Gennady Roshchupkin Speaks at AIDS 2016 Conference Closing Ceremony

Gennady Roshchupkin, ECOM's Technical Support Coordinator, was invited to make remarks during the closing ceremony of The International AIDS Conference (AIDS 2016) on July 22, 2016. We are pleased to publish the full text of his statement below:

It is a big honor for me to speak to you today!

I want to start by expressing my gratitude to the International AIDS Society, the government of South Africa and all the donors of the conference. Thank you very much for an excellent program, comfortable venue and for the very kind and helpful team of volunteers!

It seems that this conference is taking place on the edge of a number of significant changes:

– HIV and TB clearly recognized as global health and economic threats;

– We have developed quite a detailed vision of a desirable future;

– We have an impressive set of technologies and tools to cope with HIV and TB;

– We have realized the power of our diversity and have built strategic coalitions - gay men, drug users, young women, researchers, policy makers, and many other... Now we're working togather;

– And we have already begun the very hard and sometimes very painful discussions about who will pay for our joint victory.

Money is crucial. As Piter Piot said during one of the sessions, do not expect miracles if there is no money behind!

The next conference will be in Amsterdam - a capital of a country well known for its liberal attitude toward the needs of any person, as well as for its to smart and efficient use of resources.

As a gay man living with HIV for almost 30 years, as an activist of my community, and a citizen of my country, I hope that, in Amsterdam, we will discuss the RESULTS of universal access to testing and treatment programs, the expansion of sexual education in schools, and the availability of PrEP for those most at risk.

There, I also hope to see top officials from post-Soviet republics and countries of the Islamic world routinely discussing improving national public funding for LGB and T community organizations!

So, keep calm, fund the Global Fund and make this world yours!

Thank you very much!