World AIDS Day 2008

Worldwide the estimated number of people living with HIV is over 33 million. An estimated one million Americans are living with HIV.

WAYS YOU CAN TAKE ACTION

Miguel Gomez, Director, AIDS.gov

Join the “Facing AIDS: World AIDS Day 2008” Campaign

In four easy steps, you can help reduce the stigma around HIV/AIDS:

1. Take a picture of yourself wearing a red ribbon. Be creative!
2. Add the photo to your social network profiles, Twitter, blog, and/or website before December 1. Leave it up for at least a week.
3. Add your photo to the “World AIDS Day 08” Flickr group!
4. Encourage your friends to do the same and to promote HIV testing!
   
   Copy the code below to add a “Facing AIDS” badge to your profile, blog, or website.

<a href="http://www.aids.gov/world_aids_day.html"><img src="http://www.aids.gov/images/facingaids_group2.jpg" width="150" height="159" alt="Facing AIDS - World AIDS day 2008" /></a>

<a href="http://www.aids.gov/world_aids_day.html"><img src="http://www.aids.gov/images/facingaids_female2.jpg" width="150" height="159" alt="Facing AIDS - World AIDS day 2008" /></a>

<a href="http://www.aids.gov/world_aids_day.html"><img src="http://www.aids.gov/images/facingaids_male2.jpg" width="150" height="159" alt="Facing AIDS - World AIDS day 2008" /></a>

Participate in a Blogging Call to Action on December 1st

AIDS.gov and the National Institute on Drug Abuse are partnering with Blog Catalog ” We invite bloggers to write about HIV/AIDS on December 1. If you are not a blogger, ask your favorite blogger to join the event.

Link People to HIV Testing Centers via Text Messaging

To find an HIV testing site near you, send a text message with your ZIP code to “KNOWIT” (566948) or visit www.hivtest.org. Promote KNOWIT by copying the code at http://www.aids.gov/knowit.html and pasting it on your profile, website, or blog.

Attend the World AIDS Day Event in Second Life

Join us in Second Life for a World AIDS Day Musical Festival on November 30 and on December 1 for a World AIDS Day event that will feature HIV/AIDS presentations and displays, tours, writing workshops, and virtual red ribbons and t-shirts. For more information, visit the Second Life World AIDS page .

Tell people about the CDC’s New HIV Incidence Data

CDC recently published national HIV incidence (new infections) that showed an estimated 56,300 new HIV infections occurred in 2006—that’s substantially higher than the previous 40,000 estimated annual new infections. Visit the CDC’s website to learn more.