December 1st is World AIDS Day. Established by the World Health Organization in 1988, World AIDS Day serves to focus global attention on the devastating impact of the HIV/AIDS epidemic. Observance of this day provides an opportunity for governments, national AIDS programs, faith organizations, community organizations and individuals to demonstrate the importance of the fight against HIV/AIDS.

World AIDS Day has been taken up by governments, international organizations and charities around the world. From 1988 to 2004, the World AIDS Day was organized by UNAIDS, who, after consultation with other organizations, chose a theme. In 2005 UNAIDS handed over responsibility for World AIDS Day to The World AIDS Campaign(WAC), an independent organization. For 2005, they chose Stop AIDS: Keep the Promise as the theme for World AIDS days through to 2010.

2005-2010   Stop AIDS, Keep the Promise the WAC’s slogan for their work is "Stop AIDS: Keep the Promise". This is an appeal to governments, policy makers and regional health authorities to ensure that they meet the many targets that have been set in the fight against HIV and AIDS, and especially the promise of universal access to HIV treatment, care, and support and prevention services by 2010. This campaign will run until 2010, with a related theme chosen for World AIDS Day each year.

Previous World AIDS Day themes

World AIDS Day themes over the years have included:

• 2007 - Stop AIDS; Keep the Promise - Leadership
• 2006 - Stop AIDS; Keep the Promise - Accountability
• 2005 - Stop AIDS; Keep the Promise
• 2004 - Women, Girls, HIV and AIDS
• 2003 - Stigma & Discrimination
• 2002 - Stigma & Discrimination
• 2001 - I care. Do you?
• 2000 - AIDS : Men make a difference
• 1999 - Listen, Learn, Live: World AIDS Campaign with Children & Young People
• 1998 - Force for Change: World AIDS Campaign With Young People
• 1997 - Children Living in a World with AIDS
• 1996 - One World, One Hope
• 1995 - Shared Rights, Shared Responsibilities
• 1994 - AIDS & the Family
• 1993 - Act