From October 4^th to October 7^th 2016, Blue Sky Week (BSW) 2016 was held in the cities Vijayawada Hyderabad, India. This is an International HIV/AIDS Alliance key event which takes place annually in each region. The overall purpose of BSW is to bring together Alliance Linking Organisations (LOs) and strategic partners to discuss issues at the global and regional level that are relevant to the community-led HIV response, to enable strategic “blue sky”, i.e open ended, thinking.

Thirty-nine delegates from 10 countries were part of the workshop. The Center for Supporting Community Development Initiatives SCDI was honored to be Vietnamese representative. The delegation included Assoc. Prof., Dr. Pham Bich San, Board member and Dr. Nguyen Hoai Huong, Deputy Director of SCDI.
 

Photo: Assoc. Prof., Dr. Pham Bich San received certificate from International HIV/AIDS Alliance. Source: SCDI

The objectives of BSW 2016 was to: Firstly, explore deeper into, and identify common perspectives on identity as Alliance partners (such as values, vision, beliefs, ways of doing). Secondly, analyse changing global and regional context around HIV and its impact on the Alliance Partnership and described “What does the future look like?”. Thirdly, explore options for working together for a sustainable future based on shared core concepts, strategies, approaches, programming and ways of doing. Finally, identify strengths, areas for further strengthening and replicability of successful approaches of AIDS response in the region through field visits and interactions with stakeholders. On Wednesday October  7^th, the participants visited various projects of NGO in India such as Vasavya Mahila Mandali (VMM), Alliance VIHAAN HIV/AIDS Care and Support Centre, etc. Mr. Pham Bich San and Mrs. Nguyen Hoai Huong reported to have acquired various useful lessons in HIV response, exchanged and explored future collaborations within the LOs.

Vân Anh