Durham’s annual World AIDS Day event will be Friday, December 5, from 6 to 9 p.m. at the Miller Morgan Building, Nelson Street off of Fayetteville Street, at North Carolina Central University in Durham.

Canned goods and nonperishable food items will be collected for the food pantry of the Alliance of AIDS Services–Carolinas.

The global theme for World AIDS Day 2008 is Leadership and the slogan is “Stop AIDS -- Keep the Promise.” The focus is on the urgent need to provide universal access to HIV prevention, treatment, care, and support by 2010.   

As of the end of 2007, Durham ranked fifth highest in the state of North Carolina for our HIV disease rate.  Over 1,200 people in Durham are living with HIV or AIDS.  

The objectives of World AIDS Day Durham are:

• Encourage everyone to get involved in stopping the spread of HIV/AIDS -- as an individual, in families, communities, or in your place of work or worship. 
• Build partnerships between community members, organizations, and government agencies to provide access for all to HIV prevention, testing, treatment, and support services.    

Ms. Pam Saulsby, WRAL TV anchor, will be the Mistress of Ceremonies. The featured guest speaker is Sergeant Ozzy Ramos. Performers include Las Semillitas, Trey and Lil B, Lady Lyk, and the Northern High School Gospel Choir. The program will also include a candlelight march and refreshments.

The event has been organized by members of the HIV/STD Committee of the Partnership for a Healthy Durham. Participating organizations include the Durham County Health Department, , Duke Health Inequalities Program, Duke University Medical Center, Duke Center for Community Research, Duke Division of Pediatric Infectious Diseases, Duke AIDS Research and Treatment Center,  North Carolina Central University’s Department of Health Education, Student Health and Project SAFE , Planned Parenthood , El Centro Hispano, the Alliance of AIDS Services-Carolinas, Piedmont HIV Health Care Consortium,  Project STYLE, Healing with CAARE, Inc., and others.