xix international aids conference, 2012 xix international aids conference, 2012 the xix international aids conference was a conference held in washington, d.c. from 22 to 27 july 2012 at the walter e. washington convention center, run by the international aids society. theme the theme of the conference is "turning the tide together". the meaning of the theme is that because of recent advances in hiv treatment and prevention and increased evidence that it is possible to scale up interventions, communities have new opportunities to change the historical course of hiv infection. speakers the conference featured many leaders in fields relating to hiv. plenary session speakers day speaker country role talking points monday anthony s. fauci united states national institute of allergy and infectious diseases public health implementation phill wilson united states black aids institute ending aids in the united states sheila tlou united nations unaids accountability for achieving targets tuesday javier martinez-picado spain aids research institute irsicaixa eradicating the virus and agenda for a cure nelly mugo kenya university of nairobi and kenyatta national hospital implementation science bernhard schwartländer united nations unaids the costs of necessary policy and societal changes wednesday barton haynes united states duke university human vaccine institute development of an hiv vaccine chewe luo united nations unicef aids and youth linda h. scruggs united states community representative an agenda for women geeta rao gupta united nations unicef changing the aids services for women thursday paul semugoma uganda global forum on msm and hiv men who have sex with men and hiv cheryl overs australia monash university public health and harm reduction debbie mcmillan united states transgender health empowerment drug-using populations gottfried hirnschall united nations world health organization testing and treatment friday anthony harries france international union against tuberculosis and lung disease tuberculosis and hiv judith currier united states university of california, los angeles non-communicable diseases and hiv yogan pillay south africa south african department of health integration of hiv services with general health services response of host city the international aids society formally announced that washington d.c. would host the conference on february 25, 2011. on february 23 mayor vincent c. gray announced the creation of the mayor's commission on hiv/aids, which is a city board which has the mission to promote treatment and hiv prevention. gray stated that the conference would bring $22–25 million to the city as delegates stayed in hotels, ate in restaurants, and enjoyed city entertainment.