Days Until World AIDS Day

About World AIDS Day

December 1 was established in 1988 by the World Health Organization, the first ever internationally designated global health day, created to raise awareness of the then-rapidly growing HIV/AIDS epidemic.

UNAIDS estimates tens of millions of people have died from AIDS-related illnesses since the epidemic began, while also reporting major progress in recent decades in expanding access to antiretroviral treatment that has turned HIV into a manageable chronic condition for many.

The day is traditionally marked with a red ribbon symbol, first used in 1991 by a group of New York artists, which has since become one of the most widely recognized health-awareness symbols worldwide.

The red ribbon symbol associated with the day was directly inspired by yellow ribbons used to honor US troops, adapted by the New York artist collective specifically to signal compassion for people affected by HIV/AIDS.