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World AIDS Day
Today, December 1st, is World AIDS Day. An international day of action on HIV and AIDS, which is generally commemorated with the wearing of the Red Ribbon as a sing of support and hope for those living with HIV/AIDS. The World AIDS Day site provides stories fo those wearing the ribbon and facts about AIDS and HIV. 
The site is run by the National AIDS Trust (NAT) (about), which is an indepedent policy and campaigning voice from the United Kingdom working on the issue of HIV and AIDS. The NAT's three stated goals are to prevent the spread of HIV, to ensure people have access to treatment and care, and to eradicate HIV-related stigma and discrimination.
A critical part of World AIDS Day is the idea of "Keep the Promise" which is an appeal to various governments that they meet the targets they have agreed to to fight HIV and AIDS.
Just to give you a little information, from Avert.org:
According to UNAIDS estimates, there are 38 million adults and 2.3 million children living with HIV, and during 2005 some 4.9 million people became newly infected with the virus. Around half of all people who become infected with HIV do so before they are 25 and are killed by AIDS before they are 35.
And bear in mind that some 95% of those with HIV/AIDS are people who live in developing countries. To put it another way, while southern Africa only represents 10% of the planet's population, it has 60% of those diagnosed with AIDS. Beyond this, it is not uncommon for about 45% of the pregnant women who show up at clinics in southern Africa to be infected with HIV/AIDS.
Additional resources on World AIDS Day:
Avert.org
NAACP's World AIDS Day Proclamation 2005 (PDF)
UNAIDS - Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS
UNAIDS/WHO AIDS Epidemic Update - Dec. 2005
The National Institutue of Health World AIDS Day, 2001 (lists resources)
From NPR:
World Aids Day and HIV in the Black Community
'Yesterday': The Saga of an African AIDS Victim
South African Bishop Opposes Vatican's Ban on Condoms
AIDS Epidemic Worsens in Southern Africa
More information on AIDS:
aids.org
The Body - The Complete HIV/AIDS Resource
WHO (World Health Organization) HIV info
— michael | December 1, 2005 08:11 AM | Something to think about
