Caritas Internationalis will join an estimated 25,000 participants, including world-renowned experts and decision-makers, at the XVII International AIDS Conference in Mexico City from 3-8 August.
 
The theme of this year’s conference is “Universal Action Now”, and it will focus on the need to ensure universal access to HIV prevention, treatment, care and support for people affected by HIV and AIDS by 2010.
 
Rev. Msgr. Robert J. Vitillo, Special Advisor on HIV for Caritas Internationalis, will participate in the conference and says it is an important occasion to share as much new knowledge and experiences as possible. He says one of the challenges facing Caritas is the “ignorance” of what the Catholic Church is doing in response to AIDS.
 
“We need to learn better how to let our light shine and not hide it under a bushel basket,” says Msgr. Vitillo.
 
Caritas Internationalis has offered leadership and awareness-raising about HIV and AIDS for the past twenty years, he says. It has advocated both with the United Nations and other international and national decision-makers to oppose AIDS-related stigma and discrimination and has promoted access to treatment for all.
 
“Because of our motivation and roots in Catholic Teaching,” says Msgr. Vitillo, “Caritas is not just professionally competent, but we are interested in the whole person and we try to help each person realise their God-given dignity. That requires attention to physical, emotional, social and pastoral needs.”
 
On 5 August, Caritas Internationalis, Caritas Mexico, the Catholic HIV/AIDS Network and the Jesuit community in Mexico will host delegates from Catholic organisations in an evening of prayer and discussion.
 
Meanwhile, the Geneva-based Ecumenical Advocacy Alliance has organised a three-day pre-conference workshop that will gather together over 450 representatives from faith-based groups to discuss how religions can do more in response to the AIDS pandemic.
 
Msgr. Vitillo says that funding is a major challenge as only a small amount of money pledged goes to faith-based organisations. He says part of the work of Caritas Internationalis has been to obtain more equitable funding for Church-related organisations who provide a large proportion of care and treatment to people with HIV and AIDS.
 
For more information, please contact Michelle Hough on +39 06 6987 9752/+39 334 2344136 hough@caritas.va or Rev. Msgr. Robert Vitillo on +41 79 811 7983