Virtual Fast-Track Cities 2020 Conference to Focus on Urban COVID-19 and HIV
In-Person Fast-Track Cities 2021 Conference to Convene in Lisbon
WASHINGTON, DC, USA (June 24, 2020) – The International Association of Providers of AIDS Care (IAPAC) is transitioning its Fast-Track Cities 2020 in-person conference to an online format due to ongoing public health concerns stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic. The Virtual Fast-Track Cities 2020 conference will be held September 9-10, 2020, with a focus on urban HIV responses amidst the COVID-19 pandemic.
In addition to a high-level panel and themed plenary sessions, the Virtual Fast-Track Cities 2020 conference program will feature case studies from more than 20 Fast-Track Cities, including Atlanta, Bangkok, Johannesburg, Kyiv, Melbourne, Montréal, Mumbai, New York City, Paris, and São Paulo. The case studies will offer urban snapshots of disruptions to HIV services and innovations deployed to maintain a continuity of HIV services.
IAPAC President/CEO Dr. José M. Zuniga has also announced that an in-person Fast-Track Cities 2021 conference will be held March 22-25, 2021, in Lisbon. The first day will be comprised of pre-conference events. The formal conference will take place March 23-25, 2021, and will include a high-level panel hosted by Lisbon Mayor Fernando Medina to discuss the impact of drug policies on reducing harm among people who use drugs (PWUD), which has had a significant impact in reducing new HIV cases among PWUD in Lisbon and Portugal.
“We regret missing an opportunity to bring current and prospective Fast-Track Cities together in Lisbon this year. However, we are eager to maintain our momentum by hosting the Virtual Fast-Track Cities 2020 conference, with the expectation that by March 2021 we can facilitate the intercity networking and best practice-sharing that were hallmarks of last year’s inaugural Fast-Track Cities 2019 conference in London,” Dr. Zuniga explained.
The Virtual Fast-Track Cities 2020 and Fast-Track Cities 2021 conferences are organized by IAPAC, the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS), the Fast-Track Cities Institute, and other partners.
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