The IAS announces Amsterdam as site of the International AIDS Conference in July 2018
12 December 2014 (Geneva, Switzerland) – Today, The International AIDS Society (IAS) announced that Amsterdam, Netherlands will host the 22nd International AIDS Conference (AIDS 2018). AIDS 2018 will be held on 23-28 July 2018 at the Amsterdam RAI and is expected to bring together some 15,000 participants from around the world.
“The Netherlands is a great example of what happens when a government supports outstanding science and embraces evidence-based HIV programmes in combination with a robust commitment to human rights,” said Chris Beyrer, President of the IAS. “We are delighted to convene the International AIDS Conference in a city and country so committed to fighting the epidemic.”
This is the second time that Amsterdam will host the International AIDS Conference (IAC). The 8th International AIDS Conference was held in the Dutch capital in 1992. The last IAC to be held in Europe was AIDS 2010 in Vienna. Amsterdam will be an important opportunity to measure the progress since then, especially in Eastern Europe where decisive leadership and engagement is critical for an effective response to the epidemic.
“We are honored to host AIDS 2018 and committed to making it a historic event,” said Mr. Lambert Grijns, the Netherlands Ambassador for Sexual and Reproductive Health & Rights and HIV/AIDS. “Amsterdam is a global city and we will ensure the conference reflects the many thousands of people who will attend.”
Amsterdam was selected to host AIDS 2018 following an evaluation of candidate cities conducted by the IAS Governing Council. Bids are reviewed based on three main criteria: impact on the epidemic, conference infrastructure, and freedom of movement and travel for people living with HIV. According to a policy of non-discrimination first adopted by the IAS Governing Council in 1992, the IAS will not hold its conferences in countries that restrict short term entry of people living with HIV, and/or require prospective HIV-positive visitors to declare their HIV status on visa application forms or other documentation required for entry into the country.
The International AIDS Conference was previously held in Melbourne, Australia in 2014. The next conference (AIDS 2016) will be held in Durban, South Africa in July 2016.
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About the IAS
The International AIDS Society (IAS) is the world’s leading independent association of HIV professionals with members from more than 180 countries working at all levels of the global response to AIDS. The IAS members include researchers from all disciplines, clinicians, public health and community practitioners on the frontlines of the epidemic, as well as policy and programme planners. The IAS is custodian of the biennial International AIDS Conference, which will be held in Durban, South Africa, 17-22 July 2016 and lead organizer of the IAS Conference on HIV Pathogenesis, Treatment and Prevention, which will be held in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, 19-22 July 2015.
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