Street Action>Galatasaray Square-Taksim Square<-Istanbul, 1 December 2010
HIV interests all of us!
Started on 1st December 1988, World AIDS Day is all about raising awareness, fighting prejudice and improving education and help stop the spread of HIV. The World AIDS Day theme for 2010 is 'Universal Access and Human Rights'. World AIDS Day is important for reminding people that HIV has not gone away, and that there are many things still to be done.
Creative Street Artists and Sambistanbul Percussion Group performed in Galatasaray Square and down on Istiklal Street. The action finished with a human red ribbon made by activists in Taksim Republic Monument.
The president of Positive Living Association, Nejat Unlu, underlined "the need for common action in order to raise awareness on HIV/AIDS" in his speech. He reminded once again that "we should look Positive to the reality of HIV and people living with HIV!".UNFPA-Turkey coordinator, Gokhan Yildirimkaya, emphasized on the fact that HIV is no more a lethal disease, but the discrimination and stigmatisation against HIV+ people is the main problem.
According to UNAIDS estimates, there are now 33.3 million people living with HIV, including 2.5 million children. During 2009 some 2.6 million people became newly infected with the virus and an estimated 1.8 million people died from AIDS. The vast majority of people with HIV and AIDS live in lower- and middle-income countries. But HIV today is a threat to men, women and children on all continents around the world.
World AIDS Day Istanbul street action and other activities around Turkey are organised by Positive Living Association in cooperation with UNAIDS, Gilead, Jannsen and MAC AIDS Fund.Young Society Initiative members and supporters took part in the street action on World AIDS Day.
Young Society Initiative supports the cause of Positive Living Association.
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