Today is World AIDS Day: Turning Remembrance into Action

By Miguel Gomez

Today is World AIDS Day and at AIDS.gov we are pausing to reflect on the importance of this day, to remember the friends that we have lost, and to acknowledge all the people, all of YOU, who are working to respond to HIV and AIDS. Today is a day to remember, but it is also a day to turn remembrance into action.

I sat down with Christopher Bates, Director of the HHS’ Office of HIV/AIDS Policy and of the President’s Advisory Council on HIV/AIDS to talk about World AIDS Day. I asked him to share what World AIDS Day means to him.

Here’s the video of what he had to say:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JPtSYeQwxkU

He told me, “World AIDS Day represents promise, it represents hope. We are at a turning point in this epidemic, where we have treatment and we have care for people, that almost relegates this disease to a chronic condition. But we can’t be lost on the fact that we still have some work to do and that’s part of the promise.”

He continued by saying, “There’s a lot to be done and I’m hoping that the energy and enthusiasm of this day permeates into the minds and psyches of all of those working in HIV and that we become a nation filled with an army of people who are going to take our message forward and change the course of this epidemic. This is our promise to ourselves, and this is my promise to you to help be a part of this challenge.”

I am so grateful for Christopher’s commitment and his message. What did you do this World AIDS Day to turn remembrance into action?

Speaking of turning remembrance into action, we’ve been inspired and moved by all of you who have uploaded your Facing AIDS photos to our Flickr group . It’s not too late to join us!