The five-day biennial regional conference, recognized as one of the most important AIDS meetings in the world, was founded in Canberra in 1990. The Australian government has committed money to assist hundreds of Asia Pacific HIV/AIDS workers attend the Congress.

The Congress aims to bring together regional AIDS experts, leaders of Nongovernmental Organizations (NGOs), political leaders and members of civil society to share information and experiences about combating the pandemic in the Asia pacific region that has seven million reported cases of HIV/AIDS.

"Breaking Down Barriers" is the overall theme of this year's conference, and a specific sub-theme will be addressed each day by the participants.

The four cross-cutting themes include Treatment and Care, Prevention, Socio-Economic Determinants and Gender and Sexuality. Experts from around the world will lead sessions on topics ranging from the dangers of infection to the socio-economics of HIV/AIDS.

"This is a vital opportunity to share information and make advances in strategies to fight AIDS in Asia and the Pacific," said Michael Wooldridge, Australian Minister for Health, speaking from a stage bathed in red and green lights.

Speeches were interspersed with dance and music performances by groups from around the world. By now a universal symbol of remembrance for AIDS victims, quilt-tapestries decorated the main hall. Glittery memorabilia decorated one square of a tapestry while the adjacent quilt simply had the word "Dad" written across it.

The tapestries served as a reminder of the human cost of the pandemic. Suzana Murni, an HIV-positive activist from Indonesia, stressed the need to include people with AIDS in international conferences. "People with the disease must play an important role," she said, "to give AIDS a human face so people realize it is very real."

Murni has been campaigning in Indonesia to raise awareness on AIDS since she was diagnosed as HIV-positive in 1995. To loud cheering she spoke about the need to improve access to drugs for HIV-positive people in developing countries.

"There has be to a policy, a system, for drugs to reach people in many countries." she said. "It should be a choice for them, not a luxury. We must put people's lives ahead of profit."

Steve Bracks, the Premier of Victoria, acknowledged that many countries in the Asia-Pacific region have cultural and economic barriers to combating AIDS and called for a cooperative, regional solution to the spread of the pandemic.

He said there was some urgency in containing the pandemic, and protecting those who engage in high risk behavior.

"We recognize that we cannot eradicate high risk behavior, for instance drug use," he said. "So we instituted needle exchange programs to reduce the rate of infection."

Shabana Azmi, a social activist, popular Hindi-movie screen diva and member of parliament from India, called on all delegates to find ways to fight the stigma and complacency in their respective countries.

"People with AIDS deserve to die because they are immoral," she said. "In an over-populated country perhaps this is nature's way of dealing with the population explosion," she continued, adding a sarcastic note to her powerful speech. Assured of the full attention of the audience, she emphasized the importance of social and political support for the people living with AIDS.

"HIV/AIDS feeds and multiplies on our ignorance," Azmi said. "We need adequate political commitment to fight AIDS; we must empower women and adolescents; and we need legislative measures to treat people with compassion. No one country is save from HIV/AIDS till all are."

The Sixth ICAAP comes four months after the United Nations Special Session of AIDS in New York City. "The Declaration for the Session is the group head for action for all countries," said Woolridge.

On Saturday delegates will meet for a plenary session titled 'Treatment of Care.' One of four main themes, Treatment of Care will focus on several areas of HIV/AIDS treatment, including Antiretroviral therapy and home and community-based care. Self Plenary sessions will follow on all four areas which also include prevention of HIV/AIDS, socio-economic determinants and gender and sexuality. The program also includes skill building workshops, which including public speaking for positive people, fund raising and developing Web pages on HIV/AIDS.

"The enormity of the AIDS pandemic makes combating it a daunting task," John Landy, Governor of Victoria said at the opening ceremony. "But there are lot of heartening examples of the fight against AIDS where people have worked together to eradicate social stigma and fear and to educate people about AIDS."

Following the finale, which included a performance by the Tongan Choir, the delegates, animated by the day's discussions, wandered through the hall looking at the tapestries on the walls. On Saturday, they will continue the task of finding sustainable ways to combat the AIDS pandemic in the Asia-Pacific.