The 2014 Melbourne AIDS Conference has paid tribute to six colleagues who are believed to have been killed in the crash of Malaysian Airline flight MH17.
Initial reports had indicated that over 100 passengers on the flight from Amsterdam were bound for the 2014 Melbourne World AIDS Conference.
“The extent of our loss is hard to comprehend or express,” said President of the International AIDS Society Francoise Barre-Sinoussi, “We grieve alongside all of these throughout the world who have lost friends and family in this senseless tragedy.”
The names of those confirmed by friends and colleagues on board flight MH 17 as of Saturday afternoon are:
Pim de Kuijer, lobbyist Aids Fonds from STOP AIDS NOW!, Joep Lange, co-director of the HIV Netherlands Australia Research Collaboration (HIV-NAT), Lucie van Mens, Director of Support at The Female Health Company, Martine de Schutter, Program Manager Aids Fonds/STOP AIDS NOW!, Glenn Thomas, World Health Organisation and Jacqueline van Tongeren, Amsterdam Institute for Global Health and Development.
At the opening of the conference on Sunday evening tribute was paid to the lost delegates with a global moment of pause. Eleven future and former Presidents of the International AIDS Society were joined on stage by representatives from each of the organsiations that lost members in the airplane crash.
A letter of condolence and support was also read out by Mr Lambert Grijns, The Dutch Ambassador for Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights and HIV/AIDS.
A candlelight vigil will be held on Tuesday July 22nd at Federation Square in Melbourne from 6pm.
OIP Staff / Image:The 20th International AIDS Conference (AIDS 2014) held at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre (MCEC), Melbourne, Australia. (C) International AIDS Society/ James Braund Photos shows mourning delegates from Holland .33.
