World AIDS Day

According to UNAIDS estimates, there are now 33.2 million people living with HIV, including 2.5 million children. During 2007 some 2.5 million people became newly infected with the virus. Around half of all people who become infected with HIV do so before they are 25 and are killed by AIDS before they are 35.

Around 95% of people with HIV/AIDS live in developing nations. But HIV today is a threat to men, women and children on all continents around the world.

Started on 1st December 1988, World AIDS Day is not just about raising money, but also about increasing awareness, fighting prejudice and improving education. World AIDS Day is important in reminding people that HIV has not gone away, and that there are many things still to be done.

The theme for World AIDS Day 2008

World AIDS Day was originally organised by UNAIDS, who chose the theme after consultation with other organisations. In 2005 UNAIDS handed over responsibility for World AIDS Day to an independent organisation known as The World AIDS Campaign (WAC).

The WAC’s slogan for their work is "Stop AIDS: Keep the Promise". This is an appeal to governments, policy makers and regional health authorities to ensure that they meet the many targets that have been set in the fight against HIV and AIDS, and especially the promise of universal access to HIV treatment, care, support and prevention services by 2010. This campaign will run until 2010, with a related theme chosen for World AIDS Day each year.

The theme for 2007 and 2008 is “leadership”, highlighting the need for innovation, vision and perseverance in the face of the AIDS challenge. The campaign calls on all sectors of society such as families, communities and civil society organisations - rather than just governments - to take the initiative and provide leadership on AIDS.

Stop AIDS in Children

In line with this year's theme, AVERT is running the Stop AIDS in Children campaign to call for urgent action in the prevention of mother-to-child transmission (PMTCT).

Currently only 9% of pregnant women living with HIV in the developing world are provided with drugs to prevent the virus being transmitted to their babies. As a result, nearly half a million children become infected with HIV every year. The Stop AIDS in Children campaign is calling on governments and international agencies to urgently improve PMTCT coverage worldwide.

Watch the video to learn more about the campaign.

Previous World AIDS Day themes

World AIDS Day themes over the years have included:

2008 - Stop AIDS; Keep the Promise - Leadership
2007 - Stop AIDS; Keep the Promise - Leadership
2006 - Stop AIDS; Keep the Promise - Accountability
2005 - Stop AIDS; Keep the Promise
2004 - Women, Girls, HIV and AIDS
2003 - Stigma & Discrimination
2002 - Stigma & Discrimination
2001 - I care. Do you?
2000 - AIDS : Men make a difference
1999 - Listen, Learn, Live: World AIDS Campaign with Children & Young People
1998 - Force for Change: World AIDS Campaign With Young People
1997 - Children Living in a World with AIDS
1996 - One World, One Hope
1995 - Shared Rights, Shared Responsibilities
1994 - AIDS & the Family
1993 - Act
1992 - Community Commitment
1991 - Sharing the Challenge
1990 - Women & AIDS
1989 - Youth
1988 - Communication

To learn more about what is happening around the world, or to list any events that you may be holding locally this World AIDS Day, please visit the WAC's events calendar.

The AIDS red ribbon

The red ribbon is an international symbol of AIDS awareness that is worn by people all year round and particularly around World AIDS Day to demonstrate care and concern about HIV and AIDS, and to remind others of the need for their support and commitment.

The red ribbon started as a "grass roots" effort; as a result there is no one official AIDS ribbon manufacturer, and many people make their own. It's easily done - just use some ordinary red ribbon and a safety pin!

What can I do to support World AIDS Day?

There are many ways in which you can support World AIDS Day. For example:

Raise awareness of HIV and AIDS in your area
Wear a red ribbon and ask others to do the same
Sign up as a supporter of the Stop AIDS in Children campaign
Protect yourself and your partners - this is the first and best way to stop the spread of HIV
If you are worried - get tested

At school or work, you can support World AIDS Day by:

Having a dressing up, down or fancy dress day
Putting up some posters - get people talking
Making and selling red ribbons
Organising a creative writing/poster campaign
Setting up a debate or a quiz - there are lots of ideas for topics on our site
Cooking an international meal or having a cake sale
Arranging a sponsored three-legged race or balloon release
Getting your friends, family, colleagues or pupils to express their feelings and expand their knowledge about AIDS
Using your imagination!

World AIDS Day on the web

The internet is a great way to reach people all around the world - other people in many countries are reading this page right now. People now spend more of their daily lives online - at work, at school, at home. People shop, chat, make new friends, study and work online. If you want to get a message to as many people as possible, this could be the way to do it.

Think about:

Providing information on your website about World AIDS Day, and about any local events taking place in your community.
Asking your school, college or employer to provide information on their website.
Listing your event on the World AIDS Campaign and/or National AIDS Trust website.
Learning more about HIV and AIDS: AVERT.org has a great deal of information about AIDS, about the global epidemic, HIV and AIDS statistics and education. Other sites specifically related to the "Keep the Promise" theme can be found in our links page.

Take the World AIDS Day quiz

Think you know your stuff for World AIDS Day?

Try our World AIDS Day quiz!

Raise money for AVERT

Assessing the circumstances of an AIDS orphan in rural KwaZulu Natal

Assessing the needs of an AIDS orphan

in rural KwaZulu Natal, South Africa

Raising money for AVERT will help valuable AIDS work to continue, as well as raising awareness about HIV. Quite simply, helping AIDS charities saves people's lives.

For World AIDS Day this year we are asking people to help us support our Tholulwazi project in the northern part of KwaZulu Natal, South Africa. You can read more about Tholuwazi and how AVERT is helping in our about AVERT page.

Unlike many AIDS charities we receive no government funding, so we rely entirely on donations to support our overseas projects. To learn about the many ways you can donate to AVERT, please visit our donations page.

Together we can work towards an AIDS-free world