With just one year to go before the 19th International AIDS Conference takes place in Washington, D.C. in the final months of the U.S. Presidential election, the AIDS Foundation of Chicago (AFC) is pleased to announce the launch of CountdownAIDS2012.org.

CountdownAIDS2012.org is an open, public project for sharing information and mobilizing around the conference, known as AIDS 2012.

Sponsored by the International AIDS Society, the International AIDS Conference is the largest ongoing conference on any health or development issue in the world. It has also served as a central point of protest, advocacy and policy development led by people living with HIV and their allies worldwide.

Advocates agree that AIDS 2012 represents a unique opportunity to increase attention to HIV/AIDS and secure greater government commitments to fight HIV/AIDS, domestically and around the world.

“The countdown starts now, as we prepare for this conference to return to the United States for the first time in a generation,” explained David Ernesto Munar, President/CEO of AFC and Community Program Committee co-chair for AIDS 2012.

“This website is a place to gather, share and debate ideas, themes, strategies, and issues that must be addressed in the conference halls and in the communities impacted by HIV/AIDS, including Washington DC itself,” he added. “This site is for you – whether you will be attending AIDS 2012 or not –  so please use it, share it, and let us know what you want to happen as a result of the conference.”

Organizers offer it as a hub for sharing information about all events and issues that are conference-related, whether or not they are formally affiliated with the conference. As the conference approaches, the site will transform to a live blog with a diverse team of correspondents and an alert network, providing timely updates and engagement with the activities inside and around AIDS 2012.

The project has already sponsored a live blog with the community representatives from the United States to the conference planning committees, and is sharing information to open planning and participation in a large community mobilization culminating in a march and rally on Tuesday, July 24, 2012.

CountdownAIDS2012 is coordinated by AIDS Foundation of Chicago (AFC) and its national and international policy and advocacy projects: DoseOfChange.org, HIV Prevention Justice Alliance (HIV PJA) and International Rectal Microbicides Advocates (IRMA).

To submit information for the site, or learn about co-sponsorship opportunities, contact: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .