The Red Ribbon is the global symbol for solidarity with HIV-positive people and those living with AIDS.

World AIDS Day, observed December 1 each year, is dedicated to raising
awareness of the AIDS pandemic caused by the spread of HIV infection. It
is common to hold memorials to honor persons who have died from
HIV/AIDS on this day. Government and health officials also observe the
event, often with speeches or forums on the AIDS topics. Since 1995, the
President of the United States has made an official proclamation on
World AIDS Day. Governments of other nations have followed suit and
issued similar announcements.

AIDS has killed more than 25 million people between 1981 and 2007,[1]
and an estimated 33.2 million people worldwide live with HIV as of 2007,
making it one of the most destructive epidemics in recorded history.
Despite recent, improved access to antiretroviral treatment and care in
many regions of the world, the AIDS epidemic claimed an estimated 2
million lives in 2007,[3] of which about 270,000 were children.


World AIDS Day was first conceived in August 1987 by James W. Bunn and
Thomas Netter, two public information officers for the Global Programme
on AIDS at the World Health Organization in Geneva, Switzerland. Bunn
and Netter took their idea to Dr. Jonathan Mann, Director of the Global
Programme on AIDS (now known as UNAIDS). Dr. Mann liked the concept,
approved it, and agreed with the recommendation that the first
observance of World AIDS Day should be 1 December, 1988.

Bunn, a broadcast journalist on a leave-of-absence from his reporting
duties at KPIX-TV in San Francisco, recommended the date of 1 December
believing it would maximize coverage by western news media. Since 1988
was an election year in the U.S., Bunn suggested that media outlets
would be weary of their post-election coverage and eager to find a fresh
story to cover. Bunn and Netter determined that 1 December was long
enough after the election and soon enough before the Christmas holidays
that it was, in effect, a dead spot in the news calendar and thus
perfect timing for World AIDS Day.

On 18 June, 1986 KPIX'S “AIDS Lifeline," a community education project,
was honored with a Presidential Citation for Private Sector Initiatives
presented by President Ronald Reagan. Because of his role as a
co-creator of "AIDS Lifeline" Bunn was asked by Dr. Mann, on behalf of
the U.S. government, to take a two-year leave-of-absence to join Dr.
Mann, an epidemiologist for the Centers for Disease Control, and assist
in the creation of the Global Programme on AIDS for the United Nations'
World Health Organization. Mr. Bunn accepted and was named the first
Public Information Officer for the Global Programme on AIDS. Along with
Mr. Netter Bunn conceived, designed, and implemented the inaugural World
AIDS Day observance – now the longest-running disease awareness and
prevention initiative of its kind in the history of public health.

The Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) became
operational in 1996, and it took over the planning and promotion of
World AIDS Day. Rather than focus on a single day, UNAIDS created the
World AIDS Campaign in 1997 to focus on year-round communications,
prevention and education.

In its first two years, the theme of World AIDS Day focused on children
and young people. These themes were strongly criticized at the time for
ignoring the fact that people of all ages may become infected with HIV
and suffer from AIDS. But the themes drew attention to the HIV/AIDS
epidemic, helped alleviate some of the stigma surrounding the disease,
and helped boost recognition of the problem as a family disease.

In 2004, the World AIDS Campaign became an independent organization.

Each year, Popes John Paul II and Benedict XVI have released a greeting message for patients and doctors on World AIDS Day.
Choosing the theme

From its inception until 2004, UNAIDS spearheaded the World AIDS Day
campaign, choosing annual themes in consultation with other global
health organizations.

As of 2008, each year's World AIDS Day theme is chosen by the World AIDS
Campaign's Global Steering Committee after extensive consultation with
people, organizations and government agencies involved in the prevention
and treatment of HIV/AIDS For each World AIDS Day from 2005 through
2010, the theme will be "Stop AIDS. Keep the Promise.", with a yearly
sub-theme. This overarching theme is designed to encourage political
leaders to keep their commitment to achieve universal access to HIV/AIDS
prevention, treatment, care, and support by the year 2010.

This theme is not specific to World AIDS Day, but is used year-round in
WAC's efforts to highlight HIV/AIDS awareness within the context of
other major global events including the G8 Summit. World AIDS Campaign
also conducts "in-country" campaigns throughout the world, like the
Student Stop AIDS Campaign, an infection-awareness campaign targeting
young people throughout the UK.


 
A large red ribbon hangs between columns in the north portico of the White House for World AIDS Day, November 30, 2007
 
A 67 m long "condom" on the Obelisk of Buenos Aires, Argentina, part of an awareness campaign for the 2005 World AIDS Day