23 April 2013 – Melbourne, Australia – A design concept from Tanzania, Africa has become the official logo of AIDS 2014 to be held in Melbourne, Australia in July 2014.
This selection reflects the fact that the International AIDS Conference is a truly global event which brings together countries and continents in the effort to overcome the HIV epidemic worldwide.
The winning AIDS 2014 logo concept, designed by 22-year-old artist Yohana Longinus Haule from Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania, depicts two pairs of stylized human footprints in a shape of the iconic ‘AIDS red ribbon’. The footprints represented in the logo symbolize the steps forward being made in advancing the scientific, medical and social understanding of HIV and AIDS. At the same time, every footprint also illustrates both the individual journey every person has to make once living with HIV and the collective journey taken by all to overcome the HIV epidemic. The different sized footprints also represent the fact that people of all ages and genders are affected by HIV and that we all walk the same path. In line with the competition rules the logo concept has now been further developed. The logo was finalized by Australian design agency Gilimbaa.
The competition, launched for the first time on occasion of AIDS 2014, was highly successful. “We were impressed by the level of creativity shown by the competition participants,” said AIDS 2014 Local Co-Chair Professor Sharon Lewin. “The logo of the conference is a key promotional tool and we are happy to say that the winning logo really captures the conference principles of inclusiveness, participation and equality. I am looking forward to welcoming everyone to Melbourne for AIDS 2014 where we will discuss the latest HIV scientific breakthroughs, where we will have a dynamic global village for HIV activists and community representatives, and where we will give everyone the opportunity to learn and gather new information that they can put into practice back home.”
David Davis, the Victorian Minister of Health, hosted the official launch of the logo, which has been chosen from more than 250 designs following a public competition that targeted young people worldwide with the aim of raising awareness of the HIV epidemic among youth groups.
“It is my pleasure to welcome everyone to this event today as it marks a key milestone in our journey to make AIDS 2014 a memorable event. I can already feel the excitement that is being generated by this event and I put that down to the fact that we are a very open society, willing and able to discuss all issues, even those that are sensitive. We don’t want minority groups affected by HIV to be left on the sidelines. We want AIDS 2014 to be a truly inclusive conference with representation from all walks of life affected by HIV/AIDS. I think the logo illustrates that we must all walk in unison towards a time when there is an end to AIDS,” said Mr Davis.
The AIDS 2014 Australian based partners are AusAID, the Australasian Society for HIV medicine (ASHM) and the National Association of people living with HIV (NAPWA).
The Asia Pacific Partners are the Asia Pacific Network of Sex Workers (APNSW), the National AIDS Research of India (NARI) and the AIDS Society of Asia and the Pacific (ASAP).
AIDS 2014 is convened by the IAS and permanent partners the Global Network of People Living with HIV (GNP+); the International Council of AIDS Service Organizations (ICASO); the International Community of Women with HIV/AIDS (ICW), and the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS).
The non-permanent partners are the Positive Women’s Network and Sidaction.
AIDS 2014 is supported by the State Government of Victoria and the City of Melbourne.
From 20-25 July 2014 around 18,000 delegates from all over the world will gather in Melbourne, Australia, to attend the 20th International AIDS Conference (AIDS 2014). The co-chairs of the conference are Françoise Barré-Sinoussi (France), International Chair and IAS President, and Sharon Lewin (Australia), Local Co-Chair. The convening of the conference in Asia Pacific will highlight the issues related to the HIV epidemic in a region with the largest geographic area and population in the world, varying levels of wealth and a mix of cultures which create specific challenges, and successes, in the response to the epidemic.
Note to editors: The theme of the conference will be decided in late 2013. The theme/slogan will then be added to the logo.
