World AIDS Vaccine Day is celebrated each year to raise awareness about the importance of HIV vaccinations in preventing HIV infection and AIDS. It is observed on May 18 each year and is also known as the HIV Vaccine Awareness Day.
The observance of this day is led by the National Institutes of Health(NIH) – National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), United States of America. The Red Ribbon is an internationally recognized symbol of AIDS awareness. It is worn in support of people living with HIV and in remembrance of those who have died.
History:
The origin of the World AIDS Vaccine Day is rooted in a speech delivered by former US President Bill Clinton on May 18, 1997, at the Morgan State University, Maryland. The first-ever World AIDS Vaccine Day or HIV Vaccine Awareness Day was observed on 18th May 1998, as a commemoration of U.S. President Bill Clinton’s 1997 declaration.
