Global Village

The Global Village will provide a space to share knowledge and skills, build coalitions, and promote interactive learning among communities living with and affected by HIV/AIDS, policymakers, researchers and other stakeholder groups.

The Global Village will strengthen and support the conference theme Universal Action Now. It will also use the vision of the Community Programme Committee (CPC) to guide the development of activities including the Youth and Cultural Programmes. Please see this website for more details.

Global Village Objectives:

1. Engage the most affected communities in the XVII International AIDS Conference through the Global Village programme, providing opportunities to raise priority issues and to create change on key challenges they face in responding to HIV/AIDS issues;
2. Host activities at the forefront of the debate surrounding key current HIV-related issues while at the same time provoking discussion on new and emerging challenges in the field;
3. Provide opportunities for change, by providing an environment for delegates and members of the public to learn and connect in ways that will enhance their work when they return home;
4. Provide space and opportunities for the creation of new or strengthened coalitions;
5. Provide opportunities and support for marginalized individuals and communities to organize; share lessons learned; advocate to influence policy and programme change; network including across sectors; deliver care, support and prevention programmes.
6. Promote regional efforts to strengthen the diverse communities’ involvement and participation in shaping region’s agenda.
7. Provide opportunities to remind us of our own responsibilities and to remind donors, Governments, the UN and other international agencies of their commitments and responsibilities to the response. The Global Village will also provide opportunities to renew commitments.

The AIDS 2008 Global Village is open to both conference delegates and non-delegates (including community organizations from around the world, local/national groups and the general public) and enables greater civil society involvement and exchange.

The Global Village will cover over 8,000 square metres at the Las Americas Hippodrome and will have high visibility as the main entrance into Centro Banamex. No registration is required to visit the Global Village.

Global Village Activities

Although most Global Village activities will be based on online submissions, the Global Village programme will include the following:

• Global Village Sessions
   
• Networking Zones
   
• ‘Meet the Plenary Speaker’ Sessions
   
• The Virtual Village
   
• The Video Lounge
   
• The Main Stage  
   
• The Youth Pavilion 
   
• NGO and marketplace booths 
   
• The Community Dialogue Space
  

Global Village Activities

Although most Global Village activities will be based on online submissions, the Global Village programme will include the following:

• Global Village Sessions
  Global village sessions will include panel discussions, debates and presentations with Q & A. The sessions will focus on current and emerging  HIV topics as well as priority populations and geographic regions. Global  Village sessions tend to be smaller and more interactive then in other parts  of the conference.
   
• Networking Zones
  Networking zones will bring local and international groups together to plan  and implement exciting spaces focused on key populations or geographic  regions. These spaces aim to facilitate engagement and exchanges to  enhance learning.
   
• ‘Meet the Plenary Speaker’ Sessions
  Meet the plenary speaker sessions will bring the conference plenary speakers to the community and allow interaction and dialogue.
   
• The Virtual Village
  The virtual village will be a website, linked to the main conference site, and will include the following activities that will broaden the conference’s  reach globally: moderated electronic discussion boards on a range of HIV- related topics, live moderated chat sessions focused on specific HIV-related  topics and live web broadcasts of all Global Village events and activities.
   
• The Video Lounge
  The lounge will feature HIV-related videos, documentaries and other short  screenings that highlight the impact of HIV/AIDS, as well as the influential role of film and video in raising HIV awareness.
   
• The Main Stage 
  The main stage will be an open space for public discourse, debates, fora,  and presentations on key issues and challenges that are featured not only in  the Global Village programme, but in the overall conference programme.   Rapporteur reports from Global Village activities, from community priorities in  conference sessions, and from associated conference symposia and events  will be featured.
   
• The Youth Pavilion
  The Youth Programme supports meaningful participation and purposeful dialogue of youth throughout the conference.  As the access point for young  people at AIDS 2008, the Youth Pavilion in the Global Village will be a space  to host meetings and forums, highlight and showcase youth achievements,  facilitate networking opportunities, engage adults in dialogue, and carry on  the momentum from the youth pre-conference.  The Youth Working Group will hold daily sessions on navigating the conference, advocacy  tactics, how  to record and report back lessons learned, and summaries from the youth  rapporteur.
   
• NGO and marketplace booths
  NGO and marketplace booths will provide non-governmental, grassroots organizations the opportunity to interact with delegates and the general public and to showcase their HIV-specific income-generating projects.
   
• The Community Dialogue Space
  In the heart of the Global Village the 2008 Red Ribbon Award communities will create and host a Community Dialogue Space open to all conference attendees. This space will provide a venue to engage with communities and partners from around the world and influence key events and outcomes of the International AIDS Conference. Anchored by two representatives from each of the twenty-five 2008 Red Ribbon Award winning communities, the Community Dialogue Space will be dedicated to open and active discussions highlighting stories of grassroots victories, challenges communities face and opportunities to improve their response to the epidemic. The Community Dialogue Space also encourages a dialogue about developing an enabling environment for community participation in addressing HIV and AIDS.