December 1st of each year marks the acknowledgment of World AIDS Day, a time to remember the lives we have lost, to celebrate the gains we have made toward improving the lives of persons living with HIV/AIDS and a call to action to renew our efforts to eradicating this disease which has taken the lives of millions of people world wide.

**Quick Global HIV/AIDS Stats**
(according to a press release from UNAIDS)

In 2007, 33.2 million people are estimated to be living with AIDS worldwide

2.5 million became newly infected worldwide in 2007 alone

An estimated 2.1 million people died from AIDS in 2007.

These numbers alone are daunting, but the press release further states that the majority of HIV/AIDS infections globally are concentrated in Sub-Saharan Africa. There were an estimated 1.7 million new HIV infections there, which the press release states is a significant decrease since 2001. However, Sub-Saharan Africa continues to account for the majority of the entire globes HIV infections, weighing in at an estimated 22.5 million (68%). While it appears the number of infections have decreased, clearly a large disparity continues to exist globally where Black people account for the vast majority of infections.

**Click here** for the UNAIDS press release

**HIV/AIDS in Philadelphia**
While we do not have the sheer numbers of infections that are concentrated in Africa, the HIV/AIDS epidemic is also very much a Black disease here as well. The most recent HIV/AIDS stats for Philadelphia based on a report from the cities AIDS Activities Coordinating Office (2006) are:

**__Race__**
Black 67%
Hispanic 12%
White 21%
Other .5%
Unknown .1%

**__Gender__**
Male 70%
Female 30%

**__Age__**
<15 2%
15-24 13%
25-44 66%
45+ 19%

**__Main Transmission Categories__**
Men who have sex with men (MSM) 28%
Intravenous Drug Use (IDU) 32%
MSM/IDU 3%
Heterosexual 34%

Blacks continue to account for the majority of persons living with either HIV or AIDS in the city of Philadelphia. We need to step up and be accountable for saving the lives of Black people, regardless of how they may have contracted HIV.

This year there are a few World AIDS Day events we would like to make you aware of. **On November 30th at 4pm, in City Hall, the Center For AIDS Research (CFAR)** will be hosting its 3rd annual Red Ribbon Awards ceremony which acknowledges the contributions local people have made to fighting the epidemic and celebrates the advances we’ve made in treatment, care and prevention of HIV/AIDS in this city. **Click here** to view details of this event.

The other event will be held at **Broad Street Ministries on Saturday December 1st 1p-4p, 315 S Broad Street (Across the street from The Kimmel Center)**. At this event there will be a number of theatrical performances, including one from Smoke, Lilies & Jade, singers and artists displaying their work as it relates to HIV/AIDS. **Click here** to view the flier for this event.

**\\Please visit the BGMLC website on Saturday December 1st to view essays written by local people about how HIV/AIDS has impacted local, national and global communities\\**