A major conference held last week by Global Connections - the UK evangelical network for world mission - has pointed out the urgency of stepping up the fight against HIV/AIDS, according to the Good News UK.

At Partnership House in Waterloo, London, the forum entitled AIDS: Can We Win? - Mobilising the UK and Global Church to Address the HIV/AIDS Pandemic, gathered mission experts from Churches' Commission on Mission (CCOM) of the Churches Together of Britain and Ireland (CTBI), and also church leaders and individuals.

The keynote speaker, Calle Almedal, Senior Adviser of Partnership Unit from UNAIDS, told the audience that churches and mission agencies in the UK have a huge potential in the world to help in the battle against AIDS if they can better coordinate their efforts with other overseas partners and organisations - such as the UN and the World Health Organisation (WHO).

In sub-Saharan Africa, where 25 million people are living with AIDS, he estimated that more than two-thirds of all HIV/AIDS care were Christian-based. He acknowledged the work that has already been done by UK Christians to stop the spread of the deadly disease.

The one-day conference provided a platform for faith-based organisations across Britain to present their experiences in mission projects related to AIDS. In the afternoon, Allan Guinan from the iThemba AIDS Foundation spoke about Engaging with the UK Church while Veronica Moss from Mildmay International tackled the subject of Anti-HIV Therapy in Developing Countries.

Other seminars were led by Ian Campbell from the Salvation Army, who examined community-based mobilisation strategies for prevention and care in communities affected by HIV/AIDS, and Rowena Pullinger from Grandmas, a church-based organisation that aims to provide practical help to children and families affected by HIV/AIDS, who looked at HIV/AIDS in relation to vulnerable people and children.