Hundreds of people have attended a candlelight vigil in Melbourne to remember the delegates of the AIDS conference who were killed in the MH17 tragedy, as well as those who have lost their lives to the illness.
Hundreds of people huddled together in Federation Square on Tuesday night, pausing for a minute's silence to remember the six HIV researchers and lobbyists who were killed when their plane was shot down over Ukraine.
The vigil was scheduled as part of AIDS 2014 to remember the 35 million lives lost to HIV-AIDS-related illnesses, but the event took on added meaning after the attack on MH17.
The crowd held a mixture of placards, with one stating "Remembering our colleagues on MH17", while others declared "HIV is not a crime" and "Silence equals death".
Richard Taki, MC of the vigil hosted by Living Positive Victoria, thanked the lost HIV researchers and lobbyists for their dedication to improving the lives of those with HIV.
"At this incredibly sad and sensitive time, we stand with our international family and send condolences to the loved ones of those who have been lost in this tragedy," he told the crowd.
"We are particularly saddened by the loss of the delegates who were travelling to Australia to participate in the AIDS 2014 conference.
"Their contribution to the cause has been outstanding. We thank you."
City of Melbourne councillor Richard Foster said he was "deeply saddened" by the disaster.
"We know that a number of Australians were on board as well as people travelling to Melbourne for the international AIDS conference," he said.
"AIDS 2014 is a conference of solidarity and hope, people travelling to Melbourne for AIDS 2014 are in many ways people who have dedicated their lives to a better world."
Among the many lost was a giant of the HIV research community Joep Lange, who was once the president of the International AIDS Society, which organises the biennial conference and is being held in Australia for the first time.
Lange was travelling with his partner, Jacqueline van Tongeren, who worked at the Amsterdam Institute for Global Health and Development.
Other delegates who died were Dr Lucie van Mens, who since 1995 has focused on HIV and AIDs prevention, the World Health Organisation's Glenn Thomas and AIDs campaigners Pim de Kuijer and Maria Adriana de Schutter.
