A blog about the 16th International AIDS Conference, Toronto, Canada, August 13-18, 2006.
Two hours after the doors for the AIDS 2006 conference opened, the line up of delegates continues to grow. Past the foot of the CN Tower, around several corners, down a set of concrete stairs and along Front Street. Students hawk city tours on double-decker buses, duck boats and trolleys to their captive audience. A woman from Kenya buys a hot dog at one of the many "street meat" vendors outside Union Station.
Inside, the line breaks up into many others: delegates who have pre-registered and those who haven't, international scholarship winners and media. There are lines for badges, bags and transit passes. It's a long wait to the front. A bearded man in a short-sleeved blue polo shirt steps over the red "Wait Here" sign taped to the blue carpet, turns towards the crowd and raises his arms over his head. Cheers and applause erupt. Four hours after he stepped into line, he has his badge.
Although the wait is long, the mood remains upbeat. Attendees chat about where they're from and why they're here. Locals share restaurant recommendations. Press officers deliver concise agendas of their upcoming press conferences. A cameraman and reporter from CityTV, one of the local television networks, trawl the area for foreign media to interview for their afternoon news segments. To the Canadian ear, they're easy to spot: British lilts, Dutch-inflected South African English, proper French and the less-proper Quebecois. For a city already known for its multiculturalism, Toronto is suddenly more global.
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16th International AIDS Conference: Stunning last minute addition.
Following the link below you can download a PDF version of the full transcription of the "last minute" addition to the Opening Session of the XVI Internal Aids Conference.
http://perso.wanadoo.fr/jan.spreen/english/16thiac.pdf
Posted by: jspreen | August 13, 2006 1:32 PM