Seven members of the Positivrat, a moderator, and the long-time administrator met on a sunny weekend in Bad Schönbrunn. The group was small but highly committed. As preparation, the participants looked back at the last retreat held exactly ten years ago.

The retreat was held in English as the "Lingua Franca" since members from both German-speaking and French-speaking Switzerland attended. Fortunately, the moderator was a "native speaker."

For one and a half days, intensive discussions took place. Who is the Positivrat? What has it achieved? Where do we want to go? What do we need to get there? What is our stance on the strategy of Aids-Hilfe Schweiz? What contribution can we make to its implementation? These were the guiding questions for the participants.

Of course, there was also time for personal conversations and sports (walking, cycling, jogging) in the evening.

In the end, the members defined four areas they want to continue working on.

Resources: With seven members participating, one of the gaps was already apparent: the need to recruit more members who are also willing to contribute actively. The task is for each member to invite two potential new members. In particular, the Positivrat is looking for people with or without HIV or hepatitis who have knowledge of the healthcare system (e.g., a nursing background) and legal expertise.

Governance: After ten years, the statutes need to be revised and a "Statement of Principles" needs to be written.

Communication: The Positivrat needs an "Elevator Pitch," a brief text that clearly explains who the Positivrat is. All members should be able to explain this in two to three sentences. Additionally, it was decided that the Positivrat will continue to work on its successful and important communication and information tool, the POSITIV newsletter, and further develop it.

Decision-Makers and Expertise: The Positivrat is clarifying in which bodies its members sit and what they can achieve there. To do this, a "map" of these bodies will be created.

Several things have already been addressed since the retreat. For example, at the last internal meeting, the Positivrat welcomed new interested individuals. The members also adopted a "one-pager" that answers the question, "Who is the Positivrat?"

Our "Elevator Pitch" is:
"The Positivrat is a Swiss expert body advocating for the interests of people living with HIV and hepatitis. What makes it unique: The council consists exclusively of people with lived experience, their relatives, and professionals who stand in solidarity with them. Our members are experts in the fields of science, medicine, law, healthcare, and communication. This enables us to advocate for the concerns of those affected quickly and effectively, like no other organization – nationwide.

Our goal is to improve the quality of life for people living with HIV, hepatitis, and co-infections. This includes:

• Improvements in legal conditions
• Optimizing medical care
• Reducing social disadvantages, stigma, and discrimination
• Promoting research in the fields of HIV, hepatitis, and co-infections

We collaborate closely with partners from politics, industry, and other organizations, and serve as a point of contact for anyone wishing to advocate for the rights of those with lived experience. The Positivrat cooperates with Swiss Aids Federation, Hepatitis Schweiz, the Swiss HIV Cohort Study, supports research programs and clinical trials, and helps develop new medications. Through our strong national and international network, the work of the Positive Council makes a real difference."

We would like to end with a renewed call for individuals, with or without HIV and hepatitis, who are curious and want to engage with us. Just send an email to info@positivrat.ch. We will then contact you and invite you to one of our upcoming meetings.

The Positivrat thanks Swiss Aids Federation for supporting the retreat.

October 3, 2024 / Bettina Maeschli, Vice Chair Positivrat