Title
Declaring December 1st as World AIDS Day in Philadelphia.
Body
WHEREAS, The concept of observing World AIDS Day was the brainchild of Jonathan Mann, Director of the Global Programme on AIDS, at the World Health Organization and, in 1988, at the World Summit of Ministers of Health, programs for AIDS prevention and the concept of a World AIDS Day was supported by all participating nations and, in October, the United Nations General Assembly formally recognized this concept and the World Health Organization declared December 1, 1988, as the first World AIDS Day; and
WHEREAS, In 1996, an organization known as the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS ("UNAIDS") was formed to plan and promote the awareness of the World AIDS Day and, in 1997, UNAIDS strived to create an awareness regarding the causes of AIDS by propagating year round communications through a campaign known as the World AIDS Campaign; and
WHEREAS, In addition to raising awareness, World AIDS Day is also about raising money, fighting prejudice, and improving education and the theme for this year's 2010 campaign is "Universal Access and Human Rights," because it is important to remind people that HIV has not gone away, and that there are many things that still need to be done; and
WHEREAS, According to UNAIDS, over 33 million people are living with HIV, including 2.1 million children and, in 2008, some 2.7 million people became newly infected with the virus and an estimated 2 million people died from AIDS; and
WHEREAS, As of December 31, 2008, over 18,000 Philadelphians are living with HIV/AIDS and Philadelphia has HIV incidence rates 5 times higher than the national average, and higher than New York City; and
WHEREAS, To promote local awareness, the Community Advisory Board of the University of Pennsylvania's Center for AIDS Research will host its 7th Annual World AIDS Day, Red Ribbon Awards Ceremony and this organization sh...
Click here for full text