People across the globe are recognizing World AIDS day. “I found out about AIDS day when I saw other kids wearing ribbons,” junior Matthew Noelle said. The way most students showed support for the day was by wearing red ribbons, as it has become a worldwide recognized symbol for AIDS awareness.

HIV is a fast growing problem, in the past 10 years reportedly the number of people living with HIV in the UK trebled, with over a quarter of the people living with HIV remaining undiagnosed. “I think it’s good that Annandale is recognizing World Aids day, but I think they should give out condoms too so that we don’t spread the virus,” junior Delwyn Molina said which resulted in an eruption of cheers from the table. It’s true, spreading the virus is a major problem.

On a larger scale than just the UK, some 2.6 million people were infected with HIV around the world just last year, with 1.3 million fatalities from the disease.

Another area that World AIDS day is trying to remedy is AIDS-related stigma, or discrimination directed at people living with HIV or AIDS. “I’d feel really bad for them, but I wouldn’t make things awkward because of it” freshman Medhane Berihun says. However in the bigger scheme of things prejudice against people with this disease is a major problem. Often drawn from ignorance about how HIV is transmitted; discrimination can result in rejection by friends, trouble dating, not being able to get a job, or even verbal or physical abuse.

AIDS is an extremely dangerous disease and there is no question that proper information needs to be spread about it. World AIDS day is striving to raise awareness for this growing epidemic.