'do we need such big conferences?'
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More than 15,000 people are coming to the 14th International Aids Conference
in Barcelona this month. For more than a week, my city will be the world
capital of Aids. Scientists, activists, doctors, educators, politicians,
nurses, sociologists, sales reps, psychologists, volunteers, the infected
and the affected, people from every corner of the world will be there.
They will attend lectures, debates, symposia, workshops, art exhibitions,
smart dinners, demos, parades. They will share knowledge and experience,
meet new people, establish and strengthen ties, plan projects and emerge
with a renewed commitment to defeat Aids. Or at least that is my hope.
You could ask why, in this age of the internet, an event like this is
necessary. Why take over a city for a week, with information now travelling
round the world at light speed and contact with other people almost anywhere
else on earth just a few clicks away? I think about the huge amounts of
money that the conference involves, while the majority of HIV positive
people in the world remain without access to treatment.
Barcelona has been gearing up for this conference for months. I've heard
about all the five star hotels being full months in advance. I've noticed
the people least likely to contribute pushing for the biggest photo opportunities.
I've seen the preparations for glamorous symposia, expensive receptions
and luxury excursions throughout Catalonia. I've seen the posters and
banners being lined up along the avenues. And I've been thinking: is this
huge show really what we need?
On the level of brute economics, if things work out well logistically,
it will be a triumph
for a city that is fighting tooth and claw with Madrid to become the principal conference centre of southern Europe, has recently shown signs of falling
