World AIDS Day Observances Globally

Since 1988 World AIDS Day has been observed on December 1st & this year’s theme is "Overcoming Disruption, Transforming The AIDS Response". This emphasizes the challenges facing the HIV response due to disruptions & calls for renewed commitment through resilience, innovation & human-rights-centered approaches to end the epidemic by 2030. According to the World Health Organization more than one million people acquired HIV in 2024 alone. The Save HIV Funding Campaign has released a newly updated Action Alert announcing a coordinated national week of action with partner organizations to call on Congress to reject proposed federal cuts that would jeopardize vital HIV prevention, care & treatment programs. There will be events taking place nationally & globally. The National AIDS Memorial’s World AIDS Day Observance at the National AIDS Memorial Grove takes place on Monday December 1st from 11:30A to 1:30P PST. The Golden Gate Park event in San Francisco, CA is to remember those lost to HIV/AIDS & educate younger generations about the leadership & activism associated with this disease. This annual conversation strives toward an HIV/AIDS-free future where communities are never again harmed by fear, silence, discrimination or stigma. This year the National AIDS Memorial will host a special panel exploring the power of artistic response during the AIDS crisis & its continuing role in movements for social justice today. The panel will reflect on the legacy of artistic activism & consider how creative practice continues to build empathy, fight stigma & elevate community resilience. A few years ago I talked to Cleve Jones in this exclusive audio byte about how AIDS has affected our LGBTQ community. LISTEN