World AIDS Day – »Living together positively with HIV/AIDS«
The World AIDS Day was proclaimed by the United Nations in 1988 and has been held annually on 1st December ever since. It aims to encourage people to inform themselves about HIV and offers a great opportunity for people worldwide to show their support for people living with HIV in order to make sure they can fully participate in the life of the community – without stigma or discrimination.
Why a campaign on World AIDS Day?
World AIDS Day is the most important day of commemoration and activities concerning every aspect of HIV and AIDS. Experience has shown that media interest in the subject of AIDS culminates on this day. So, it is a good opportunity for drawing public attention to »Living with HIV« – and particularly for addressing the discrimination and stigmatization of those affected and at risk. Though solidarity is self-evident for large sections of the general public in Germany, discrimination in everyday life is still reported by many people living with HIV, both as an actual experience and a crippling fear.
To eliminate fear of contact with people with HIV to the greatest possible extent and to create a social climate against stigmatization and the exclusion of people with HIV/ AIDS, the Federal Centre for Health Education has for many years co-operated with The Federal Ministry of Health, the Deutsche AIDS-Hilfe and the Deutsche AIDS-Stiftung to organize a campaign and activities in connection with World AIDS Day. In 2010 the Federal Centre for Health Education and its partners jointly launched »Positiv zusammenleben« – »Living together positively with HIV/AIDS« – an anti-discrimination campaign, which has been carried out every year since.
What does the campaign look like?
The campaign website www.welt-aids-tag.de offers information about the campaign itself, the latest facts and figures related to HIV/AIDS, provides information materials and gives the opportunity for schools, HIV counselling services and others to publish their local and regional activities planned on World AIDS Day.