World AIDS Day is Thursday, December 1. The Four A’s and the Interior AIDS Association have organized events including candlelight vigils in Anchorage, Fairbanks, and Juneau.

World AIDS Day is celebrated on December 1 each year around the world. It has become one of the most recognized international health days and a key opportunity to raise awareness, commemorate those who have passed on, and celebrate victories such as increased access to treatment and prevention services. Events including candlelight vigils are scheduled in Anchorage, Fairbanks, and Juneau.

More than one million people are living with HIV in the U.S., and more than one in five (21%) of them are unaware of their infection, according to estimates of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The Alaskan AIDS Assistance Association (Four A’s) reports that there have been 1,394 reported cases of HIV infection in Alaska since 1982. In 2010, 38 Alaskans were newly diagnosed with HIV.

Internationally, the theme of World AIDS Day for 2011 to 2015, as decided by the World AIDS Campaign’s Global Steering Committee, is Getting to Zero: zero new HIV infections, zero discrimination, and zero AIDS-related deaths. The Four A’s has joined in with this theme, declaring its own theme this year as Aim for Zero:

We are aiming for zero stigma, zero discrimination, zero risk, zero new cases and most importantly, zero deaths.

The Four A’s and the Interior AIDS Association have organized events including candlelight vigils in Anchorage, Fairbanks, and Juneau.

Anchorage

Join us at Four A’s for a night of awareness and a candlelight vigil. Following the vigil from 9 to midnight, there will a Condom Pub Crawl in downtown Anchorage bars, during which AMP and VOX will be distributing free red ribbons and condoms.

• Date/time: Thursday, December 1, 6:00–7:30 PM
• Location: Alaskan AIDS Assistance Association (Four A’s), 1057 W Fireweed, Ste 102, Anchorage, AK (see map)
• Further info: see Facebook events page

Fairbanks

Join the Interior AIDS Association, West Valley High School GSA, and the Pride Foundation for an evening in commemoration of World AIDS Day. Refreshments at 5:30; program including presentations from the West Valley High School GSA and the Pride Foundation begin at 6pm. The evening will end with a candlelight vigil at 7.

• Date/time: Thursday, Dec 1. Refreshments at 5:30 PM; program begins 6:00 PM; candlelight vigil begins 7:00 PM.
• Location: Morris Thompson Cultural and Visitors Center, 101 Dunkel St, Fairbanks, AK (see map)
• Further info: see Interior AIDS Association Calendar of Events or the Facebook events page

Juneau

• Date/time: Thursday, December 1, 6:00 PM
• Location: Baranof Hotel, 127 N Franklin St, Juneau, AK (see map)