Amsterdam to host AIDS2018 global conference

The international AIDS conference AIDs2018 will be held in Amsterdam. AIDS2014 was held in Australia and several participants of that conference were on flight MH17. The prominent AIDS researcher Joep Lange was one of the 298 people killed in the crash. Minister Lilianne Ploumen of Development Cooperation says that the Netherlands can host the conference is a wonderful tribute to Lange and five other AIDS activists who died. About 20 thousand participants are expected at the conference. According to Amsterdam Marketing, the hosting rights is a recognition of the important role the Netherlands plays in the international fight against AIDS. Ton Coenen, director of the Aids Fund and SOA Aids Nederland says that the Netherlands has the advantage that all groups who are affected by the AIDS epidemic can attend the conference. "Including people who use drugs and sex workers. That is not so in many other countries."