While the conference program proper begins on Saturday, the Friday program again featured a relaxing afternoon of cultural and social activities, following the formality of NAPWA’s Annual General Meeting.
NAPWA AGM
The Annual General Meeting featured reports from NAPWA executive, and the election of new office-bearers for the coming year. The new board is:
- President: Gabe McCarthy
- Vice-President: Bernard Kealey
- Secretary-Treasurer: Robert Mitchell
- Ordinary Board Members: Brent Allan, Katherine Leane, David Menadue
The large crowd at the AGM also listened to reports from the outgoing Board, national portfolio convenors and state and territory representatives.
Also at the AGM, NAPWA’s annual report for the year 2004-05 was released. A PDF version of the annual report will be posted on the website within the next few days.
Creative exhibitions and stalls
Following the positive response received to the ‘market day’ held as part of the last NAPWA Conference in Cairns, Friday afternoon was again turned over to an informal, culturally oriented gathering in a relaxed atmosphere.
A new initiative this year is ‘The Big Picture’, a collaborative art project in which delegates have been invited to take time out to express in visual form their experience as a person living with or affected by HIV/AIDS. The project will continue through the weekend with delegates visiting a specially designated art table to make their contribution, with the final artwork unveiled on Sunday afternoon.
Visitors to the conference venue mingled and greeted old friends as they listened to musical performances by Tim Bishop and Sam Barsah, or watched a moving video presentation from Positive Women Victoria’s ‘Digital Storytelling’ Project.
An important new initiative launched by NAPWA at the 2005 Conference is the Care and Support Snapshot Survey (CSSS) which is gathering information on positive people’s access to, and use of, care and support services. The information gathered through this survey will greatly assist NAPWA’s care and support work.
The final part of Friday’s program was the welcome reception, featuring the launch of the newly-revised Declaration of Rights of People Living with HIV/AIDS. This landmark document has been developed by NAPWA in consultation with people living with HIV/AIDS across Australia and jointly adopted by NAPWA and its member PLWHA organisations.
Launching the Declaration, barrister David Buchanan SC referred to remarks by the late Jonathan Mann, identifying reasons why human rights must be protected in the context of HIV/AIDS.
“Mann concluded that it is ‘essential and inevitable that we look to the insights and guidance of human rights, ethical and humanitarian values as we consider how to move ahead and advance in policy and programs (related to HIV/AIDS)’.”
- The full text of the Declaration of Rights for People Living with HIV/AIDS is available for download (254kB PDF).
- A media release referring to the launch of the Declaration can be found on this website.
- The full text of David Buchanan’s speech is available.