Religious summit engages religious leaders in the HIV response

A Summit of High Level Religious Leaders on the Response to HIV took place in The Netherlands from 22 to 23 March. The meeting explored opportunities for religious leaders to promote universal access to HIV prevention, treatment, care and support in their communities and speak out against stigma and discrimination affecting people living with HIV. It brought together some 40 Baha’í, Buddhist, Christian, Hindu, Jewish, Muslim and Sikh leaders together with the Executive Directors of the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), the AIDS Ambassadors of The Netherlands and Sweden, leaders and representatives of networks of people living with HIV and other organizations active in the response to HIV. Read More

Dutch summit to engage faith leaders and UN on HIV response

Geneva (ENI). A summit of 40 Baha'i, Buddhist, Christian, Hindu, Jewish, Muslim and Sikh leaders and the United Nations aims to inspire change in the fight against HIV and AIDS and the stigma that goes with it.

The two-day summit, which organizers said is the first of its kind, starts on 22 March in Den Dolder, Netherlands. It aims to explore opportunities for religious leaders to take action to eliminate the stigma and discrimination affecting people living with HIV and AIDS.

"The leaders gathered at this summit have the ability to inspire and empower change – within their own communities, across countries, and throughout wider communities," said the Rev. Richard Fee, head of the board of directors of the Ecumenical Advocacy Alliance.

The co-chairs of the event in the Netherlands are Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, founder of the Art of Living Foundation; Rabbi David Rosen, director of interreligious affairs of the American Jewish Committee; Nyaradzayi Gumbonzvanda, general secretary of the World YWCA; and the Rev. Gunnar Stålsett, Bishop Emeritus of the Church of Norway.
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