With the Trump administration declining to commemorate World AIDS Day this year, West Hollywood and local Southern California organizations will mark Monday’s 37th annual event highlighting the fight against HIV/AIDS.
West Hollywood and community partners will recognize World AIDS Day 2025 with a number of events and programming, including:
— A panel of the AIDS Memorial Quilt will be on display at the West Hollywood Council Chamber/Public Meeting Room, located at 625 N. San Vicente Blvd., starting Monday until Dec. 15, courtesy of the National AIDS Memorial.
— At 5:30 p.m. Monday, West Hollywood will conduct a World AIDS Day gathering for its “STORIES: The AIDS Monument” event, located at West Hollywood Park at 647 N. San Vicente Blvd. Following the program, a reception will take place at ONE Gallery at 626 N. Robertson Blvd., showcasing a newly opened exhibit, “Herb Ritts: Allies & Icons” — portraits of artists and activists who shaped the fight against AIDS.
Meanwhile, the Los Angeles LGBT Center and AIDS/LifeCycle will commemorate World AIDS Day with a rooftop reception at 6 p.m. Monday at the center’s Anita May Rosenstein Campus Rooftop, located at 1118 North McCadden Place.
The AIDS Healthcare Foundation is expected to host commemorative concerts and events in early December across Africa, Asia, Europe and the Americas. This year’s commemoration also coincides with a milestone for the organization, which expanded operations in 50 countries.
“This World AIDS Day reminds us that the fight against HIV is far from over,” Terri Ford, AHF chief of global advocacy and policy, said in a statement. “Millions of people still face barriers to testing, treatment, and ongoing care, while stigma and high drug prices put lifesaving tools out of reach.”
“Governments and communities must work together to ensure progress is equitable for everyone living with or affected by HIV,” Ford added.
World AIDS Day originated at the 1988 United Nations World Summit of Ministers of Health on Programs for AIDS Prevention, which is recognized each year on Dec. 1. Annually, the Joint Nations Program on HIV/AIDS unites the efforts of agencies, governments, nonprofit organizations, community groups and others around the globe to join a campaign around specific themes related to AIDS.
This year’s campaign is “Overcoming Disruption, Transforming the AIDS Response.”
The World Health Organization is calling on leaders and citizens to champion the right to health by addressing what it calls the inequalities that hinder progress in ending AIDS.
“The global AIDS response has been upended in recent months but there is still much more to be done to achieve the SDG (Sustainable Development Goals) target by 2030,” according to the Joint United Nations Program on HIV/AIDS website. “AIDS is not over and given today’s environment, a new transformative approach is needed to mitigate risks and help us reach our targets.”
Last week, the U.S. State Department directed employees and grant recipients not to use federal dollars to observe World AIDS Day.
“An awareness day is not a strategy. Under the leadership of President Trump, the State Department is working directly with foreign governments to save lives and increase their responsibility and burden sharing,” according to a statement from State Department spokesman Tommy Piggott to the New York Times.