, where networking happens easily, where activists and advocates can collaborate, and where real-world experience is front and centre. Seasoned conference delegates know that the global village is worth a visit and most take time out of their planned conference sessions to visit it.

For a flavour of the global village, take a look through the photographs below.

  • Jamar Rogers, openly HIV-positive contestant on The Voice, performing at the Global Village opening ceremony.
  • Activists protesting during Mayor Vincent Gray's speech at the opening ceremony of the Global Village.
  • Activists protesting during Mayor Vincent Gray's speech at the opening ceremony of the Global Village.
  • Michel Sidibé, Executive Director of UNAIDS
  • Christine Campbell, Washington DC Community Coalition
  • Aram Barra of YouthForce
  • Co-chairs of the Global Village Working Group, Miriam Edwards and Cristina Peṅa
  • Actor Danny Glover, posing for photographs in the Global Village
  • Artist and Paediatric Infectious Diseases Specialist, Solange Arazi Caillaud
  • Robert Nderitu, HIV-Free Generation
  • William, who introduced me to the Latino Caribbean Diaspora Networking Zone
  • Art in action at the Life In My Shoes stand (www.lifeinmyshoes.org)
  • The HIV Story Project
  • Jessie Nicole, Sex Workers Outreach Project
  • Noaks Ark
  • Planned Parenthood Global
  • The Women's Collective