28 May 2007. 135 media professionals gathered in Kuala Lumpur for a conference on Global Media Strategies for HIV and AIDS. The gathering was inspired by the keynote address given by Mr Dali Mpofu, the chair of the Global Media AIDS Initiative. It was abundantly clear to all that a concerted action by the media is a necessary and important step to reduce the rate of infections from more than 11000 a day. There was a need to imbue HIV and AIDS related messages in all types of programming. The declaration that emerged from the conference laid the foundations of Asia-Pacific Media AIDS Initiative (AMAI).

Like GMAI, AMAI membership is not based subscriptions, but on the commitment of the members to certain basic principles:

1. The members have to commit to substantial amount of time (in the case of broadcasters) or space (in the case of print and online media).
2. Use different genres for discussing the issues related to HIV and AIDS
3. Provide coverage of local, national and global issues related to HIV and AIDS
4. Take active steps to make sure that the coverage is factually correct and socially just
5. Share content that has been produced with other members by declaring them rights free
6. Actively encourage and support training of journalists, reporters and producers on issues related to HIV and AIDS
7. Formulate and put in place a workplace policy on HIV

AIBD will function as the secretariat to this new regional action arm of Global Media AIDS Initiative.

HIV/AIDS Conference Declaration