Dispatches from AIDS 2008: The Global Village

As part of the OSI Public Health Program activities at the 2008 International AIDS Conference in Mexico City, Juliana Rincón Parra of Global Voices is posting a series of dispatches on conference events that address the human rights and health needs of marginalized persons. Currently living in Colombia, Parra edits the Global Voices citizen media video section and teaches a course in emerging media at EAFIT University in Medellín. She also cofounded Otrabanda.org, an emerging media organization.

I've spent the day at the Global Village, the cultural area of the AIDS conference, visiting booths and seeing what they have to offer delegates and visitors who come to the open area of the conference for the day.

At TheCondomProject.org booth I joined the droves of people who huddle around the tables to make condom lapel pins by sticking pieces of handmade paper in a variety of colors and patterns onto a colorful condom inside its wrapper, adding a pin-back and displaying it to all.

After that, in the Women's Networking Zone, Maya taught two other women and myself how to use a female condom, in a friendly and professional manner, and during the whole process she encouraged our questions while prompting us to take as many as we needed to try them out.

At the rainbow colored PFLAG and Diverse Family booth, talks have been on throughout the day: I sat through two, a safer sex one given by an elderly woman with a great sense of humor and an apron full of condoms, dildos and lube as well as another talk where a mother and her gay son, spoke about his coming out and how supporting him in his choices was the only possible action for her.

At the Human Rights Network booth I sat for the first part of a video workshop on how to make advocacy videos for the Human Rights Watch. What followed was a workshop with information, techniques, tips and tricks on how to film events or make short films on issues that matter to the filmmaker to encourage audiences to take action.

One of the optional activities delegates can opt into is a series of engagement tours to interact with partner organizations at their community. I decided to visit Itzamná Theatre and AIDS, an organization which puts on plays related to AIDS prevention at schools and communities. The shadow theatre presentation they gave us was inspiring and truly up to date, it was quite a surprise when they confessed that this presentation is 20 years old, and school principals still request it specifically for their students.

The Daspu fashion show was a massive event at the main stage at the Global Village, where people crowded round in every available space. Daspu is a play on words from Das putas, which means the prostitutes and the name of a famous elegant shopping center in Brazil, Daslu. The clothes that the models, sex workers and allies, wore was colorful and daring, and if I may say so, a lot more modest and in better taste than clothing made by other major designers.

By the time all these activities had been done, I realized I hadn't gone up to the main conference venue all day, and in spite of it, time had flown. For me, the Global Village and all the activities that are taking place in there are an excellent compliment to the AIDS conferences and academic sessions, and a wonderful added value to the experience.