We had been streaming the conference sessions and now they are available on our CogamTV channel in YouTube:

From the Denver Principles to the Madrid Declaration, 34 years later.

WORLD CONFERENCE OF LGBT+ PEOPLE LIVING WITH HIV OR AIDS, Madrid June 27, 28 of 2017.

About us
From Denver to Madrid
The Conference
Objectives
The Conference is intended for
Scholarships
Program
Tickets and Donations
Location
Contact
Acknowledgements
Team

About Us

COGAM is a democratic, participatory, inclusive, independent and non-profit organization. We have worked for more than 30 years for LGBT+ Human Rights and and for a more plural and respectful society, promoting the conditions allowing that freedom and equality for all people and for the diverse groups in which they are integrated are real and effective without exclusions.

From Denver to Madrid

The LGBTIQ community living with HIV is aware, as many other communities, that the reality surrounding HIV and Aids in the present moment has radically changed in relation to the situation existing in 1983, year in which the Denver Principles were formulated, to provide a living environment with and among people living with HIV or Aids (at that time). With no intention to revise those Principles, that have been very useful to empower people living with HIV and/or Aids along the years, it’s become unavoidable to organize a world conference of people living with HIV in order to update the HIV and Aids situation at a global level for the following main reasons:

Progress in scientific research supposes a radical change in the following points:
HIV infection is not a death sentence anymore, and it has become a chronic condition with which people living with HIV have a life expectancy similar to the average population.
New treatments undoubtedly improve a strong lessening of the side effects of medication, and have become much simpler to administer to patients. All of it results in an improvement of the quality of life for people with HIV and in their capabilities to access and hold jobs, integrate socially and lead a family life (including reproductive functions), practically at the same level of the general population.
New biomedical prevention strategies have been developed to considerably increase the capacity to hinder the spread of HIV infection: preventive ARV treatment, pre-exposure profilaxis, post-exposure profilaxis, etc.

This notwithstanding there are still the following points to develop:

The decrease of infections following the recommendations of UNAIDS in order to reach the 2020 objectives (90%-90%-90%) and the total elimination for the year 2030.
The elimination of differences in access to treatments among developed countries and the rest of the world’s population.
The uprooting of HIV and Aids related stigma coming from the moral and social developments of the early years of the infection that led to the discriminatory policies still implemented today in a number of countries, and that particularly target the LGBT+ people living with HIV, and the lack of general information about the present situation in the global society.
The discriminatory policies still implemented today in different countries, especially against the LGBT+ population living with HIV, fostered by the sexual taboos predominant in numerous societies.
The vulnerability which women suffer in many parts of the world due to the heterosexist and patriarchal principles that increase stigma, discrimination and violence against women living with HIV.
The psychological consequences that HIV and Aids have on the persons living with it in different parts of the world as a result of these moral and social developments.
The increase in our surroundings of new cases of infection among LGBT+ people, especially gay men, bisexual men and women and men who have sex with men or transexual women.
The observed relaxation in the use of condoms as a traditional prevention method that has fostered the spread of other STD’s.
The appearance of new substances that contribute to the spread of CHEMSEX, its consequences for sexual health, and its acceptance among some people living with HIV.
And, obviously, the definitive cure for HIV, so many times promised in the last years and that gives us new hopes.

All this makes necessary, 34 years after the Denver Principles, the organization of a new World Conference of people living with HIV, in order to update all points related to the present situation of research, HIV/AIDS related stigma, the global situation in other continents and all new related challenges in the present moment.
The 2017 World Pride to take place in Madrid is a unique chance to gather an international conference of people living with HIV, able to generate a national and international echo with a double effect in international participation and in the spread of the themes and conclusions of the Conference.

THE CONFERENCE

The Conference will be developed around the papers and presentations authored by different experts on the most interesting issues at the present moment:

Concerning infection, there will be papers on the present HIV/Aids research situation, on the associated infections and diseases, and on all other points relating to the latest biomedical prevention strategies.
Concerning HIV/Aids related stigma and the discrimination still suffered in different world regions by people living with HIV/Aids, there will be papers proposing strategies to face stigma and discrimination and to empower people living with HIV adjusted to the environment in which they live. UNAIDS and WHO directives shall be used as reference in order to know the possibilities of implementation in different parts of the world.
Concerning sexual health, presentations will deal with the increase of substance usage in sexual practice (chemsex) and the use of new geolocalisation apps as a tool to eradicate HIV/Aids related stigma. All of which demands a new analysis of sexual relationships.
The situation of sex workers will also be considered due to the high frequency of HIV and other STD’s among them.

Panel discussions will also be organized with the authors of the papers and presentations, open to the participation of the attending persons, who will be able to ask questions and share their experiences and knowledge.
There will be a final assembly in order to reach a consensus on the present situation and the procedures for future improvement.

OBJECTIVES

The general objectives of the Conference are:

To foster a consensus on the present state of HIV/Aids research on treatments and prevention, and on discrimination against LGBT+ people at a global level.
To provide the necessary tools and information to empower the participating LGBT+ people living with HIV, in order to create a basis to act in the whole world.

Specific objectives are:

To provide a space for the exchange of information through papers and debates on the different aspects concerning HIV and Aids.
To update the knowledge of people living with HIV/Aids to the latest developments.
To exchange and share different models of medical practice for LGBTIQ people living with HIV/Aids.
To foster improvements in the doctor-patient relationship for people living with HIV/AIDS. Especially in the case of cissexual and transexual women.
To facilitate self-care tools for people living with HIV/Aids.
To keep on fighting against the internalized HIV-phobia paired to the LGBT-phobia suffered by LGBT+ people living with HIV, providing the necessary elements for identification.
To sensitize participants about the reality of HIV/Aids in different parts of the world, in order to increase awareness of the need to suppress the inequalities in the field of HIV/Aids.
To create awareness of the inequality suffered by women living with HIV who might suffer losses in their health rights.
To provide better information to enhance the quality of life of people living with HIV, improving their physical, mental and social health.
To share proven protocols to treat people living with HIV and strategies to reduce HIV/Aids related stigma.

THE CONFERENCE IS INTENDED FOR
Mainly LGBT+ people living with HIV/Aids, professional and voluntary workers of associations of people with HIV, Human Rights activists, members of NGO’s and other associations fighting HIV/Aids, etc.
If necessary, priority will be given in any case to people living with HIV/Aids. According to demand, representation of the different parts of the world will be held into account.
There is a possibility of grants to be awarded to seekers of refuge and refugees living with HIV, especially to the ones suffering greater stigma in their countries of origin.

REGISTRATION

The registration fee is 20 €.
You can register in this REGISTRATION FORM. Few days after you fullfill the form, we will send you an email with the payment instructions.
For urgent inquiries, contact us: 2017hivconferencecogam.es

SCHOLARSHIPS
You can apply for a scholarship. The scholarship covers the 100% of the registration fee and you can apply for the scholarship in this form.

PROGRAM

The Conference will take place from the 27th to the 28th of June 2017.

Tuesday 27/6/2017
Credentials
9.00-11.00
Welcome
9.15- 9.30
Panel 1
9.30-101.00
Richard Berkowitz, One of the Eleven.
Conversation with Richard Berkowitz, participant in the creation of the Principles of Denver and historical activist in the fight for the rights of LGTB+ people living with HIV/Aids.
Interviewer: Michael Meulbroek. Founder and president of HISPANOSIDA
Break
11.00-11.20
Panel 2
The future of people living with HIV
11.30-13.00
-Expectations for a cure. Panelist: Dr. Santiago Moreno, Head of the Service for Infectious Diseases of Hospital Ramón y Cajal de Madrid
-HIV associated infections. Panelist: Dr. Rockstroh, Prof. Dr. J. Rockstroh Infectology/HIV Bonn University Hospital
-Aging with HIV. Panelist: Dr. Mallon, Associate Dean, Research, Innovation and Impact UCD School of Medicine.
Moderator: Julia Del Amo, Instituto de Salud Carlos III
Lunch Break
13.00- 14.30
Panel 3
14.30-16.00
Present reality in HIV transmission and prevention
-VIH & Chemsex. A new perspective in the use of substances for sex.
Panelist: David Stuart, Substance Use Lead, GUM/HIV. Dean Street Wellbeing Programme curator. (Confirmed)
– New prevention strategies. Panelist: Diego García, HR activist for people living with HIV.
Moderator: Michael Meulbroek. Founder and president of HISPANOSIDA.
Panel 4
16.00-17.300
Access to medication and Community Health Centers
-Community Health Centers for LGBT+. Check point de BCN.
Panelist: Ferran Pujol, Director Checkpoint BCN
-Access to medication. Panelist: Vanessa López, Executive Director of Health for Right
-International vision of Community Health. Panelist: François Berdougo, member of the board of Médecins du Monde France. He will participate on behalf of the International Network of MdM
Moderator: Vicente Estrada. Head of Infectious Diseases Department of Hospital Clínico San Carlos de Madrid
Wednesday 28/6/2017
Credentials
9.00-9.30
Panel 5
9.00-11.00
A local level analysis of the situation of people with HIV/AIDS in different geographical locations. Analysis of the situation in different geographical locations.
Projection of the short film: Tiras de mi piel (Shreds of my Skin). Panelists:
-Pakistan. Sheryar Kazi, Technical Support Manager at Naz Male Health Alliance.
-Armenia. Viken Darkjian, Counselor and Project Coordinator «Positive People Armenian Network»
-Chile. Victor Hugo Robles, journalist, editor and gay activist, a.k.a. «El Che de los Gays».
-Uganda. Dennis Wamala, Director of Icebreakers Programmes Uganda.
Moderator: M. José Fuster, Dr. in Social Psychology, Managing Director of Seisida.
Break
11.00-11.30
Panel 6
11.30-13.00
Rights of the people living with HIV/AIDS, a reflexion on stigma.
-The Construction of Aids 6 HIV Stigma. Panelist: M. José Fuster, Dr. in Social Psychology, Managing Director of SEISIDA.
-The Rights of people living with HIV or AIDS.
Panelist: Clínica Legal, Paulina Ramírez.
-The rights of Sex Workers in the LGBT+ Community
Dianna, Trans woman, sex worker. Luiggi Lopez, sex worker.
Moderator: Antonio Poveda, Manager of CESIDA (National Coordinator of VIH/Sida)
Lunch Break
13.00- 14.30
Panel 7
14.30-16.30
Declaration of Madrid
-From Denver (1983) to Madrid (2017) Richard Berkowitz
-Declaration of Madrid
Editors:
Ricardo De la Rosa, Legal Advisor of Gais Positius (Confirmed)
Paulina Ramírez, Clínica Legal
Moderator: Luís Sánchez. Legal Advisor of COGAM
Closure/Farewell
16.30-17.00

TICKETS AND DONATIONS

Information not available at the moment

LOCATION

This conference will be held at the Autonomous University of Madrid (UAM):
Address :Ciudad Universitaria de Cantoblanco, 28049 Madrid
– Access by car: Colmenar Viejo Freeway (M-607).
– Access by Public transportation: Commuter train ( Cercanias) Cantoblanco Station, or by bus: bus lines 714, 827, 827A y 828.
The languages of the Conference will be Spanish and English with facilities and equipment for translation.