International
World AIDS Day since 1 December 1988
without names
Over the decades World AIDS Day has served to raise awareness about the HIV epidemic, honor those who have died, focus attention on issues that are key to a successful response, and inspire positive action.
It was first promoted by the Global Programme on AIDS at the World Health Organization in Geneva, Switzerland and first observed on 1st December 1988.
The Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) became operational in 1996. The following year it created the World AIDS Campaign to take over the planning of World AIDS Day and to promote civil society action. In 2004, the World AIDS Campaign became an independent organization and continues to coordinate World AIDS Day with hundreds of partner organisations.
Informed by those most affected by the epidemic the World AIDS Campaign goal is to ensure that governments and policy makers meet the HIV targets they have agreed, and mobilise the necessary resources for a world where people do not die of AIDS and opportunistic infections like TB. At the heart of the commitment is the publically stated ambition of universal access – so everyone has non-discriminatory and non-judgmental access to adequate prevention, treatment, care and support.
Employing a rights-based approach, the World AIDS Campaign collaborates with a diverse range of communities, including people living with HIV, sex workers, men who have sex with men, people who use drugs, women, young people, religious groups, labour, media, parliamentarians, academics and business.
From its inception the World AIDS Day theme has been selected in close consultation with civil society, non-government and government agencies involved in the AIDS response. It is now the longest-running disease awareness and prevention initiative of its kind in the history of public health.

World AIDS Campaign