World AIDS Day will be recognized Thursday on St. Croix with three different events.
Held every year since 1988, World AIDS Day was recognized in 1995 in the United States, which proclaimed Dec. 1 as a day of remembrance.
According to the World AIDS Day website, AIDS has been responsible for the deaths of 25 million people between 1981 and 2007. Today an estimated 33.2 million people worldwide live with HIV.
The theme for this year is, “Leading with Science, Uniting for Action.” Frederiksted Health Care, along with VICARE and other community leaders and organizations are uniting together to have an “AIDS-Free Generation.”
Jason Henry, program coordinator at FHC, will lead a presentation at 8:30 a.m Thursday for students at the St. Croix Educational Complex. He will then join VICARE staff in a joint presentation at the Rotary Club of St. Croix at noon at Gertrude’s Restaurant.
The day will conclude with a parade and candlelight vigil, including the Central High School Marching band and Junior ROTC. The parade will begin at 6 p.m. at the Frederiksted Post Office and travel to Buddhoe Park, where Dr. Cora Christian and the Interfaith Coalition will unveil a campaign geared at reducing the stigma and discrimination against individuals living with HIV.
Additional information can be obtained by calling Henry at 513-4836 or VICARE’s Sandra Phaire at 692-9111.