Introduction

As India moves quickly into the 21 st century to assume a global leadership position across all sectors, including business, arts, politics and security, the impact of HIV/AIDS threatens to reverse its potential growth and prosperity. With more than 5 million people estimated to be living with the virus, India’s HIV/AIDS prevalence is second in the world only to South Africa; there were half a million new infections last year alone and there are ominous signs that it is spreading. The stakes are very high - an unchecked HIV epidemic could undermine economic gains in the world's largest democracy.

In an effort to bring fresh attention to this growing epidemic, and to support India’s response to it, Asia Society hosts its Third Annual Asian Dialogue on HIV/AIDS in Mumbai on April 27-28, 2006. This project, building on the success of Asia Society’s work in Shanghai in June 2005, includes a groundbreaking exhibition of documentary photography and an international symposium with leaders from throughout the region in an effort strengthen current responses in Asia.

The exhibition and symposium serve as the centerpiece of the AIDS in Asia Initiative, a three-year project which was launched in October 2003, with support from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. The AIDS in Asia Initiative aims to raise awareness about the AIDS epidemic in Asia, and to mobilize Asian decision makers and their American counterparts to build a collaborative response to Asia’s growing HIV/AIDS crisis. This important series of events follows the formal launch of Asia Society’s India Centre, and builds on the success and visibility of the Annual Corporate Conference, that was held in March 2006 with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh presiding.

The goal of the Annual Asian Dialogue on HIV/AIDS is two-fold. First, it will harness a network of leaders in the pan-Asian region to bring together a multi-sectoral gathering of stakeholders from civil society, government, business and the arts community to share their experiences on HIV/AIDS at the local, national and regional levels. This will be an opportunity to share best practices, explore creatively how to address joint challenges, and together develop broad strokes for moving forward a sustainable public policy for the region.

Timed to coincide with the symposium, Asia Society and its partners will also present a groundbreaking exhibition of documentary photography, “Positive Lives, Positive Stories: An Exhibition to Change Attitudes on HIV & AIDS” at Cymroza Gallery, from April 27 to May 13, 2006. The exhibition, depicting positive images and stories of HIV/AIDS throughout the region, will provide a forum to reach Mumbai’s growing middle-class and professionals, executives and patrons, with a goal to increase their awareness about the human face of HIV/AIDS and in an effort to breakdown the high wall of HIV/AIDS-related stigma and discrimination that still exists.

It is our hope that these timely series of events will energize public debate on this urgent issue, and create a global space and momentum in building a responsive social agenda for change.