01.12.2021

UEM shows solidarity with people living with HIV and AIDS

The UEM shows solidarity with people living with HIV and Aids; Photo: Johannes Schermuly/UEM

The Wuppertal working group World AIDS Day in the Town Hall Gallery; Photo: Anja Cours/UEM

This year, the World AIDS Day working group in Wuppertal is commemorating the history of AIDS and the great successes of 40 years of AIDS work. On 5 June 1981, the first publication appeared on a then new disease pattern that later became known as AIDS. Under Corona conditions, the World AIDS Day working group is showing, among other things, a small exhibition in the Wuppertal Town Hall Gallery. The UEM has been a member of the World AIDS Day working group in Wuppertal for many years and is participating in this exhibition. It presents examples of two projects of its anti-AIDS work from West Papua and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

In addition, the "UEM shows solidarity" with people living with HIV and AIDS and draws attention to World AIDS Day during its international UEM devotion on 1 December. During the prayer service, a red ribbon is worn as a sign of solidarity. It has been the symbol of solidarity for people living with HIV and AIDS for 20 years.

For decades, the United Evangelical Mission has supported the churches' efforts to combat HIV/AIDS by equipping medical facilities, deploying medical professionals and conducting extensive education and prevention campaigns.

Despite all the successes, the issue remains important: medically speaking, people living with HIV and AIDS can live well and grow old in 2021. The greater difficulties are discrimination and stigmatisation. Thus, prevention and information continue to be indispensable.
Further information on the programme of the World AIDS Day working group can be found here: https://aidshilfe-wuppertal.de/welt-aids-tag/programm.html