World AIDS Day: December 1, 2011

Each year, December 1 marks World AIDS Day, when activists around the world come together to raise awareness of the global HIV epidemic, fight stigma and discrimination, and advocate for increased efforts to support comprehensive HIV education and prevention.

This year's theme "Getting to Zero" supports UNAIDS' multi-year Getting to Zero strategy that puts forward three core visions: Zero New Infections, Zero AIDS Related Deaths, and Zero Discrimination. The theme underscores the importance of continuing to focus on preventing new infections, ensuring access to treatment, and ending stigma and discrimination of marginalized communities, such as young people who are living with HIV/AIDS, LGBT, sex workers, and injecting drug users, among others. Thirty years into the epidemic, while there have been important declines in HIV prevalence among young people in some of the most affected countries, 41 percent of all new HIV infections are still among youth age 15-24.

- Learn more about World AIDS Day.
- Read the UNAIDS' Getting to Zero Strategy

It's easy to get involved on World AIDS Day:

1) Join Advocates' World AIDS Day Blogathon

From December 1 to 8, Advocates will be hosting its annual World AIDS Day blogathon on Amplify as a part of the global movement of young people fighting to end HIV/AIDS. Share your stories about how HIV/AIDS has affected you, post your perspective on HIV policies and programs in your country, reflect on your successes and lessons, or upload pictures or video to share your ideas about where we are today — 30 years into the epidemic.

All new blogathon posts will be featured on this page — and many will be spotlighted on the Amplify home page as well.

2) Sign our petition urging President Obama to stand up and fight for young people this World AIDS Day and every day leading up to and after the International AIDS Conference next July.

In July, the International AIDS Conference will be held in Washington, DC, bringing more than 20,000 delegates from around the world together to discuss scientific research, share best practices, and shape the future policy and program direction of HIV/AIDS prevention, treatment and care efforts. Key players in the global response to AIDS will be in attendance, including Heads of State and foreign dignitaries, the U.S. Global AIDS Coordinator, Ministers of Health, Parliamentarians and Members of Congress.

We cannot let this opportunity pass by without demanding that the head of the host country, U.S. President Barack Obama, stand up and fight for young people affected by HIV and AIDS.

3) Spread the word and help us get others to sign the petition as well. Share the petition on Facebook and Twitter!

Why is it important that President Obama hear from you?

• Because funding for HIV/AIDS prevention, treatment and care continues to fall short of the need.
• Because US-funded HIV clinics overseas fail to provide a full range of contraceptive supplies to women who want to plan their families.
• Because too many young people are denied their right to comprehensive sexuality education to help protect them from HIV and AIDS.
• And because it's unacceptable that 41 percent of new HIV infections worldwide occur among young people aged 15-24, yet young people are rarely included in program and policy decisions that directly affect them.

4) Learn more about HIV. Check out these pages:

- HIV Issues Page
- HIV Health Facts
- Living Positive

5) Table to raise awareness about HIV/AIDS!

When it comes to tabling, there are some important things to remember...

1. Define your goal and be prepared! If you're collecting signatures for a petition, be prepared to explain why it's important for people to sign on. If you're distributing condoms, make sure you can talk about why it's important to use condoms. If you're selling tickets for a World AIDS Day benefit, talk up the performers, where the money goes and why World AIDS Day is important.

2. Make it pretty. Nobody wants an unattractive table. The point is to spark the interest of folks who are walking by to stop and find out more information about your cause. Be sure you have large signs or posters on the front of or behind your table that spark folks' interest. For example: "Today is World AIDS Day…do you know your status?" or "Today is World AIDS Day…What are you doing to help stop the pandemic?"

3. Don't hide behind the table. If you look like you don't want to talk to anyone, they won't want to talk to you! Get up! Walk around. Talk to strangers! Encourage them to check out your table for more information.

4. Partners are best. Ideally you want someone in front of the table bringing folks in as well as someone behind the table with the information.

5. Handouts are a must! Handouts include fliers, quarter sheets and/or awesome freebies. Make sure that the information you distribute has a website or email address where they can contact someone to get more involved. And who doesn't love cool free stuff? For example, if you are tabling for World AIDS Day, condoms and red ribbons are awesome to give away. (Do not pin condoms to your ribbons!)

6. Sign-up sheets help grown your constituency. The point is to get more people involved in your work. Be sure to have a place where they can sign up for emails about next steps, organizational meetings or future events.

7. Music is a plus! That is, if it's fun music. And not so loud you can't hear the person behind the table talking. If you can find music related to your cause, that's also helpful.

8. Have fun! Show people why you are passionate about your cause. Look busy and not bored. When tabling, you are the face of your cause!