The short term vision of the Face of Aids Project is to develop a world leading digital educational and information tool to be mobilized in the global fight against HIV and Aids. The long term vision is to develop Face of Aids into a unique visual historical film archive, focused on the visual and human experience of HIV and AIDS. In 1987, Professor Hans Wigzell, President of the Karolinska Institute, inspired the Swedish-based documentary film producer Staffan Hildebrand to start a long-term documentation of the global Aids epidemic, using film as the main media. This documentation has resulted in a world-leading film archive, covering the world history of Aids. The project is owned by a non-profit foundation, the Face of Aids Foundation, based at the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm.

The project will operate on the frontline of new digital development and will make its first presentation to international media and Aids networks in connection with the XV International Aids Conference in Bangkok in June 2004. A Global Network of young, digitally equipped and specially trained film teams will be facilitated by Face of Aids in a capacity-building process and in close collaboration with experienced national Aids networks. Cambodia and the leading Aids umbrella NGO, KHANA, based in the capital Phnom Penh, have been selected as the Pilot Case for Face of Aids. The plan is to have ten film teams up and running by August 2006. By then the plan is also to make an edited version of the Face of Aids Film Archive accessible free of charge via the Internet, DVD and digital media.