United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime

Liaison and Partnership Office (LPO) in Brazil

Prevention Forums and Conferences bring together more than 4000 people in Sao Paulo

28 August, 2012 - São Paulo will host starting today (28), at 7h pm the IX Brazilian Congress of Prevention of STD and AIDS, the II Brazilian Congress of Prevention of Viral Hepatitis, the VI Latin-American and Caribbean Forum on HIV / AIDS and STD and the V Community Forum. Promoted by the Ministry of Health, the event will be conducted from 28 to 31 August 2012, at the Convention Center Anhembi in São Paulo (SP), with the theme "Health Systems and Community Networks."

Around 4000 participants from all regions of Brazil, Latin America and the Caribbean are expected - it is the largest event on prevention of AIDS, other sexually transmitted diseases and viral hepatitis in the region. In this edition, 2081 works were submitted, out of which 1100 were approved and distributed in the oral (400) and poster (700) categories.

The events will discuss the possibility of regional strengthening, taking into account perspectives and priorities for actions that could foster the prevention of STDs and AIDS and viral hepatitis across the Latin American continent.

New this year is the creation of two spaces that promise to move participants. In the tent on popular health education Paulo Freire hosts activities such as conversation groups, workshops and experiences of popular care. In the Youth Arena, experiences concerning the right to health of young people and adolescents will be held.

Thematic axes - The event is divided into two main themes. One, related to health systems, discusses regional responses to STDs and AIDS - health systems reform in Brazil and Latin America and the Caribbean, bringing to light a critical reflection on current days and the implications for prevention and health care.

The other ax discusses the organization of community networks, how they structure in the different contexts and on the way prevention happens.

At the end, activities focus on the discussion on how the links between these two thematic axes and the challenges of preventing and promoting the debate on the practice field of prevention and human rights.

Cultural Activities - The cultural attractions will be held parallel to the discussions in the plenary of the conferences. Over 50 cultural activities will be conducted, such as rounds of conversation, theater, dance, film, visual arts, cartoonism, stand ups, parades, debates, graffiti, urban interventions.

Activities contribute to share, reflect, deconstruct, exchange and learn about different and unusual experiences on human rights, prevention, tackling stigma and prejudice, and promoting quality of life and health.

History - The first Brazilian Congress on Prevention of STD and AIDS was held in 1996, in Salvador (BA). The event is biannual and since 2010 incorporated the I Brazilian Congress on Prevention of Viral Hepatitis.

The I Latin America and the Caribbean Forum on HIV / AIDS and STDs was held in 2000 in Rio de Janeiro - organized by the Horizontal Technical Cooperation Group (HTCG). The success of the meeting led to organization of the II Latin America and the Caribbean Forum on HIV / AIDS and STDs, in 2003 in Havana, Cuba, within which was also organized the I Latin America and Caribbean Community Forum on HIV / AIDS and STDs, due to the identified need to build a multisectoral response to HIV in the region, thus integrating the component of civil society organizations and the representation of target populations in the debate and dissemination of knowledge. 

Program: The program is available at http://sistemas.aids.gov.br/congressoprevencao/2012/index.php?q=node/14.

Live Webcast: During the days of the Congres s, there will be three channels of live broadcast of the conferences, available in the website: (www.aids.gov.br/congressoprev2012).

For more information, please contact: congressoprev2012@aids.gov.br or visit www.aids.gov/congressoprev2012

For press information:

Department of STD, AIDS and Viral Hepatitis

Tel: (+55 61) 3315-7616 / 7624/7651

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