World AIDS Day

I celebrated the First World AIDS day on December 1, 1988 in relatively small room at the United Nations when a group of gay men who worked for UNICEF and the World Health Organization decided to create more awareness. It was an odd collection of mostly gay men and their peers who worked at the UN (about 60-70 pp). If there was stigma in the US, there was even more worldwide. It's hard to imagine the obstacles to organizing such an event we now take for granted.

What I remember most about that day was my partner turning to me and whispering to me during the solemn ceremony 'Won't this room look different in 10 years.' It was truly prophetic. At the time, I think most people saw AIDS as a gay men's disease.

Two weeks away, I hope you will remember, celebrate, honor and renew you commitment by getting involved in your own personal way:

http://www.worldaidsday.org/index.php

http://www.worldaidscampaign.org/

http://www.who.int/mediacentre/events/annual/world_aids_day/en/index.html

http://www.avert.org/world-aids-day.htm