December 1 is the World AIDS Day. It was the first dedicated to health in the world, that specific date was chosen for reasons of media impact, being the first day of December.
The first time this celebration was held was in 1988 and since that date due to the virus, more than 25 million people have died around the world, which is one of the most destructive epidemics in history.
This day is one of the most recognized in the world and is an opportunity to remember those who have died, raise awareness and celebrate victories such as access to prevention services and antiretroviral treatments.
In 2004 the Joint United Nations Program on HIV / AIDS (UNAIDS) was created and in 2011 it was decided to change the name International Day to Fight AIDS to International Day of Action against AIDS, for consider that the word “fight” has a warmongering connotation.
Starting in 2021, UNAIDS calls it World AIDS Day.
Since then, themes have been proposed which have a duration of one to two years and are not only used for the world day but to work for the fight against the disease in general.
This year’s motto is: End inequalities. End AIDS. End pandemics.
This motto focuses on putting an end to inequalities, since only in this way can the sustainable development goals be achieved, and end the AIDS pandemic, COVID-19 and other future pandemics that may befall humanity.