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December 1 marks World AIDS Day, an opportunity for people worldwide
to unite in the battle against HIV, one of the most destructive
pandemics in history.
People worldwide show support for people living with HIV on World AIDS
Day by wearing a red ribbon, the international symbol of HIV awareness
and support.
World AIDS Day was the first ever global health day and the first one
was held in 1988. Since then, numerous events and campaigns have been
organised around the world to spread awareness about this disease.
This year, the theme for World AIDS Day is "Focus, Partner, Achieve:
An AIDS-free Generation."
History of World AIDS Day
James Bunn and Thomas Netter, two public information officers for the
Global Programme on AIDS at the World Health Organisation are credited
for conceptualising this idea in August, 1987. Bunn and Netter then
seeked approval of Dr Jonathan Mann, the former head of the Global
Programme on Aids (now known as UNAIDS). It was then decided to
observe the first World AIDS Day on 1, December 1988.
In 1996, UNAIDS took over the planning and promotion of World AIDS
Day. The White House began marking the day with a display of a 28-foot
Aids ribbon in 2007, as the first symbol to hang on the building since
the Lincoln administration.
Credit: Ritu Singh
