Conference 2005: "... and one can dare to hope and dare to remember"

Apr 12, 2005 | Bern

Memory Work: Coping Strategies in the Face of AIDS.

Memory books, memory boxes or body maps help people living with HIV/AIDS to put words and images to feelings, thoughts, and experiences. Memory books help parents to cope with disease, death and grief, to communicate with their children, and to give them a sense of identity and belonging. Like a treasure chest, a memory box may be a child’s greatest source of comfort. In the context of antiretroviral treatment, memory work is used to fight for life and to live positively. By enabling people to share their life stories with others, memory work generates courage and hope for the future.

This year’s conference of aidsfocus.ch focuses on memory work, an innovate approach of psychosocial support of children and adults infected or affected by HIV/AIDS. The documentary film "Strength from Remembering" leads us into the world of memory work. Resource persons from Africa will share their experiences and reflections of working with people living with HIV/AIDS. Various options of integration of memory work in projects and programs of development cooperation will be highlighted and discussed. (The conference will be conducted in English.)