World AIDS Day takes place on 1 December each year. It’s an opportunity for people worldwide to unite in the fight against HIV, to show support for people living with HIV, and to commemorate those who have died from an AIDS-related illness.
Over 105,200 people are living with HIV in the UK. Despite the virus only being identified in 1984, more than 35 million people have died of HIV or AIDS related illnesses worldwide, making it one of the most destructive pandemics in history.
Today, HIV treatment means that people can live with undetectable HIV. Undetectable HIV means untransmittable HIV – if you have an undetectable viral load then you cannot pass HIV onto your sexual partners. Despite this, each year in the UK over 4,139 people are diagnosed with HIV. Many people do not know the facts about how to protect themselves and others, and stigma and discrimination remain a reality for many people living with the condition as well as a barrier to people getting tested.
What can I do on World AIDS Day?
- Buy a red ribbon. World AIDS Day is an opportunity to show solidarity with the millions of people living with HIV worldwide. Most people do this by wearing an HIV awareness red ribbon on the day. Order a red ribbon.
- Get tested. Getting tested is the only way to find out if you have HIV. If you are living with HIV, starting treatment early means you can live a full, healthy and productive life. Free and confidential HIV tests are available from NHS sexual health clinics.
- World AIDS Day may be once a year, but you can still support people living with HIV all year round. Sign up to National AIDS Trust’s mailing list to stay up-to-date with new developments in HIV, and learn how you can get involved as an activist or as a volunteer.
Positive East is east London’s HIV Charity that works closely with the NHS in north east London and is arranging for our local councils to fly red ribbon flags over their town halls this World Aids Day. Based in Stepney but operating across north east London, they provide information, advice, peer support, counselling, specialist psychology, health and wellbeing workshops for people living with HIV. Last year for World Aids Day, Director Mark Santos shared his reflections with us and you can read them here.
Positive East and the NHS in north east London are partners of the London Fast-Track Cities initiative, a global movement to end HIV by 2030. We know that to get London to zero new cases of HIV, zero preventable deaths and 100 per cent of people living well, we must fight stigma. Read more about our joint anti-stigma work.
Events in support of World Aids Day
Event: The World AIDS Day RED RUN
Date: Saturday, 27 November, 2021
Venue: Victoria Park, Grove Rd, London E3 5TB
Info: Over 1,300 people have signed up to run
Registration: Register here
Event: National AIDS Trust Gala live comedy event for World AIDS Day
Date: Monday, 29 November, 2021
Venue: Pleasance Theatre, Carpenters Mews, North Road, London N7 9EF
Registration: Tickets here
Event: Online Roundtable
Date: 4pm, Tuesday, November 30, 2021
Info: To commemorate World Aids Day 2021 the APPG on HIV & AIDS in collaboration with STOPAIDS is hosting a live online roundtable to discuss how quality of life and inequality can be put at the centre of political policy and the clinical care of HIV & AIDS. Confirmed Speakers: David Mundell MP, Andy Seale (WHO), Marc Thompson (Lovetank/Prepstar, LGBTQI+/BAME community UK speaker), Florence Anam (GNP+ Kenya).
Registration: Register here
Event: National AIDS Trust and Terrence Higgins Trust World AIDS Day Quiz
Date: 7:30pm,Tuesday, November 30, 2021
Venue: The London Art Bar, Lincoln House, 300-302 High Holborn, London WC1V 7JH
Registration: Register here
Event: Terrence Higgins Trust -40 Years of HIV, 1981 to 2021
Date: 2pm,Wednesday, 1 December, 2021
Info: The Brunswick Centre presents this online event to acknowledge those living with HIV and their experiences, to remember those we’ve lost and to highlight 40 years of HIV. Ian Green, Chief Executive of Terrence Higgins Trust, will be one of the speakers at this event.
Registration: Register here
Event: Terrence Higgins Trust – World AIDS Day mass
Date: 6pm, Wednesday, 1 December, 2021
Venue: Farm Street Jesuit Church, 114 Mount Street, Mayfair, London W1K 3AH
Info: Held by LGBT+ Catholics Westminster. The event will also be streamed live.
Registration: More information
Event: Terrence Higgins Trust – The Naked Truth Online
Date: 7pm,Wednesday, 1 December, 2021
Venue: Online
Info: The Naked Truth is an arts event whose mission is to end HIV stigma through the arts on World AIDS Day in the UK. This is the online premiere of the Live Gala Promo Film 2021.
Registration: Register here
