Equal Opportunities

World AIDS Day 2008

The 21st World AIDS Day takes place on Saturday, 1 December 2008. World AIDS Day is celebrated each year on the first of December to raise public consciousness about the people around the world currently living with HIV.

The National AIDS Trust's 2008 World AIDS Day website www.worldaidsday.org reflects NAT's UK theme for World AIDS Day 2008, "Respect & Protect".

Respect & Protect inspires individuals to consider the different roles they can play:

• Showing respect by always treating people living with HIV fairly,
• Respecting their confidentiality and challenging prejudice wherever it occurs.
• Respecting themselves and their partners by always practising safer sex to protect their sexual health.
• Finding out the facts about HIV, spreading the 'Respect & Protect' message and encouraging others to do the same.

HIV is increasing in every region in the world, including the UK. There are now 40 million people living with HIV worldwide and more than 70,000 people living with HIV in the UK.

More information

The National AIDS Trust (NAT) is the UK's leading HIV and AIDS policy development and campaigning organisation. It aims to prevent the spread of HIV, ensure people living with HIV have access to treatment and care, and eradicate HIV-related stigma and discrimination.

• National AIDS Trust web site: http://www.nat.org.uk/
• For more information on World AIDS Day (and for events in your area and ways to get involved), visit the official World AIDS Day site at: www.worldAIDSday.org.