World AIDS Day 2018: Everything You Need to Know About the Annual HIV Awareness Campaign

World AIDS Day marks its 30th anniversary on December 1st.

United Nations Member States have been observing this date every year since 1988, which demonstrates support for people currently living with HIV and an opportunity to remember the victims of the AIDS-related illness.

The recent publication of the biopic Queen Bohemian Rhapsody coincided with the 27th anniversary of the death of Freddie Mercury, the leader of the group, who had missed much in 1991, a timely reminder of the devastating effect of the disease.

The virus was only identified in 1984, when it triggered a major international fright. It was wrongly assumed that it only concerned members of the LGBT + community, but it has already killed 35 million people and infected 78 million people worldwide.

Although significant scientific advances have been made over the last 34 years, those who suffer from them continue to face stigma and discrimination because of their ignorance of the nature of the disease.

In the United Kingdom, approximately 101,000 people are currently living with HIV in approximately 36.9 million worldwide, and 5,000 new cases are diagnosed each year in Britain.

Journalists James W Bunn and Thomas Netter, both members of the World Health Organization (WHO), conceived of World AIDS Day in August 1987, but it is run by the Joint United Nations Program. on HIV / AIDS (UNAIDS) since 1996.

The pope, the president of the United States and other world leaders all take the opportunity to reaffirm their commitment to eradicate the disease, a goal that the United Nations hopes to achieve by 2030.

The White House has proudly displayed a 10-meter-tall red ribbon since its northern porch since 2007, underscoring the oval office's commitment in the fight against AIDS following George W. Bush's introduction of the President's Emergency Plan for Fighting AIDS (PEPFAR), afflicted around the world.

Last year, French President Emmanuel Macron was tested for HIV at the Delafontaine Hospital in Saint-Denis, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle visited Terrence Higgins Trust in Nottingham, while Mariah Carey was conducting a concert in Los Angeles. Famous landmarks were illuminated by red lights in Mexico City, Shanghai.

Each year, UNAIDS, WHO and a core set of NGOs agree on the theme of the day to draw attention to different aspects of the disease.

In 2018, the "Know Your Status" theme encourages people to undergo medical tests to determine whether or not they have the virus and to ensure that anyone with a positive diagnosis is put in contact with quality care and the prevention services they need.

Those wishing to show their support for the cause in the United Kingdom on World AIDS Day can donate to the National Aids Trust online or by purchasing a lapel ribbon online or at MAC Cosmetics stores and in some branches of Morrisons and HSBC.