Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Protest Policy?

The Summit promotes freedom of expression as an essential principle in the HIV response. Activism has always played a major role in our movement, and we encourage debate and dialogue as key elements of the Summit, including the right to protest peacefully. However, NMAC and its partners object to any interruption of conference sessions, meetings, or secondary (satellite) exhibits that results in attendees not being able to take full advantage of the educational and learning opportunities available at the conference. We ask everyone to respect the mission, spirit, and integrity of the Summit and use their good judgment when organizing or organizing demonstrations. Those who organize demonstrations or protests during any part of the conference, including in the exhibition hall, should inform the conference staff (conferences@nmac.org) and designate a contact person for your demonstration. We also ask that the organizer:

1. Limit all demonstrations to a maximum of 15 minutes.
2. Do not hold more than one demonstration per day.

NMAC reserves the right to determine whether a protest is disruptive and/or detrimental to the mission and values of the Summit. We appreciate the need for freedom of expression. We also want to balance this need with the needs of our members, sponsors, and exhibitors to ensure the Summit is productive for all. Therefore, we ask all attendees to follow these rules. Otherwise, you may be removed from the conference and prohibited from attending future NMAC-sponsored conferences.