The XVII International AIDS Conference on Monday announced some of the world leaders, researchers and advocates who will participate in next month's conference in Mexico City, Bangladesh's New Nation reports (New Nation, 7/22). About 25,000 people are expected to participate in the conference, which will take place from Aug. 3 to Aug. 8. Speakers at the conference include:

• Mexican President Felipe Calderon Hinojosa;
  
  
• Mexican Secretary of Health Jose Angel Cordova Villalobos;
  
  
• United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon;
  
  
• Director-General of the World Health Organization Margaret Chan;
  
  
• UNAIDS Executive Director Peter Piot;
  
  
• Advocate Mony Pen;
  
  
• Prime Minister of St. Kitts and Nevis Denzil Douglas;
  
  
• Former President of Botswana Festus Mogae;
  
  
• First Vice-President of Spain Maria Teresa Fernandez de la Vega;
  
  
• Youth advocate Keren Gonzalez;
  
  
• Former U.S. President Bill Clinton;
  
  
• President of the Carso Health Institute and Senior Fellow at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Julio Frenk;
  
  
• NIAID Director Anthony Fauci;
  
  
• Mark Harrington of the Treatment Action Group;
  
  
• Vuyiseka Dubula of the Treatment Action Campaign; and
  
  
• Frika Chia Iskandar of the Asia Pacific Network of People Living with HIV/AIDS (AIDS 2008 release, 7/21).
  

Clinton Announces Africa Trip Ahead of AIDS Conference
In related news, Clinton on Tuesday announced that he will travel to Africa ahead of the AIDS conference to promote HIV/AIDS and malaria programs run by the Clinton Foundation, AFP/Google.com reports. Clinton said that he will begin the trip next week with visits to Ethiopia, Liberia, Rwanda and Senegal, where he will meet with local officials and foundation staff. He added that on his way back to the U.S., he will attend the Mexico City AIDS conference. "This year, I am excited to take our work to the next level with new projects that will make a tremendous difference in turning the tide of HIV/AIDS, improve lives and help people work toward a brighter future," Clinton said (AFP/Google.com, 7/22).

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