This past Monday, December 1, was World AIDS Day 2014 and it was celebrated in a big way.
Red Organization sponsored a concert in Times Square where people could celebrate accomplishments in AIDS treatment and discuss where to go from here. Former President Bill Clinton delivered an encouraging message at the event.
“This year, for the first time ever, more people were put on lifesaving medicine than were diagnosed with AIDS. We are going to win this fight.”
The concert was meant to teach people that keeping one person HIV/AIDS medicine costs 40 cents per day.
In an effort to raise awareness in Philadelphia, Temple University hosted a panel discussing the activism behind the upcoming play about AIDS in the 1980s titled, “You Gotta Eat Dirt Before You Die.”
Additionally, Grassroots Soccer sponsored a lecture about the biology of the HIV virus.
While the goal is global AIDS awareness, focusing efforts in Philadelphia is important because of the city’s high infection rate.
Dr. Scott Gratson of Temple’s School of Media and Communication explains why Philadelphia stands out among other cities.
“Philadelphia’s rates are higher than the national average, and Philadelphia also is in a really good position right now to, not only raise awareness, but also to see different methods of activism that might be able to work.”
HIV/AIDS treatment methods are very strong, and with medicine that is now capable of preventing transmission from mother to child, an AIDS-free generation may be reachable.
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