Things to do: World AIDS Day 2009 Events

Attend an Event | Hang Posters and Send Cards | Take a Stand | Tell the U.S. Government What You Think

There's so much that can be done to prevent HIV, raise HIV/AIDS awareness or lessen the stigma and discrimination associated with HIV/AIDS. World AIDS Day is the perfect time to find out what it's like to live an HIV-positive life. Browse through this collection of ideas of what you can do around World AIDS Day.

  

What Are You Doing This World AIDS Day?




Although attendance at World AIDS Day events has fallen over the years, there are lots of events around the world. We asked a few activists what their plans were. Take a look and see what they said and perhaps it'll inspire you!

• Keeping the Light on HIV and Human Rights on World AIDS Day
  An interview with Eric Sawyer.
  From The Body
• The AIDS Memorial Quilt
  Host panels from the AIDS Quilt at your school or organization!
  From The NAMES Project Foundation
• Ways to Prepare for World AIDS Day
• What We Can Do: Motivate and Educate! Sample Activities for HIV/AIDS Awareness

  

Take a Stand, Wherever You Are

• Join AIDS.gov's Facing AIDS Project
  World AIDS Day is an opportunity for us to work together to help reduce stigma around HIV and promote HIV testing -- it takes just three easy steps to become part of this nationwide campaign.
• Locate or Help Others Find Convenient U.S. HIV Testing Sites
  Send a text message with your ZIP code to "KNOWIT" (566948) or visit www.hivtest.org. Promote KNOWIT by copying the code at www.aids.gov/knowit.html and pasting it on your profile, Web site or blog.
• Unite With Other Bloggers -- Write About HIV
  The National Institute on Drug Abuse and AIDS.gov are partnering with Blog Catalog to host "Bloggers Unite on World AIDS Day." They invite bloggers to write about HIV on December 1.
• Become an HIV/AIDS Activist
  Review this toolkit.
  From Global AIDS Alliance
• Start Your Own HIV/AIDS Organization
  Can't get someone to listen to you? Start your own organization! Here are some guides.
  From National Minority AIDS Council
• Start Your Own Peer Education Program (PDF)
  From Advocates for Youth
The Women of Visual AIDS


Click here to view full gallery. If you are an artist living with HIV/AIDS and would like to join the Visual AIDS Archive Project, click here.

• Donate Your Unused HIV Meds
  From The Body
• Help Get One Million People Tested for HIV!
  From AIDS Healthcare Foundation
• Volunteer at an HIV/AIDS Organization
  From The Body
• Sign On! Join the Call to Action for U.S. National HIV/AIDS Strategy
  Support the efforts of a coalition of organizations calling for an organized, nationwide strategy to end the HIV/AIDS epidemic in the United States.
  From National AIDS Strategy
• Memorialize a Loved One Who Died From HIV/AIDS
  From The Body
• Talk With Kids About HIV (PDF)
  Tips on how to do it.
  From U.S. National Parent Teacher Association
• Hold a Day-Long Hunger Strike
  From China AIDS Group

  

Tell the U.S. Government What You Think
Local and national elected officials will have no idea that their constituents care about HIV/AIDS unless you tell them.

• Be Part of Developing a U.S. HIV/AIDS Strategy -- Speak Out at a Discussion in Your Area or Testify Online
• Congress.org
  Easy-to-use source of information on the U.S. legislature; who's in it, what they're working on and how you can stay informed.
• Find Your Representative
• Find Your Senator
• Find Your State/Local Government Officials