Community activities
Through community activities, IAS – the International AIDS Society – aims to engage the community in the lead up to and throughout the conference.
Activism
The IAS endorses freedom of expression as an essential principle in the response to HIV and in promoting full participation in its conferences. Activism and advocacy advance commitment, policy and practice aimed at ending the pandemic.
The conference will support dialogue and participation through community activist liaisons who will provide advice and assistance before and during the conference in accordance with the IAS principles and values of conference participation.
Community Project Grants
Five grant recipients have been selected for the AIDS 2026 Community Project Grants. These grants support projects that transform scientific evidence into practical, community-led HIV interventions. Each grant recipient will showcase their project findings at the Global Village at AIDS 2026 in Rio de Janeiro.
To learn more about the selected organizations, click on the following link:
Educational tours
Conference delegates can take part in educational tours, organized by the IAS with civil society partners and local community-based organizations in Rio de Janeiro. The goal is to exchange knowledge, best practices, successes, challenges and innovative solutions through dialogue and experiential activities.
The programme and registration will be available in May 2026.
Positive Lounge
The Positive Lounge is a dedicated space for delegates from key populations and people living with and affected by HIV to recharge, refresh, relax and reconnect in a nurturing environment.
Positive Lounge activities and opening hours will be published in May 2026.
Community outreach
Through community outreach, the IAS aims to curate meaningful engagement before and throughout the conference. As part of the AIDS 2026 Organizing Committee, our civil society partners (ASHM, GATE, Gestos, PAC and the youth representative of the AIDS 2026 Organizing Committee affiliated with Hospital General de Agudos Dr. Juan A. Fernández) guide and support the community components of the AIDS 2026 programme.
The AIDS 2026 civil society partners represent a diverse and equitable network of key and affected populations. Their outreach projects ensure that a full range of communities and sectors affected by HIV are increasingly engaged in conference planning and delivery, which reflects conference values of inclusion, respect and global partnership building.