NATIONAL AIDS TRUST LAUNCHES CAMPAIGN IN 100 DAY COUNTDOWN TO WORLD AIDS DAY

Diigo

The National AIDS Trust (NAT) is starting a 100 day countdown to this year's World AIDS Day, 1 December with the announcement of the 2006 UK theme, You, Me, Us and the launch of its Virtual Red Ribbon campaign. You, Me, Us - We can prevent the spread of HIV and end prejudice will provide a unifying theme for events and activities taking place around the UK under the World AIDS Day banner in a bid to raise awareness about the growing numbers of people living with HIV in the UK and around the world. 

The Virtual Red Ribbon campaign aims to get 7,000 organisations wearing an online ribbon to show their support for World AIDS Day. Each Virtual Red  Ribbon worn will represent one person who will be newly diagnosed with HIV this year in the UK, and will direct people to the UK World AIDS Day website, www.worldaidsday.org where they can take action. 

The UK World AIDS Day website, is the first port of call for information on how to protect yourself and others from HIV as well as the state of the UK and global pandemic. The website seeks to equip people to take action to prevent the spread of HIV and end prejudice and asks people to make an online pledge to take action for World AIDS Day. Personal stories about what action people intend to take can be read or submitted at www.worldaidsday.org/stories

HIV facts
7,000 people are newly diagnosed in the UK every year despite the fact that HIV is a preventable virus.

Both gay men and African-born people in the UK are disproportionately affected by HIV. Infections among heterosexuals and intravenous drug users are also beginning to increase.  

The campaign website includes ideas for taking action including wearing a red ribbon, organising a Red fundraising event, ensuring your workplace doesn't discriminate against people with HIV and campaigning for free treatment for all. More ideas can be found at www.worldaidsday.org/takeaction  

Yusef Azad, Director of Policy and Campaigns at the National AIDS Trust, said:  

'HIV is a preventable virus, yet 7,000 people are newly diagnosed every year in the UK. We can prevent the spread of HIV and end prejudice by people working together. With 100 days to go before World AIDS Day, now is the opportunity to take action."

Jacqui White, Director of Online Communication at Edelman has been heavily involved in all of the World AIDS Day's online communications programmes over the past three years.  In launching this year's campaign, she said:  "The Virtual Red Ribbon is a quick and simple way for organisations of all sizes and natures to show their support for World AIDS Day.  Our supporters in the past have included everyone from Ken Livingstone and Oxfam to British Airways and the BBC.  With the additional visibility that the RED Campaign has given HIV and AIDS this year, we are confident we can beat our standing record of 17,000."

Diigo