World AIDS Day
Next: December 1, 2026
Wear a red ribbon, share the care.
The story
Where it comes from
World AIDS Day was the first ever global health day. It was conceived in 1987 by James Bunn and Thomas Netter, two public information officers at the World Health Organization's Global Programme on AIDS in Geneva, and first held on 1 December 1988. Bunn, a former television journalist, chose the date so that the day would reach the news after the US elections and before the holidays. It is a day to unite in the fight against HIV, to support people living with HIV and to remember those who have died.
How it's celebrated
People wear a red ribbon, the worldwide symbol of support for people living with HIV and of remembrance for those who have died. Countries and community groups organise their own events, sharing information about prevention, testing and treatment. It is a day to learn the facts, challenge stigma, and let friends living with HIV know they are cared for.
Did you know
- The red ribbon was created in 1991 by artists of the Visual AIDS Artists' Caucus, who chose red for its 'connection to blood and the idea of passion'.
- The actor Jeremy Irons wore one on television at the 1991 Tony Awards, and in 2015 the ribbon entered the permanent collection of the Museum of Modern Art.
- In 2016 Thailand became the first country in Asia validated by WHO for ending mother-to-child transmission of HIV and syphilis, and in 2018 Malaysia became the first in WHO's Western Pacific Region.
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- International Day of Persons with Disabilities · December 3, 2026
- International Day of Banks · December 4, 2026
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