The Alliance’s Executive Director Alvaro Bermejo and HDN’s Executive Director Nadine Ferris France were present at the signing.
“It's been a long road to get here,” said Alvaro Bermejo. “The signing of the agreement is a very symbolic milestone for both organisations. It marks the culmination of a great deal of work, put in by many people in both the Alliance and HDN. Now that the agreement has been signed we can continue and intensify the exciting work to translate the merger into real benefits for community HIV responses.”
Following the merger HDN will work, as part of the Alliance, to strengthen country-level civil society capacity and foster innovative approaches in information, communication, dialogue, advocacy and documentation around HIV and related health issues. Strategic synergies and planning for joint activities in 2009 are fully underway.
“I am excited to lead HDN in its new mission to ignite social movements for change among communities affected by HIV and TB and other related issues”, said Nadine Ferris France. “We must now move quickly and surely through 2009 and beyond to translate the synergies created by the merger into practical and intensified support and impact at the country level.”
Commenting on the merger and the need for all NGO’s to consider ways in which they can improve their effectiveness, Dr Jaroon Jittiwutikarn, Chairman of HDN’s Board, quoted an old Chinese saying on the wisdom of collaboration: “In the beginning we are in the jungle and there is no path, but when people start to walk we start to have a small path, then when more people walk the path becomes wider and wider.”
The HDN website has a video and photo gallery of the transfer agreement ceremony, as well as more details of the organisation's new vision/mission, and its revised strategic objectives.