20th International AIDS Conference

The 20th International AIDS Conference (AIDS 2014) will take place in Melbourne, Australia. It is the premier gathering for those working in the field of HIV, including scientists, medical practitioners, activists, policymakers, people living with HIV and others committed to ending the epidemic. It will be a tremendous opportunity for researchers from around the world to share the latest scientific advances in the field, learn from one another’s expertise, and develop strategies for advancing all facets of our collective efforts to treat and prevent HIV. AIDS 2014 is expected to convene over 12,000 participants from nearly 200 countries, including over 800 journalists. The conference will be held from 20–25 July 2014 at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre.

Armenian Delegation is already on the way to Australia. Representatives of Armenian civil society, International organizations and Ministry of Health are among them. This year PINK Armenia will be represented at the conference by our social worker.

Organizers of the 20th International AIDS Conference (AIDS 2014) announced that Bill Clinton, founder of the Clinton Foundation and 42nd President of the United States, UNAIDS Executive Director Michel Sidibé and artist and activist Sir Bob Geldof will be among the high-level speakers at AIDS 2014.

The International AIDS Conference Programme seeks to promote scientific excellence and inquiry, encourage individual and collective action, foster multi-sectoral dialogue and constructive debate, and reinforce accountability amongst all stakeholders.

Sessions will focus on the latest issues in HIV science, policy and practice and will also seek to share key research findings, lessons learned, best practices, as well as identify gaps in knowledge.

The conference will feature abstract-driven sessions, a daily plenary session, a variety of symposia sessions, professional development workshops, and independently organized satellite meetings. In addition, the conference programme will include a number of programme activities, such as the Global Village and the Youth Programme, which are an integral aspect of the International AIDS Conference.

Follow AIDS 2014 per-conferences and the plenary sessions of the Conference at www.AIDS2014.org.

The 5th anniversary and the new era

On December the 21^st we celebrated our 5^th anniversary which headline was “The beginning of new era”. Achievements and success of the organization during five years are not only the result of the efforts of the staff and volunteers, but also our partners and supporters have their unique place in it.

In five years inserting our roots in the basis of democracy-building, we have concluded a period in the history of civil society, and now we are entering a new era and begin it with a new breath.

We celebrated our 5th anniversary, but the founders of the organizations have been involved in civic activism for 10 years.

2007 became the year when founders decided to create an organization which was supposed to go through a difficult way, and a work should have been done, that had not been implemented in this scope yet. Due to our efforts on December 14, 2007 we received registration certificate and understood, that there is no way back, PINK should have its big input for development of civil society and establishment of democracy.

The path of the organization during its 5 years of activities hasn’t always been smooth. Many challenges that we faced during these years constantly brought with them new questions and concerns. But the answer is obvious: “that which does not kill us makes us stronger”, – as Friedrich Nietzsche would say.

Happy New Year dear friends, may this year bring you luck and great achievements, and feel you hearts with warmth, peace and joy!

Historic memorandum between Armenia human rights Ombudsman and PINK Armenia on protection of LGBT rights

via Unzipped: Gay Armenia

Remember this date: 4 June 2011. On that very date, during Civil Society Forum in Tsaghkadzor, for the first time ever, Armenia human rights Ombudsman and PINK Armenia signed historic memorandum on collaboration in protection of LGBT rights. Another important milestone has been passed which could lead to the development of practical mechanisms and legal basis for human rights protection of LGBT people in Armenia. What is also extremely important, perhaps for the first time, acceptable Armenian terms to refer to gay/lesbian, bisexual and transgender people were used in the official document [նույնասեռական, երկսեռական, գենդերափոխ].

PINK Armenia (@pinkarmenia)
SIGNED!!! memorandum between PINK and Ombudsman to protect the rights of #LGBT people, historical moments of Armenia! #CSforum #HRArmenia

PINK Armenia (@pinkarmenia)
June 4, the first ever Armenian document with Armenian terms to protect the rights of #LGBT people in Armenia #CSforum #HRArmenia

Memorandum is signed for 6 years: 4 June 2011 till 1 February 2017.

read the full post here