Find better ways of connecting and collaborating between the various scientific, healthcare and social sectors that deal with HIV issues on a daily basis.: this is the premise from which the works of HIV & Real Life, the first Italian conference organised by patients for patients and professionals – doctors, volunteers, nurses, information operators – which, 25 years after the discovery of the virus and 10 years after the introduction of combined antiretroviral therapy (HAART) In AIDS care, they want to take stock of the situation and discuss issues, each in their own way and with their own expertise, with the common goal of stemming the spread of the infection and improving the living conditions of people with HIV.
Organized by NPS-Italian Network for HIV-Positive People with the High Patronage of the Presidency of the Republic, the Ministry of Health, the patronage of the Istituto Superiore di Sanità, the Province and the Municipality of Rome and the Department of Social Policies and Health of the Municipality of Rome, the conference, scheduled for October 20th and 21st to the Crowne Plaza Hotel Rome, is divided into two days of work with speeches by representatives of the international medical, scientific and academic world such as Rosaria Iardino, President of the conference, Prof. Mauro Moroni, Barbara Ensoli, Susan Barnett And Oriol Coll and two operational sessions per day with training and information courses to test in the field what has been said in theory and thus train specialists.
For the first time in Italy, the conference is entirely online, at the address www.hivreallife.org to allow anyone unable to attend to follow the proceedings in real time, even from the comfort of their own armchair.
The conference, a truly innovative and cross-disciplinary initiative, aims to be a space for sharing and exchanging experiences among the various stakeholders involved in HIV. This interaction and synergy will lead to the development of a social, cultural, and educational model more consistent with the characteristics the disease has assumed today.
Therapeutic progress, even if it has not yet succeeded in eradicating the virus (In Italy alone, 4000/4500 new cases are discovered every year and therefore we must not let our guard down), have contributed to significantly extending the life expectancy of those affected by the infection: precisely for this reason we must bring the patient back to the center of attention as an active, responsible subject with decision-making power, given that no one knows the needs and problems of daily life better than they do.
In particular, the conference will focus on some social issues such as access to care, motherhood in HIV-positive women, difficulties in finding work and prevention.
The conference opens with a short greeting video, specially created for the occasion, by Lance Armstrong, the famous American cyclist who, after defeating cancer, won numerous Tours. Many well-known figures will be present at the opening of the conference, first and foremost the actress Tosca 'Aquino who introduces the meeting on October 20th together with the journalist John Antwerp.
But even sensitive issues like AIDS can be addressed with a more "lighthearted" approach and language more accessible to the general public. Two exhibitions of great cultural significance were therefore organized alongside the conference: “The 100 Faces” And “25 Years of AIDS: Images from Around the World”, to shed light on this issue with a strong social impact.
“HIV & Real Life: People and Characters” it is a collection of shots by the photographer Mirta Lispi They immortalize ordinary people, portrayed in their daily lives, and well-known figures from sports, culture, politics, and entertainment, demonstrating how AIDS affects not just certain groups but everyone, without distinction. Sponsored by the Province of Rome and with the patronage of Alta Roma, it will be inaugurated November 6th at the Temple of Hadrian.
“25 Years of AIDS: Images from Around the World” It's an original journey down memory lane through posters from around the world created for HIV prevention and information over a 25-year period. It will be held on October 20th and 21st at the Crowne Plaza Hotel.