Call for Conference Participation

Dear Colleagues,

ISCA Zambia would like to announce that the online registration and abstract submissions processes are now open for the 2nd International Students Conference on AIDS and United Nations Millennium Development Goals (called the 2nd ISCA UNMDGs2005ZAMBIA).

The centerpiece of this conference will be the findings of an MDGs survey the ISCA is now doing in conjunction with TakingITGlobal (www.takingitglobal.org), one of the largest youth organizations in the world. For the survey, please see: http://surveys.takingitglobal.org/survey.html?SurveyID=26.

See www.isca.org.zm for more on the conference.

ABOUT THE CONFERENCE
The 2nd ISCA UNMDGs2005ZAMBIA under the theme "UNITED WE STAND" is scheduled for July 17-23, 2005 in Lusaka, capital of Zambia, home of spectacular attraction of Victoria Falls. International Students Conference on AIDS (ISCA) is an ongoing HIV/AIDS problem-solving forum for students, professionals, politicians, leaders in government, public health, social, medical, and life sciences.

CONFERENCE GOALS AND OBJECTIVES:
Goals :
-To gather world student potential and use it to strengthen the fight against the HIV/AIDS pandemic.
-To see how students/young people can deliberate upon and analyze the effects of the UN MDGs and make recommendations aimed at fighting HIV/AIDS, especially in developing countries.
-To tackle the common problems encountered by students/young people living with HIV/AIDS such as access to care and treatment support, stigma, poverty, among other issues.

Specific Objectives :
· To improve the quality of life of students/young people living with HIV/AIDS by encouraging positive living, good nutrition, prevention of opportunistic infection and avoiding high-risk behaviour.
· To increase advocacy campaigns for care and treatment support for students/young people living with HIV/AIDS and to promote behavioural change among the student/young people.
· To set a platform for the presentation of the white paper of the ISCA UNMDGs research study.

CONFERENCE PROGRAMME
The conference will have a rich array of plenary sessions, presentations, skills-building workshops, roundtables and networking sessions. This unique conference utilises the United Nations Millennium Development Goals (MDG) as a framework for analysis of the gender, poverty, education and economic issues which contribute to HIV/AIDS. An AIDS memorial candlelight walk, dance-music-arts performances, and unforgettable sightseeing are also included.

By bringing together students from many different parts of the world, 2nd ISCA UNMDGs2005ZAMBIA intends to provide a platform that will be both a conference and a festival that will address the issues of the global pandemic of HIV/AIDS.
For more information about the Conference visit this website: http://www.isca.org.zm .

CALL FOR ABSTRACTS
We welcome the submission of abstracts for original contribution to the fields of HIV/AIDS and UNMDGs. Guidelines on how to submit your abstract can be found on the Conference website: www.isca.org.zm .

IMPORTANT DEADLINES:
- Abstract submission: 17th May 2005
- Scholarship application: 17th May 2005
- Registration (early registration fee): 17th May 2005
- Registration (standard registration fee): 17th June 2005

Sincerely,
"2nd ISCA UNMDGs 2005 ZAMBIA Organising Team"
17-23 July 2005 - Lusaka, Zambia
Please forward this announcement to people who might be interested in the conference.

Regards,
Chris Zela MUDENDA
Chairman
2nd ISCA UNMDGs2005ZAMBIA
ISCA Zambia Chapter
chrismudenda@yahoo.com

2nd ISCA UNMDGs2005ZAMBIA Secretariat
ISCA Zambia Chapter
R8 Tiyende Pamodzi C/R
The University of Zambia
Great East Rd Campus
P.O.Box 32379
Lusaka,10101Zambia
Phone: +260 97 676 718 (Cell)
+260 96 458 017