By: Naina Dhingra, Co-chair Barcelona YouthForce; Kayley Harrington, Co-organizer Bangkok YouthForce; and Beth Pellettieri, Advocacy Taskforce Co-chair and Coordinating Committee Toronto YouthForce.

Rewind four years ago to the Barcelona AIDS Conference in 2002. Fewer than 300 young people shocked the AIDS community by demanding that they start paying attention to youth through a coalition called the Barcelona YouthForce. The Barcelona YouthForce was inspired by Kent Klindera, the former Director of International Programs at Advocates for Youth. After years of attending International AIDS Conferences, Kent was disgusted that there was still no mention of youth. Kent reached out to friends at Family Health International and a partnership was born. The goal of the Barcelona YouthForce was simply youth visibility. Young people, despite being 50% of new infections, were invisible at the largest and most important meeting of the AIDS community. The 150 members of the Barcelona YouthForce armed with stickers, t-shirts, and a passion to be heard, demanded that conference attendees start paying attention to young people.

The conference got the message. By the end of the meeting, Peter Piot, Richard Feachem, and other global leaders were wearing youth visibility stickers, and President Bill Clinton mentioned the Barcelona YouthForce by name in his speech. The organizers were invited to address the African First Ladies Summit immediately following the conference. Thai youth activists who had been part of the YouthForce were invited to become a part of planning for the Bangkok AIDS Conference in 2004.

The Bangkok YouthForce worked with the International AIDS Society to get youth on organizing committees for the conference, increase the number of youth scholarships, and worked with the first main conference Youth Programme coordinator to ensure youth focused activities. The Bangkok YouthForce hosted the first Youth Pre-conference where 150 youth delegates prepared for the main conference through networking, skills building, and information sessions. (The Pre-conference almost doubled in size this year in Toronto.) With the role of the Bangkok YouthForce, the 2004 AIDS Conference had a much larger youth presence throughout the conference in the workshops, advocacy campaigns, and the cultural events.

And that brings us to the XVI International AIDS Conference in Toronto with over 1,000 youth participants and an integrated Youth Programme as part of the main conference agenda. In Toronto, young people are at the table. So in addition to messages of youth participation and youth-adult partnership, they are fighting for evidenced-based prevention, access to youth-friendly services, and fully funded youth programming. With a powerful visibility campaign plastered throughout the conference and a commitment desk where key leaders pledge their commitment to young people in writing, it is no wonder that youth events are receiving so much attention. In fact, the Youth Reception last night was one of the hottest events thus far and included a key note by Alicia Keys.

So what's the future of youth activism at International AIDS Conferences? At the High Level Youth Forum today, the Minister of Health for Mexico committed to doubling the number of youth participants for the 2008 International AIDS Conference in Mexico City. That means over 2,000 young people! And the young people in Toronto are going to ensure the Mexican government keeps its word. As a generation that has never lived without HIV/AIDS, these emerging activists are dedicated to ensuring a better future. Young people will no longer accept the programs and policies dictated by governments and foreign donors if they are not relevant to their lives. In four years, young people have proven their power through an incredible, successful advocacy campaign called the YouthForce. And we can't wait to see what Mexico City brings!