Marquéalo: Today Is World AIDS Day

Today is the 20th annual World AIDS Day. 33 million people are currently living with HIV, with about one million of those residing in the United States. Although the percentage of adults with AIDS has leveled off since 2000, there is a rise in people infected with the virus in places like China, Vietnam, Mozambique, Russia, Indonesia and Kenya. So there’s still work to be done, on a global scale. This year’s theme is “Lead – Empower – Deliver” and aims to focus on leadership initiates to combat the spread of the virus all over the world.

The United States government’s site includes a special project to raise awareness in which you might wish to participate.

Details below:

Join the “Facing AIDS: World AIDS Day 2008” Campaign

In four easy steps, you can help reduce the stigma around HIV/AIDS:

1. Take a picture of yourself wearing a red ribbon. Be creative!

2. Add the photo to your social network profiles, Twitter, blog, and/or website before December 1. Leave it up for at least a week.

3. Add your photo to the “World AIDS Day 08” Flickr group!

4. Encourage your friends to do the same and to promote HIV testing!

Getting tested is probably one of the more immediate things you can do today to help both raise awareness (by encouraging friends to do the same) and have peace of mind.

Join AIDS.gov to promote this important day! [AIDS.gov]