Twenty years ago, a summit of health ministers realised that a united global effort was required to halt the spread of HIV and AIDS. As a result, World AIDS Day emerged as the first international health day in December 1988.
The aim of World AIDS Day is to bring to people's attention the worldwide challenges and consequences of the epidemic-ultimately, preventing the spread of HIV and improving the lives of people living with the virus.
Each year the campaign is an opportunity for organisations throughout the world to highlight the HIV pandemic in order to raise awareness and bring about change. Explore the links below to learn more.
World AIDS Day 2007
Role of National AIDS Trust
The red ribbon
In the UK, the theme of World AIDS Day 2007 is Understanding Through Communication. The campaign aims to highlight the importance of open communication in breaking down the silence around HIV, get people talking about HIV, and thus increase understanding and knowledge of those around them.
The theme ties in with this year's international theme for World AIDS Day: "Leadership", as it inspires us all to take the lead in breaking down the ignorance and fear around HIV through communication. For more information about the international theme for World AIDS Day visit the World AIDS Campaign website.
The National AIDS Trust has played a co-ordinating role for World AIDS Day in the UK since 1988. Each year, the National AIDS Trust chooses an appropriate theme for World AIDS Day, designs posters and information resources and develops and manages the World AIDS Day website, the main portal of information for World AIDS Day in the UK.
Information on World AIDS Day events going on throughout the UK can be found on the events section of this website. World AIDS Day posters, leaflets, red ribbons and other campaign materials produced by the National AIDS Trust are available at our online shop and are displayed in a wide range of community settings including health centres, youth clubs, schools and GP surgeries around the country.
The red ribbon is worn as a sign of support for people living with HIV. Wearing a red ribbon for World AIDS Day is a simple and powerful way to challenge the stigma and prejudice surrounding HIV and AIDS that prevents us from tackling HIV in the UK and internationally.
The red ribbon has been an international symbol of AIDS awareness since 1991. The Red Ribbon Project was created by the New York based organisation Visual AIDS, which brought together artists to create a symbol of support for the growing number of people living with HIV in the US.
The red ribbon is the result of collaboration between community artists who wanted to create a non-copyrighted image that could be used as an awareness-raising tool by people across the world.
