Although advances in both treatment and prevention over the past two decades have been remarkable, significant challenges remain ahead. These include the large burden of aging patients with HIV and co- infections and co-morbidities, the sustainability of treatment for millions of patients in countries with weak health systems, ongoing HIV incidence in many key populations, and the ongoing research challenges in cure and vaccine science. Against this background, the 21st International AIDS Conference (AIDS 2016) to be held in Durban, South Africa from 17-22 July 2016, will provide a platform for science, policy, service, and advocacy in support of moving towards implementation of the full range of prevention and treatment options currently available, while at the same time further pushing towards novel prevention strategies, optimized treatment, a vaccine and cure. When the International AIDS Conference was last held in Africa, in Durban in 2000, access to ART drugs was negligible across the continent, HIV science had yielded few effective HIV prevention tools, and donor spending on AIDS amounted to only a small fraction of current funding levels. Fifteen years later, South Africans - with substantial support and leadership from the United States Government, The Global Fund, EU, and other donors - have built a robust response that includes cutting edge scientific research and innovative implementation strategies. The country treats more citizens, and is home to more people living with HIV, than any other. And across Africa, the epicenter of HIV, a number of countries, including some low income ones, are aggressively addressing their epidemics. Translating what has worked in this region to others is vital to reducing new HIV infections and AIDS morbidity and mortality worldwide. The specific aims of AIDS 2016 are: 1. Bring together the world's HIV experts at the epicenter of the epidemic to advance knowledge about HIV science, present new research findings, and promote and enhance scientific and community collaborations around the world in order to reduce incidence, optimize treatment, and improve the response to co-morbidities; 2. Advance the latest global scientific strategy for HIV cure research which will be unveiled at AIDS 2016; and for HIV vaccine research, including the follow-on studies of the RV-144 candidates in Africa; 3. Promote HIV research, including transdisciplinary and human rights-based approaches, that is tailored to those living with HIV or at risk: women and girls, men who have sex with men, transgender individuals, sex workers, adolescents and young adults and people who use drugs; 4. Support the scale up of the global HIV response through significantly strengthened implementation science across prevention, treatment and care; 5. Showcase the depth of North-South HIV research collaboration that is centered on South Africa, provide a platform for the integration of excellent young African researchers into global scientific networks, and facilitate South-South research collaborations and learning, including in Implementation Science. The scientific programme will consist of five tracks: A - Basic and Translational Research; B - Clinical Research; C - Epidemiology and Prevention Research; D - Social and Political Research, Law, Policy and Human Rights; and E - Implementation Research, Economics, Systems and Synergies with other Health and Development Sectors. Additionally, a symposium reviewing the latest advancements in HIV cure research will be organized in conjunction with the conference. AIDS 2016 will continue the IAC's unique focus on the intersection of science, policy, implementation and advocacy. Issues of prevention, treatment and care for key populations will be a major focus of the scientific program, particularly with regard to settings where gender-based violence and criminalization impact program effectiveness. The HIV-specific needs of adolescents will feature prominently at AIDS 2016 with significant involvement of young people themselves in scientific and policy discussions. The International AIDS Society will take special steps to ensure the most inclusive and representative AIDS conference by doubling the number of delegates from resource-limited settings and key populations through full or partial scholarship support, and by creating specific mechanisms to support women and youth. Innovative elements at AIDS 2016 include a more interactive approach built on debate style conference sessions and enhanced social media and online platform use, to not only communicate conference results to external audiences but to actively engage these during the meeting.