Global Village, Youth and Cultural Programme Application Guidelines

These guidelines are to assist you with your application for an activity in the Global Village area. The application form will be available online on December 13, 2007.

The International AIDS Society (IAS) is administering the Global Village for the XVII International AIDS Conference (AIDS 2008) in Mexico City, Mexico, 3-8 August 2008. The Global Village will be a community focused space integrating community, science and leadership, reflecting and supporting the overall theme of AIDS 2008, ‘Universal Action Now’.

Application requirements:

• All applicants must create or log into their conference profile to access the form.
• You may save a draft of your application and return to it at a later stage if you need to change any details. We recommend, however that you prepare your application in advance.
• You must complete the application form and press the “SUBMIT” button at the end of the form only once. A confirmation number will appear on the screen automatically after your application has been submitted. This number will also be included in the confirmation email you will receive. Please quote this number in your correspondence with us.
• All applications must be submitted using the online form.
• If you are applying for more than one activity you will need to complete a form for each additional activity.
• Youth and Cultural Programme Activities: Applicants who wish to have their activity considered part of the Youth or Cultural programmes will have an opportunity to indicate this on their application form. The Youth Pavilion, located in the Global Village will be the central hub for all youth related activities. Cultural programme activities will also be centered in the Global Village area. 
• Group / joint applications should appoint one person as the main submitter.
• Application forms must be completed in full. Incomplete applications will not be considered for the Global Village.
• Application forms must be completed in English or Spanish. While the official language of the conference is English, the Programme Activities Department welcomes activities that will be presented in languages other than English.
• Application deadline: 19 February 2008. Applications received after this date will not be accepted.
• Applicants who are younger than 18 year old at the time of the conference may apply for a Global Village, Youth or Cultural programme activity. However, please note that successful applicants will be requested to complete a Parent/Guardian consent form. They will also need to be accompanied by an adult onsite.
• All Programme Activities, including Global Village booths, will be HIV-related.
• Applications demonstrating collaborations and partnerships with other groups/organizations will increase their likelihood of being accepted.
• You are required to indicate which Global Village activity/activities you want to apply for. Activity Categories include:

1. Exhibit Booths:
   1.1 NGO exhibition booths: Free (i.e. no fee charged) booth space will be provided for selected NGO’s, AIDS service organisations (ASO’s) and  grassroots, community-based organisations (CBO’s) to display, provide, and  share their work, programming, resources, strategies and other related   information. NGO booths will be run by their own organisation’s staff or volunteers. 
   
   1.2 Marketplace booths: Marketplace booths in the Global Village will  provide space for organisations to raise awareness of their programming and  efforts, while allowing them to fundraise by selling their  products.  Products  are normally created by and/or for people living with HIV/AIDS, as well as  caregivers and others affected by the pandemic.
    
2. Networking Zones: Networking zones will bring local and international groups together to plan and host exciting interactive spaces focused on key populations or geographic regions. The organisations involved in each networking zone will develop activities, interactive awareness-raising and educational displays, workshops and discussions with guest speakers and facilitated discussions. These spaces will be designed to facilitate engagement and to enhance knowledge transfer and exchange.
    
3. Global Village Sessions: The Global Village will host a broad range of interactive and participatory sessions, fora and oral presentations which focus on current and emerging HIV topics as well as priority populations and geographic regions. Activities could include presentations with Q & A, debates, panel discussions and workshops.
    
4. Cultural Activities: Several stages and areas for live performances and exhibits will be available in the Global Village to showcase performance and artistic expressions related to HIV/AIDS. Activities could include live performance (music, dance, theatre, performance art, and readings), photo or art exhibits, and screenings (documentaries, short films or videos).

Financial assistance / scholarship applications

• The Programme Activities Department is unable to provide financial support to successful Global Village applicants to cover travel, accommodation or conference registration costs.
  • All applicants are therefore encouraged to seek their own financial assistance, or to apply for a scholarship through the International Scholarship programme.
  • As only a limited number of scholarships are available and the demand is high, it is strongly recommended you also seek funding from other sources.
  • Unless you cover your own registration fee or receive a scholarship, successful applicants to the Programme Activites will not be able to access conference sessions outside of the Global Village.
• The Global Village will provide free space to successful candidates for their activity. However, additional costs may apply (equipment and/or services not included in the standard packages provided) and will need to be covered by Global Village participants.
  Further details are available in the description of each activity.

• Correspondence between the Programme Activities Department and applicants will be done by e-mail. Therefore you must have a valid personal e-mail address that you regularly check.
• Any enquiries concerning your application for a Global Village activity should be addressed to globalvillage@aids2008.org.
• All applicants (successful and rejected) will be notified by e-mail after the review and selection process is complete (by the end of April 2008).
• The information you provide on this form is considered confidential and will only be used for AIDS 2008 and its accredited affiliated events.

Travel

Successful candidates outside of Mexico are responsible for checking the visa requirements that apply to their country and cover related costs. For further details please visit http://www.aids2008.org/travel.

Selection criteria

Proposals will be selected based on a combination of the following criteria:

• Relevance of topic/issue to the global HIV response;
• Interactive and participatory nature;
• Collaborations and formal partnerships with other groups;
• Activity ties into conference theme “Universal Action Now”;
• Activity supports and strengthens the Global Village objectives and/or the objectives of the Youth or Cultural programmes (as listed on the conference website);
• Innovative and creative nature;
• Quality of overall submission;
• Anticipated impact

• Marginalized groups (e.g. Women, Youth, Sex Workers, Men who have Sex with Men, Gay Bisexual Lesbian Transgender, Drug Users, Aboriginal/Indigenous peoples, etc.);
• Geographic regions (e.g. Latin America, Africa, Caribbean, Eastern Europe, Asia, etc.).