Organizer: International Aids Society
Opportunity Type: Call For Applications
Location: Brazil
Application Deadline: 15 February 2026: (23:00 CET)
About the International AIDS Society
IAS – the International AIDS Society – convenes, educates and advocates for a world in which HIV no longer presents a threat to public health and individual well-being. After the emergence of HIV and AIDS, concerned scientists created the IAS to bring together experts from across the world and disciplines to promote a concerted HIV response. Today, the IAS and its members unite scientists, policy makers and activists to galvanize the scientific response, build solidarity and enhance human dignity for all those living with and affected by HIV. The IAS also hosts the world’s most prestigious HIV conferences: the International AIDS Conference, the IAS Conference on HIV Science, and the HIV Research for Prevention Conference.
You can find more information about the IAS at: www.iasociety.org.
Purpose of The Fellowship
The AIDS 2026 prevention ambassador fellowship will support individuals working to advance knowledge of and access to HIV prevention to amplify their reach, strengthen networks and engage with the latest prevention science and policy developments at AIDS 2026, the 26th International AIDS Conference. AIDS 2026 will take place in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, from 26 to 31 July 2026, bringing together scientists, clinicians, public health experts, community leaders and people living with HIV in person and virtually.
Successful fellowship applicants will be supported to:
- Implement a digital content project on HIV prevention ahead of AIDS 2026, contributing to the IAS Rethink. Rebuild. Rise. campaign (support of up to USD 500 in project costs).
- Design and create digital content during AIDS 2026, translating the latest scientific, policy and activism on HIV prevention for target audiences, contributing to the Rethink. Rebuild. Rise. campaign (support of up to USD 500 in project costs). aids2026.org
- Attend AIDS 2026 in person (support for travel, accommodation, per diem, ground transport and visa costs, if applicable).
- Connect with researchers, policy makers and activists working in HIV prevention.
- Take part in networking and other professional development opportunities at AIDS 2026.
Duration
The fellowship will begin following a competitive review and selection process, with notification of selection in March 2026. The fellowship will end on 14 August 2026.
Eligibility
The following skills, experience and qualifications are essential:
- Proven track record of working to advance knowledge of and access to HIV prevention (for example, PrEP/PEP, U=U, harm reduction, long-acting prevention, combination prevention and policy).
- Demonstrated track record of content creation on HIV prevention on social or digital media, with a minimum of 5,000 total followers/subscribers across platforms (for example, TikTok, Instagram, LinkedIn, YouTube, Facebook, X, Bluesky, podcasts, blogs, newsletters and community radio with digital presence). Applicants without these metrics may qualify through other ways of recording reach (for example, community networks or consistent content with documented engagement).
- Commitment to ethical reporting standards and evidence-based, non-stigmatizing and rights-based language, in accordance with IAS communications guidelines.
- Proficiency in English (multilingual creators encouraged; English proficiency required to engage with AIDS 2026 content).
- Commitment to participate in pre-event onboarding (virtual) and full AIDS 2026 dates.
- Aged 18 or older at the time of application.
Priority will be given to applicants who:
- Represent or work closely with key and priority populations, including people living with and affected by HIV, men who have sex with men, trans people, sex workers, people who inject drugs, adolescent girls and young women, migrants, and other underserved communities
- Are based in low- and middle-income countries and/or produce content for underserved audiences
- Demonstrate experience and/or collaborations with community-led organizations, clinics or advocacy coalitions
Application submission
Interested candidates are invited to download and complete the application form here. As part of the application, candidates will be asked to provide:
- Demographic information
- Work history
- Motivation
- Brief descriptions of two digital prevention communication projects (one pre-AIDS 2026 and one during AIDS 2026), including intended outcomes, planned themes, target audiences, platforms to be used and two sample posts of what project implementation could look like CV, including portfolio and/or links to recent prevention-related digital content (last six to 12 months) and evidence of reach (for example, screenshots of engagement analytics and qualitative metrics)
- Letter of support from your organization, if employed
- Letter of reference, if self-employed
The IAS will treat all application information confidentially. Only selected candidates will be contacted. You can submit questions by email to hivprevention@iasociety.org.
The AIDS 2026 prevention ambassadors fellowship focuses on supporting individuals to create and share digital content on HIV prevention, engage with the latest science and policy, and participate in professional development at the conference. The fellowship is distinct from the AIDS 2026 Media Scholarship. Qualified candidates are welcome to apply to both opportunities if eligible.
For more information, please visit the official webpage here
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