I still remember the feeling when I received that congratulatory email from the IAS Scholarship Team. It was like a dream come true - I was going to Munich, Germany, to attend the AIDS 2024 conference! As a passionate advocate for youth engagement and human rights, this was an incredible opportunity to connect with like-minded individuals, learn from experts, and amplify the voices of the communities I represent. Most importantly, I was eager to attend AIDS 2024 to showcase my work.
My name is Francis Nwankwo, and I am from Nigeria. I am a human rights activist who advocates for the meaningful and ethical engagement of young people in the HIV response. I also advocate for women's rights and represent diverse communities, especially young people, as a sexual minority person.
As the conference approached, I was both excited and nervous. I was eager to contribute to the global conversation on HIV, but I also felt a sense of responsibility to represent the young people and marginalised communities I serve. When I arrived in Munich, I was not only excited but also prepared to unlearn, relearn, and network with colleagues and experts from across the globe.
Y+ Global invited me, as a representative of the Vibrant Young Voices (VYV) consortium, to be a panellist in the session “Movement Building and Campaigning; Youth-led Strategies for Social Change.” This allowed me to promote the consortium's work, how we are meaningfully engaging young people in health and the role of young people in improving the quality of health services and health policies.
The Youth Pavilion was a bustling hub of activity, with young people from all over the world coming together to discuss important issues and share their experiences. I also volunteered with the Munich Youth Force, which was my first experience volunteering at a conference and taught me a lot about what goes into organising large-scale events, including planning and logistics. It gave me access to numerous spaces at the Youth Pavilion, and I was proud to have been able to step forward and serve as the volunteer coordinator for numerous days.
One of the most memorable sessions I attended was the Faith Dialogue, which was held at the Youth Pavilion. This was a powerful conversation about how faith-based organisations can better support young people in their diversities within the HIV response, including young key populations, young people living with HIV and young LGBTQI+ persons. It was inspiring to hear people from different faiths coming together to discuss different points of view, making me walk away with newfound perspectives.
Throughout the conference, I was constantly amazed by the passion and dedication of the people I met. I learned so much about movement building and the importance of leaving no one behind. These lessons will stay with me as I continue my work as a youth advocate. The AIDS 2024 conference was a transformative experience for me. It was a journey of discovery, empowerment, and connection. I am grateful for the opportunity to have been a part of it.
I want to express my sincere gratitude to the International AIDS Society for granting me this scholarship. Your support has enabled me to attend this conference and provided me with invaluable opportunities for growth and development.
Additionally, I would like to thank Y+ Global for their exceptional support in logistics and for providing platforms like these for young people to engage and lead. We can always count on your support to ensure that young people like me can walk away from conferences like this with an experience to remember.