Here we go: the "Positive Encounters" conference began in Bielefeld on Thursday evening. Up to 500 people living with HIV and their relatives will meet to discuss living with HIV.
"We are breaking the mould" is the motto of the conference. It illustrates the main theme "Images of life with HIV". The declared aim of the "Positive Encounters": To question the common images of HIV/AIDS and to add or counter them with new images.
"The public images of life with HIV never take into account all facets of life with HIV," says Michèle Meyer, President of the Swiss self-help organisation LHIVE and member of the preparatory group (front left in the photo). "These images force people with HIV into far too narrow frames. That's why we have to break these frames!"
The conference will also be busy producing images itself: in a video workshop and with a photo campaign entitled "You should take a picture!" - Including an exhibition in the pedestrian zone of Bielefeld.
The timing could hardly have been better: On Saturday afternoon, former No Angels singer Nadja Benaissa was sentenced to two years' probation in Darmstadt. The HIV-positive woman had had unprotected sex with several men years ago. Since the trial began, there has been much discussion about responsibility in sex between HIV-positive and HIV-negative people. Since Nadja Benaissa's arrest, many tabloid media - first and foremost the Bild newspaper - have repeatedly published lurid reports.
Although many conference participants do not agree at all with the judgement against Nadja Benaissa, the atmosphere at the opening event of the "Positive Encounters" was great. With welcoming speeches, interviews and music ranging from hard to soft, the participants embarked on a long weekend with a wealth of discussion events, workshops and public activities.
(Holger Wicht)
Reports, background information and pictures of the event on aidshilfe.de
Statement by Deutsche AIDS-Hilfe on the judgement against Nadja Benaissa
