U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton will address the opening plenary session at the 19th International AIDS Conference (AIDS 2012), on Monday, July 23, 2012 at 10:00 a.m. at the Washington Convention Center, Session Room 1.

The International AIDS Conference is the biennial gathering of AIDS scientists, international policymakers, implementers and people living with AIDS from around the world. AIDS 2012 will take place July 22 - 27 in Washington, D.C.

The return of the conference to the U.S. after 22 years is the result of the U.S. government's elimination of HIV-related entry restrictions.

Additional State Department officials will also participate in AIDS 2012 and related events, including Deputy Secretary of State Thomas Nides, who will speak at The Global Fund on Thursday, July 26 at 4:30 p.m.

Ambassador Melanne Verveer of the Secretary's Office of Global Women's Issues and Executive Director of the Secretary's Global Health Initiative Lois Quam will speak at an event on Turning the Tide for Women at the Museum of Women in the Arts on Wednesday, July 25 at 6:30 p.m.

U.S. Global AIDS Coordinator Ambassador Eric Goosby, who leads the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) will participate in a variety of sessions throughout the conference.

Apart from Secretary Hillary Clinton, other high level speakers that have been announced for XIX International AIDS Conference (AIDS 2012) by the organisers are Former U.S. First Lady Laura Bush, South African Deputy President Kgalema Motlanthe, U.S. Senators John Kerry and Lindsey Graham, U.S. House of Representatives Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi , U.S. Congresswoman Barbara Lee, World Bank President Jim Yong Kim, UNAIDS Executive Director Michel Sidibé and The Earth Institute Director Jeffrey Sachs confirmed to address the XIX International AIDS Conference (AIDS 2012) in Washington, D.C.

Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, General Secretary of the National League for Democracy, (Myanmar/Burma) and UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon will both address the conference via video.

Actress Sharon Stone will also present the inaugural amfAR/International AIDS Society Elizabeth Taylor Award at the Opening Session.

President Bill Clinton, founder of the William J. Clinton Foundation and 42nd President of the United States, South African Health Minister Aaron Motsoaledi, U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Kathleen Sebelius, philanthropist Bill Gates, humanitarian Sir Elton John, founder of the Elton John AIDS Foundation, and actress Whoopi Goldberg were announced in June as high-level speakers at AIDS 2012.

Former U.S. First Lady Laura Bush will speak at a Special Session, Leadership in the AIDS Response for Women, on Thursday, 26 July. South African Deputy President Kgalema Motlanthe will address two Special Sessions, How Do We Get There? Country Planning for Maximum Impact on Monday, 23 July, and China, India, South Africa, Brazil: How Will They Use Their Leadership to Advance the AIDS Response? on Tuesday, 24 July.

U.S. Congresswoman Barbara Lee, UNAIDS Executive Director Michel Sidibé and the newly elected World Bank President Jim Yong Kim will each address the Opening Session on Sunday, 22 July. Kim and U.S Senator John Kerry and U.S. Senator Graham will address a Symposia Session entitled Improving Effectiveness and Efficiency in the AIDS Response on Monday, 23 July.

Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi will address the Closing Session on Friday, 27 July and development economist Jeffrey Sachs will participate in the Special Session, China, India, South Africa, Brazil: How Will They Use Their Leadership to Advance the AIDS Response? on Tuesday, 24 July.

"We are delighted to welcome the world's leading AIDS scientists and activists to AIDS 2012, and to have secured these high-level keynote speakers at this crucial time in the global response to HIV," said Elly Katabira, International Chair of AIDS 2012 and President of the International AIDS Society (IAS).