World AIDS Day is a day when people from around the world join together to remember those lost to AIDS, educate each other about the disease, and take action to stop the spread of HIV, the virus that causes AIDS.
Chicago is uniting for the first time in history to create one World AIDS Day event. The free event is Wednesday, Dec. 1 at the Chicago Cultural Center, 77 East Randolph St.
From 1-5 p.m. you can experience one of the largest HIV/AIDS Health Expos in Chicago's history with more than 50 exhibitors.
From 5-8 p.m.you can join in the evening's events, including the Health Expo, an awards ceremony, performances by Chicago Children's Choir, Imani Nia and Chicago Community Chorus. The keynote speaker will be Rev. Jesse Jackson, Sr. You may also view the Faces of AIDS Exhibit and the Names Project Quilt Exhibit.
The first 300 attendees will receive a free Faces of AIDS book.
Did you know: More than one million Americans are currently infected with HIV and up to one third of them do not know they are infected. Also Chicago is the 6th largest epicenter for AIDS in the United States; every year, more than 1,000 new HIV cases are confirmed in the Chicago area. It is estimated that over 25,500 are living with HIV/AIDS in Chicago.
Free Rapid HIV Testing will be offered, with results in as little as 20 minutes, without drawing any blood. Call 1-800-AID-AIDS.
Presented by the World AIDS Day Steering Committee & Sponsored by: AIDS Foundation of Chicago, AIDS Pastoral Care Network, Chicago Coalition of Welcoming Churches, Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs, Chicago Department of Public Health, Chicagoland Youth Against AIDS, EASE, Evian, GlaxoSmithKline, Hyatt Regency Chicago, Metropolitan Chicago Tuberculosis Coalition, NAACP - Southside Branch, Northside HIV & Health Coalition, OraSure Technologies, Inc., Pfizer, Inc., Rainbow Push Coalition, River North Distributing, Service Is Us, Inc., South Side HIV/AIDS Resource Providers, South Suburban HIV/AIDS Regional Coalition, Southern Wine & Spirits, SideTrack, UJIMA Coalition, Wholistic HIV/AIDS Providers Association, Westside HIV/AIDS Regional Planning, Westside Pastor's Coalition.
Honorary Chair: Mayor Richard M. Daley
