EUROPE/ITALY-30 years after the discovery of the virus about 25 million people have died of AIDS: the Sixth World Conference in Rome

Rome (Fides Service) - After Buenos Aires, Paris, Rio De Janeiro, Sydney and Cape Town, Rome is to host from July 17 to 20, the VI World Conference on AIDS, organized by the International AIDS Society (IAS) and the Institute of Health. An event which will be attended by more than 8 000 delegates representing 120 countries. Since the identification of the first cases in 1981, more than 25 million people worldwide have died of AIDS and more than 40 million have been infected with HIV. In southern countries of the world 10 million people still do not have access to preventive services and care. This will be discussed at the Rome Conference in its thirtieth anniversary of the discovery of the virus. The Church's involvement in the treatment and prevention of this disease has always been very strong (see Fides 21/5/2011). The Church also operates in the mission territories, hundreds of centers for prevention and treatment of AIDS / HIV (see Fides 23/8/2010). In 2010, the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples destined more than 1.2 million euros to 131 centers in 41 countries. Among the protagonists of this sixth World Conference, Caritas of the diocesan in Rome will be present: on July 19 the delegates of IAS will visit the three care homes of Caritas for AIDS patients: the first reception center for AIDS patients in Italy, founded by Don Luigi Di Liegro in 1988. (PA) (Agenzia Fides 16/07/2011)