The International AIDS Day is traditionally celebrated on December 1. This event was organized to highlight the problem of infectious disease in mass media, which was of no small importance for the successful conduct of the fight against AIDS.
History of the holiday
In 1988, when elections were held in the United States, the media constantly looked for fresh information. Then it was decided that the December 1 date is ideally suited for the day of HIV / AIDS prevention, since the elections have already passed, and there is enough time until the Christmas holidays. This period, in fact, was a white spot in the news calendar, which could be filled with World AIDS Day.
Since 1996, the United Nations has undertaken the planning and promotion of a worldwide day of the World AIDS Day. And since 1997, the UN has called on the world community to pay attention to the problem of the AIDS virus not only on December 1, but also throughout the year to conduct preventive activities among the population. In 2004, an independent organization, the Worldwide Company Against AIDS, appeared.
The purpose of the event
World AIDS Day was created in order to make the world public aware of HIV and AIDS, and also be able to show international solidarity in the face of the epidemic.
On this day, all organizations have a real opportunity to provide any information about this disease to every person on the planet. Thanks to all sorts of actions, it was possible to learn as much information about AIDS as possible, on how, avoiding infection, following simple rules, and what to do with his first symptoms. In addition, people are told why, if certain rules are observed, do not be afraid of people who are sick with AIDS. Infected can lead a normal lifestyle, the same as healthy people. Do not turn away from them, just know how to communicate with them correctly.
According to statistical data alone, more than 35 million people aged 15-50 years are infected. At the same time, most of them are working population. If people are added here unofficially, then the number of infected people can be much greater. The most common cases are new infections and AIDS deaths in sub-Saharan Africa.
The World AIDS Day is becoming an important annual event for many countries. And although the event is scheduled to take place on December 1, many communities organize a variety of AIDS-related activities for several weeks before and after.
What does the red ribbon symbolize?
Over the past few years, no event dedicated to the fight against AIDS, can not do without a special badge - a red ribbon. This symbol, which signifies an understanding of the seriousness of the disease, was created back in 1991.
For the first time, ribbons that resemble an inverted "V", but green, were seen during military operations in the Persian Gulf. Then they were a symbol of the experiences associated with the killing of children in Atlanta.
P More recently, the famous artist of New York, Frank Moore, had an idea to make the same ribbon, only red, a symbol of the fight against AIDS.
All organizations aimed at fighting AIDS hope that on December 1 every person on the planet will wear such a ribbon.
At the advent of many years, the red ribbon has become quite popular. She is worn on the lapel of her jacket, in the fields of her hat, and at any place where you can pin a pin. It should be noted that at one time the red ribbon was part of the dress code at ceremonies like Emmy, Tony and Oscar.